Wohlhauser will leave the company today, and Dr Ralph Sven Kaufmann will be appointed as his replacement, commencing the role tomorrow, July 1, 2015.
‘Amicable terms’
The chairman of Evonik's Supervisory Board, Dr Werner Müller, adds that Wohlhauser is leaving the company on ‘highly amicable terms’ and that the German chemicals firm has much to thank him for, having played a key role in shaping its chemicals operations over the last few years.
This includes the most recent, successful bundling of the Evonik business in the segment structure.
“On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I would like to thank Mr Wohlhauser most sincerely for that. Dr Kaufmann is a highly qualified successor who has known the company for many years as he has worked as consultant on a wide range of projects,” says Müller.
Patrik Wohlhauser has been a member of the Executive Board of Evonik since April 1, 2011 and took on responsibility for the chemical operations as COO on January 1, 2014.
His replacement, Dr Kaufmann, has been a managing partner of SCOPEIN Management Consultants in Düsseldorf since 2001, advising companies in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, including Evonik, on optimizing their operational efficiency and business portfolio.
Kaufmann steps up
"We are losing Patrik Wohlhauser, a competent member of the Executive Board and valued colleague with whom we have always worked very well. I look forward to working with Dr Kaufmann, who has already supported us effectively in the past with his expertise and experience,” says Klaus Engel, Ceo and chairman of the Evonik’s Executive Board.
Kaufmann trained in banking and studied economics and business administration at the universities of Cologne and New York.
He obtained his doctorate from the University of Cologne in 1995, and started his career in Corporate Controlling at Henkel and subsequently worked as a project manager at the strategic management consultancy Droege & Comp. GmbH.