Man Signing Contract Paper

Board of Management

Dr Christian Kohlpaintner

Dr Christian Kohlpaintner

Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Management of Brenntag SE

  • Nationality: German
  • Year of birth: 1963
  • Place of birth: Stephanskirchen, Germany

Member of the Board of Management since January 1, 2020
Specific expertise and experienceThe Ph.D. chemist Dr Christian Kohlpaintner has more than 30 years of management experience in the chemical industry. This includes international executive roles in both China and the US where he lived and worked for several years each. Dr Christian Kohlpaintner is member of the Board of Directors of the EPCA European Petrochemical Association and Member of the Präsidium of Verband der Chemischen Industrie (VCI).
Responsibilities
  • Corporate Board Office
  • Global Human Resources
  • Corporate Planning, Strategy & M&A Brenntag Group
  • Global Communications
  • Global Marketing
  • Internal Audit Brenntag Group
  • Compliance & Privacy Brenntag Group
  • QSHE Brenntag Group
  • Sustainability Brenntag Group
  • Brenntag Excellence
  • Indirect Procurement
CareerSince 2020CEO and Member of the Board of Management, Brenntag SE, Essen, Germany
2009 - 2019Member of the Executive Committee (amongst others responsible for the growth-oriented business areas and the region of Asia), Clariant AG, Pratteln, Switzerland, and Shanghai, China
2005 - 2009CEO and Member of the Board, Chemische Fabrik Budenheim KG, Budenheim, Germany
2003 - 2005Managing Director, Chemische Fabrik Budenheim KG, Budenheim, Germany
1997 - 2003Various positions at Celanese AG, Dallas, USA, and Kronberg, Germany: amongst others Marketing Director and Vice President for Innovation and Ventures
1993 - 1997Various positions in Germany and the US at Hoechst AG, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Education and Training1990 - 1992Ph.D. in Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Germany
1984 - 1990Chemistry (Diploma), Technical University of Munich, Germany
Supervisory Board mandates at non-group companies or comparable functions
  • Evonik Industries AG, Essen, Germany (listed) (Member of the Supervisory Board)
Dr Kristin Neumann

Dr Kristin Neumann

Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Board of Management of Brenntag SE

  • Nationality: German
  • Year of birth: 1972
  • Place of birth: Marburg, Germany

Member of the Board of Management since April 1, 2022
Specific expertise and experienceThe Ph.D. economist Dr Kristin Neumann has several years of management experience with various leadership roles in Germany and also one in the UK. Dr Kristin Neumann has many years of professional experience in finance and accounting.
Responsibilities
  • Corporate Controlling
  • Accounting Brenntag Group
  • Legal Brenntag Group
  • Tax Brenntag Group
  • Treasury Brenntag Group
  • Corporate Investor Relations
  • Corporate Insurance Management
  • Shared Services Brenntag Group
  • Regional Finance Brenntag
CareerSince April 2022CFO and Member of the Management Board, Brenntag SE, Essen, Germany
2014 - 2022CFO and Director of Human Resources (until the beginning of 2021), LSG Lufthansa Service Holding AG, Neu-Isenburg, Germany
2000 - 2014Various positions at Thomas Cook AG: amongst others Member of the Board of Management for Continental Europe as CFO, CFO UK, Head of Controlling Germany
Education and Training1997 - 1999Ph.D. in Business economics, University Göttingen, Germany
1993 - 1997Business economics (Diploma), University Göttingen, Germany
1991 - 1993Apprenticeship as a bank clerk, Deutsche Bank AG, subsidiary Gießen, Germany
Supervisory Board mandates at non-group companies or comparable functions
  • Zeppelin GmbH, Friedrichshafen, Germany (Member of the Supervisory Board)
Ewout van Jarwaarde

Ewout van Jarwaarde

Chief Executive Officer Brenntag Essentials

Chief Executive Officer Brenntag Essentials and Member of the Board of Management of Brenntag SE

  • Nationality: Dutch
  • Year of birth: 1983
  • Place of birth: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Member of the Board of Management since January 1, 2021
Specific expertise and experienceEwout van Jarwaarde has several years of executive management experience driving growth, transforming organizations, and driving commercial and operational excellence. Ewout van Jarwaarde has been building digital- and data-driven capabilities across various industries globally to unlock value for customers and supply partners.
Responsibilities
  • Brenntag Essentials
  • Digital, Data and Technology
  • Customer & Supplier Excellence BES
  • Supply Chain Services BES
  • Business Development BES
  • Controlling BES
CareerSince 2023CEO Brenntag Essentials and Member of the Board of Management, Brenntag SE, Essen, Germany
2021 - 2023CTO and Member of the Board of Management, Brenntag SE, Essen, Germany
2017 - 2020CEO, CarNext B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2008 - 2017Partner (from 2014) and various positions between 2008 - 2014 at McKinsey & Company, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Education and Training
2009 - 2010MBA, Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management, Chicago, USA
2001 - 2007Industrial Engineering and Management (M.Sc.), University of Twente, The Netherlands
2001 - 2007Chemical Engineering (M.Sc.), University of Twente, The Netherlands
Supervisory Board mandates at non-group companies or comparable functionsNone.
Michael Friede

Michael Björn Friede

Chief Executive Officer Brenntag Specialties

Chief Executive Officer Brenntag Specialties and Member of the Board of Management of Brenntag SE

  • Nationality: German
  • Year of birth: 1980
  • Place of birth: Gronau (Leine), Germany

Member of the Board of Management since April 1, 2023
Specific expertise and experienceMichael Friede has many years of international management experience, proven market knowledge and a profound understanding of the specialty chemicals sector.
Responsibilities
  • Brenntag Life Science
  • Brenntag Material Science
  • Supplier & Customer Excellence BSP
  • Supply Chain & Customer Services BSP
  • Business Development BSP
  • Controlling BSP
CareerSince 2023COO Brenntag Specialties and Member of the Board of Management, Brenntag SE, Essen, Germany
2021 - 2023Member of the Executive Committee, Chief Commercial Officer – Performance Coatings, Akzo Nobel N.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2017 - 2021Executive Vice President, Business Unit Head Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties, COVESTRO Deutschland AG, Leverkusen, Germany
2014 - 2017CEO & President, COVESTRO Elastomers SAS, Romans, France
2001 - 2014Various positions at BAYER Group, Leverkusen, Germany, and Pittsburgh, USA: a.o. Vice President Global Key Accounts, Business Unit Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties; Vice President Procurement & Trading NAFTA
Education and Training2013Business Economics Program, Oxford University, Oxford, England
2011Executive Summer School, London School of Economics, London, England
2004 - 2005International MBA, Instituto de Empresa, Madrid, Spain
Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
2001 - 2004Dual trainee program with focus on finance and accounting, University of Applied Sciences for Economics and Management, Essen, and Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany
Supervisory Board mandates at non-group companies or comparable functions
  • Pearl Polyurethanes LLC, Dubai, UAE (non-executive director)
*By way of a resolution dated December 13, 2022, the Supervisory Board has adopted the following Rules of Procedure: