Lanxess Corp. announced Frederique van Baarle, a member of the board of management and labor director of Lanxess AG, has succeeded the retiring Antonis Papadourakis as president and CEO for the company’s Americas region. Van Baarle’s new role was made official on Oct. 1.
“It has been an honor to have been a part of the world-class team at Lanxess, and having the opportunity to work alongside so many amazing colleagues,” said Papadourakis, who joined the company as president and CEO in 2015, and retires after more than 35 years in the chemical industry. “I’m eternally grateful for the wonderful experiences and the professional and personal relationships developed during my tenure here. The team, and future operations within the region, have a bright future with Frederique van Baarle at the helm.”
Van Baarle joined as a board member in April, with responsibility for oversight of the company’s operations in the Americas region, as well as labor director. A native of the Netherlands, van Baarle has held management and leadership roles with the company since joining in 2011, and brings more than 20 years of global chemical industry experience. She recently relocated from global headquarters in Cologne, Germany, to the Americas region, headquartered in Pittsburgh — marking the first time in company history that a board member has been based outside Germany.
