At its ordinary meeting following a virtual Annual General Meeting, the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG elected Michael König as its new Chairman.
Michael König succeeds Dr Winfried Steeger, who, as previously announced, is stepping down upon reaching the retirement age specified in the Supervisory Board's Rules of Procedure. The Hildesheim District Court had appointed Michael König to the Supervisory Board, effective as of 15 January 2020, following the departure of Dr. Thomas Rabe. In addition, the Annual General Meeting elected Peter Vanacker as a new member of the Supervisory Board.
Michael König, the new Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG, said: "On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board I would like to thank Dr. Steeger for his commitment and the trusting working relationship. At the same time, we are pleased to welcome Peter Vanacker to the Supervisory Board. With his many years of management experience both in Germany and internationally, he represents an outstanding addition to our Supervisory Board."
Dr. Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, CEO of Symrise AG, added: "Over the past eight years, Dr. Steeger was always available to support the Management Board with his extensive knowledge and expertise. On behalf of the entire company, I would like to express my sincere thanks for the excellent cooperation. At the same time, I look forward to working with Michael König and Peter Vanacker. They have both built impressive track records during their successful careers in different industries. Their strong interest in the long-term development of businesses, with a special focus on innovation and sustainability, will greatly benefit our company."
Michael König is the CEO of the publicly traded Elkem ASA, a leading global supplier of silicone-based high-performance materials based in Oslo. Prior to this, he spent four years as CEO of China National Bluestar, a supplier of new chemicals and animal nutrition products, and 25 years in various management roles in Germany and China with Bayer AG.
Peter Vanacker is the President and CEO of Neste Corporation, one of the world's leading manufacturers of sustainable product solutions, such as renewable fuels for road and air transportation and renewable hydrocarbons for the chemical industry, headquartered in Finland.
Dr. Winfried Steeger was appointed to the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG in 2012 and served as its Chairman from August 2019 onward.
