Christoph Kowitz appointed CEO of Wacker Chemical Corp.
Wacker Chemie AG has announced the appointment of Christoph Kowitz as the new president and CEO of its U.S. subsidiary, Wacker Chemical Corporation (WCC), effective May 1, 2024. Kowitz, who currently heads WACKER’s Corporate Research and Development (R&D) Department, will succeed David Wilhoit, who has led WACKER’s business in North and Central America since 2015 and is set to retire.
Kowitz, a Ph.D. chemist, brings extensive experience to his new role, having previously managed the WACKER SILICONES division. His deep involvement with silicone production and application technology at WCC’s sites in Adrian and Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A., prepares him well for his responsibilities in one of WACKER’s most critical markets. Kowitz is keen on leveraging the U.S. government’s investment programs to drive the climate-neutral transformation of U.S. industries with innovative solutions from WACKER.
Kowitz’s career began at BASF AG in Ludwigshafen, Germany, in 1996 as a product developer after obtaining his doctorate in organic chemistry and polymer chemistry. He later served as a management consultant for McKinsey in Asia and Europe, and held various management roles in the chemical industry, including at Germany-based specialty chemicals manufacturer Cognis, before joining WACKER in 2013. Since 2018, he has been at the helm of Corporate R&D, overseeing innovation management within the group.
Wacker Chemical Corporation, headquartered at the WACKER Innovation Center in Ann Arbor since 2022, oversees WACKER’s operations in North and Central America and the Andes region. The subsidiary is a hub for administration, marketing, sales, and technical competence centers servicing the healthcare, pharmaceutical, construction, automotive, and food industries. It also houses the WACKER ACADEMY, which educates customers and partners about the latest product developments and technology trends.
WACKER is a global entity known for its specialty chemical products that are integral to a variety of everyday applications, including tile adhesives and computer chips. The company operates through four business divisions: WACKER SILICONES, WACKER POLYMERS, WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS, and WACKER POLYSILICON, providing materials essential for industries like automotive, construction, consumer goods, and medical technology. The company has a workforce of approximately 16,400 employees worldwide and annual sales of EUR6.4 billion (USD6.8 billion) in 2023, and is a leader in the specialty chemicals industry.
