Ingevity’s Smith, president of Performance Chemicals to retire

Ingevity Corporation announced that effective March 1, 2022, Mike Smith has elected to retire as executive vice president and president, Performance Chemicals, strategy and business development. Beginning January 1, 2022, Rich White, vice president, Industrial Specialties, and Steve Hulme, vice president, Engineered Polymers, at Ingevity will co-lead the company’s Performance Chemicals segment. At that time, White will become senior vice president, Performance Chemicals, and president, Industrial Specialties and Pavement Technologies, and Hulme will be senior vice president, Performance Chemicals, and president, Engineered Polymers. 

Headquartered in North Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A., Ingevity operates two segments: Performance Chemicals, which includes specialty chemicals and engineered polymers, and Performance Materials, which includes high-performance activated carbon. These products are used in a variety of demanding applications, including asphalt paving, oil exploration and production, agrochemicals, adhesives, lubricants, publication inks, coatings, elastomers, bioplastics and automotive components that reduce gasoline vapor emissions.

“Mike has been an integral member of our executive team and instrumental to the success of our Performance Chemicals segment throughout his tenure here,” said John Fortson, chief executive officer at Ingevity. “His leadership helped us smoothly integrate our acquisitions of Georgia-Pacific’s pine chemicals business and the caprolactone division of Perstorp Holding AB. Our Performance Chemicals segment is well positioned for continued growth because of Mike’s dedication and we wish him the best in retirement.” 

Smith joined Ingevity in 2016 after 23 years at FMC Corporation, where he served as vice president and global business director for FMC’s health and nutrition business at the time of his departure and had held management roles of increasing responsibility across FMC’s operations in the U.S. and U.K. He serves on the board for the Lowcountry Food Bank in Charleston, South Carolina, and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan. 

White joined Ingevity in 2019 from DuPont Nutrition and Health in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he was vice president of global accounts. Prior to DuPont, White spent 18 years at FMC Corporation serving as general manager of the health and nutrition business for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region; global sales director for health and nutrition; global procurement director; and marketing and sales director of the specialty alkali and lithium division. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry from Morgan State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh. 

In 2020, Hulme joined Ingevity from Maysta Chemical, where he was vice president of commercial operations. With over 30 years of experience in the polyurethanes industry managing complex international businesses, he spent 27 years at Air Products and Chemicals in various sales, marketing and business management roles in Germany and China. Hulme was vice president and general manager for the polyurethane additives business at Air Products prior to its sale to Evonik Industries AG. He studied polymer science at Manchester Metropolitan University.