Winterling to lead BASF’s Group Research Division

Dr. Helmut Winterling, 52, senior vice president, Digitalization, Automation and  Innovation Management at BASF, will, as president, assume responsibility for the Group Research Division, in Ludwigshafen, Germany, effective July 1, 2023. 

He succeeds Dr. Detlef Kratz, 61, who will retire effective June 30, 2023. 

BASF’s central research division combines expertise in areas such as chemical synthesis, process development, bioscience, catalysis, analytics and digitalization and is globally organized with research centers in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Together with its business- and application-driven research units and development units in its operating divisions, it forms the core of the company’s global know-how Verbund.

Winterling studied chemistry at the University of Cologne, Germany, and obtained his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the same university in 1998. He began his career at BASF in 1999 as research manager, Polymer Research, in Ludwigshafen, Germany. In 2002, he was appointed consultant for Chemicals Policy, and subsequently, head of Chemicals Legislation, Environment, Health and Safety. In 2006, he was appointed Project and Investment Controlling, Styrenics. In 2008, Winterling became head of Global Strategic Marketing Foams, Performance Polymers. Four years later, he became vice president and staff to the chairman of the Board of  Executive Directors. In 2016, he moved to Shanghai, China, where he was senior vice president, Advanced Materials & Systems Research/Dispersions & Pigments, of BASF Advanced Chemicals Co., Ltd. In 2021, he returned to Ludwigshafen, Germany, to assume the role of  senior vice president, Senior Project R&D Transformation, before his appointment in 2022 as senior vice president, Digitalization, Automation and Innovation Management.

 Winterling studied chemistry at the University of Cologne, Germany, and obtained his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the same university in 1998. He began his career at BASF in 1999 as research manager, Polymer Research, in Ludwigshafen, Germany. In 2002, he was appointed consultant for Chemicals Policy, and subsequently, head of Chemicals Legislation, Environment, Health and Safety. In 2006, he was appointed Project and Investment Controlling, Styrenics. In 2008, Winterling became head of Global Strategic Marketing Foams, Performance Polymers. Four years later, he became vice president and staff to the chairman of the Board of  Executive Directors. In 2016, he moved to Shanghai, China, where he was senior vice president, Advanced Materials & Systems Research/Dispersions & Pigments, of BASF Advanced Chemicals Co., Ltd. In 2021, he returned to Ludwigshafen, Germany, to assume the role of  senior vice president, Senior Project R&D Transformation, before his appointment in 2022 as senior vice president, Digitalization, Automation and Innovation Management.