- Push-out Score determined
- After less than four years in the position
- Praise and thanks for Van Bylen
- Carsten Knobel taking over
- Van Bylen said 122 words
(exechange) — Düsseldorf, Germany, October 24, 2019 — Hans Van Bylen, chief executive of Henkel, leaves. As announced by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA in a news release on Thursday, October 24, 2019, Hans Van Bylen leaves his post as Chief Executive Officer at the chemical and consumer goods company after less than four years in the role, effective January 1, 2020.
Hans Van Bylen’s duties as CEO will be taken over by Carsten Knobel, currently Chief Financial Officer of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA.
Carsten Knobel joined Henkel in 1995 and has been on the Management Board since 2012, responsible for Finance, Purchasing and Integrated Business Solutions. His succession as Chief Financial Officer is still to be decided.
“Personal reasons”
Hans Van Bylen’s departure from the CEO post is explained as follows. Henkel said: “Henkel has announced that the current CEO Hans Van Bylen, for personal reasons, will not be available for a further term after about 35 years with the company, including about 15 years on the Management Board and 4 years as its CEO. He will therefore hand over the position as CEO to his successor Carsten Knobel effective January 1, 2020.”
Precise information regarding Hans Van Bylen’s future plans was not immediately available.
Share price decline
The announcement follows a decline in Henkel AG & Co. KGaA’s share price of 23% since June 2017.
Chaired by Simone Bagel-Trah
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is chaired by Simone Bagel-Trah.
Simone Bagel-Trah has been Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board and of the Shareholders’ Committee of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA since 2009.
In the position of CEO since 2016
Hans Van Bylen became CEO of the Company in May 2016.
Hans Van Bylen (58) started his professional career at Henkel in 1984.
As a member of the Management Board of Henkel since 2005, he was initially responsible for the Beauty Care business unit before being appointed Chairman of the Management Board at the beginning of 2016.
Since September 2018, Hans Van Bylen has also been President of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) and Vice President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI).
He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF).
Push-out Score determined
The Push-out Score™ determined by exechange gauges the pressure surrounding the management change on a scale of 0 to 10.
exechange reached out to Henkel and offered the company the opportunity to comment on the score.
Read the full story in the exechange report 43.2019 ($).