Christian Kullmann, CEO of Evonik Industries AG, Essen, Germany, has been elected President of the German Association of Chemical Industry (VCI; Verband der Chemischen Industrie) from 2020 to 2022. He succeeds Hans Van Bylen, Henkel, Düsseldorf, Germany,
Markus Steilemann, CEO of Covestro AG, Leverkusen, Germany, was elected as Vice President of the VCI. Due to the corona epidemic, both decisions were made by a written circular procedure in the VCI presidential council. These are to be endorsed by the general assembly in Düsseldorf in September 2020.
Christian Kullmann, born 1968 in Friedrichroda, Germany, studied economic history at Hanover University, Germany. He held various positions at the Dresdner Bank, Frankfurt am Main, and RAG AG, Essen. Evonik Industries AG was formed in 2007 from the merger of RAG and Degussa AG. He was appointed member of the executive board of the special chemicals group Evonik in 2014 and has been chairman of the executive board since 2017.
As a manager, Kullmann acts from the conviction that a company and a society can only be successful in the long run if economic, ecological, and social interests are brought into a fair balance.
Hans Van Bylen, born 1961 in Berchem, Antwerp, Belgium, studied business economics at the University of Antwerp and graduated with both a degree in business management and a Master of Business Administration. He joined Henkel in 1984 as Product Manager for detergents in Belgium. After several positions, Hans Van Bylen became a member of Henkel’s management board in 2005 and served as Executive Vice President for the Beauty Care business. In May 2016, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Henkel.
- German Chemical Industry Association (Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.V. – VCI), Frankfurt, Germany
