Brussels, Belgium – March 3, 2026 - 07:30 CET
SYENSQO SA (“Syensqo” or “the Company”) today announces the appointment of Heike van de Kerkhof as independent Chair of its Board of Directors (“Board”), effective March 3, 2026, marking a new step in the Group’s Governance journey. She will succeed Rosemary Thorne, who will step down as chair with immediate effect and from her position as independent director on March 31, 2026, to ensure a smooth hand-over process.
Heike van de Kerkhof has been an independent Director of Syensqo since December 2023 and currently chairs the Board’s Nomination Committee. She is a seasoned global executive with more than three decades of experience in specialty chemicals, materials and energy. As Chief Executive Officer of Archroma from 2020 to 2023, she led a global transformation focused on performance, portfolio optimization and sustainability. Her earlier leadership roles at BP, Castrol, Chemours and DuPont provide deep operational and strategic insight across global industrial businesses. She also served on the boards of Neste, OCI N.V., and Goodpack. Her combination of CEO experience, governance expertise and strong industrial background positions her well to lead the Board in this next phase.
The Board warmly thanks Rosemary Thorne for her leadership and commitment in guiding the Company through a pivotal phase of its development and looks forward with confidence to the next chapter under Heike van de Kerkhof’s chairmanship.
The Company also announces that Roeland Baan stepped down from the Board on March 2, 2026, for personal reasons, after having made a significant contribution through his expertise and strong engagement over the years. In particular, he has played an important role as a member of both the ESG Committee and the Audit and Risk Committee, where his insights have helped strengthen the Company’s oversight and governance. The Company wishes to express its sincere gratitude to him for his commitment and valuable service to the Board and to all its stakeholders.
In this context, the Board welcomes Miguel Mantas, former CEO of Allnex, as an independent director, bringing a strong track record in driving growth, portfolio transformation and complex cross‑border transactions. He combines deep experience in large-scale industrial businesses with proven leadership of high-performing international teams across Europe, Asia and Latin America.
This Board evolution comes at an important moment for Syensqo, as the Company strengthens its Board to address new challenges and opportunities ahead. The nomination of Heike van de Kerkhof as Chair of the Board and the arrival of Miguel Mantas as independent director follow Mike Radossich’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2026, as the Company advances to its next phase with a clear focus on disciplined execution, operational excellence and accelerated value creation.
The Nomination Committee will seek to appoint at least one additional independent director in the coming months to further enhance the Board’s expertise and maintain robust governance standards, including majority independence across key Committees.
I am honored to take on the role of chair at this important time for Syensqo. The Board is fully committed to supporting management in strengthening performance, maintaining high standards of governance and delivering long-term value for our shareholders.
This press release may contain forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements describe expectations, plans, strategies, goals, future events or intentions. The achievement of forward-looking statements contained in this press release is subject to risks and uncertainties relating to a number of factors, including general economic factors, interest rate and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, changing market conditions, product competition, the nature of product development, impact of acquisitions and divestitures, restructurings, products withdrawals, regulatory approval processes, all-in scenario of R&I projects and other unusual items. Consequently, actual results or future events may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Should known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, or should our assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could vary materially from those anticipated. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Syensqo is a science company developing groundbreaking solutions that enhance the way we live, work, travel and play. Inspired by the scientific councils which Ernest Solvay initiated in 1911, we bring great minds together to push the limits of science and innovation for the benefit of our customers, with a diverse, global team of more than 13,000 associates in 30 countries.
Our solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices and healthcare applications. Our innovation power enables us to deliver on the ambition of a circular economy and explore breakthrough technologies that advance humanity.
