Dow announced today that Jim Fitterling, chair and chief executive officer, will become executive chair of the board, and Karen S. Carter, currently chief operating officer, will become the company’s chief executive officer. The changes will become effective July 1, 2026. Carter will also join Dow's Board of Directors at that time. Richard Davis will continue to serve as Dow's independent lead director.

Dow reports that the change reflects the culmination of a multi-year, thoughtful succession planning process and supports continuity.

"On behalf of the board, I want to thank Jim for his exceptional leadership and continued contributions to Dow," said Davis. "Jim has led the company through a period of significant transformation while strengthening Dow's strategy, culture and long-term positioning. We are equally pleased to congratulate Karen on her appointment as CEO. She is a disciplined, highly respected leader with a deep understanding of Dow's businesses and customers. This appointment reflects our confidence in her ability to lead Dow forward into its next chapter of growth and value creation for customers, employees, and shareholders."

Since becoming CEO in 2018 and board chair in 2020, Fitterling guided Dow through its spin-out from DowDuPont, navigated the enterprise through macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges, and advanced Dow’s sustainability ambitions and reinforced a culture centered on safety, performance and inclusion. In his new role, Fitterling will continue to chair the board and focus on long-term strategy, governance, and key external relationships, while supporting continuity in leadership and execution.

Carter brings more than three decades of experience at Dow, with deep operational expertise and a strong track record of delivering results across the enterprise. As chief operating officer, she has overseen business and operational performance company-wide, with responsibility for Dow's operating segments and key functional organizations, while strengthening customer engagement and accelerating innovation.

Previously, Carter served as president of Dow's Packaging & Specialty Plastics, the company's largest operating segment, where she led value growth through asset upgrades, capacity expansions and improved reliability, while advancing circular economy solutions in close partnership with customers and brand owners. She has also held senior leadership roles across business, commercial, and corporate functions.

Learn more about Dow at www.dow.com.