Solvay Executive Leadership Team
20% women
As Solvay’s principal executive organ of governance, the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) plays an entrepreneurial role and fosters operational agility.
The ELT is collectively responsible for Solvay’s overall performance, protecting the Group’s interests and ensuring that it is looking to the long term. It gives shape to the strategy, steers the Group’s business portfolio, and ensures that value creation targets are met. Each member is responsible for overseeing a number of Global Business Units (GBUs), Functions, or Zones.
Although Solvay’s GBUs have a high level of autonomy, the Executive Leadership Team is responsible for optimizing the allocation of human, financial, and material resources to achieve the highest possible level of sustainable performance and value creation.
Executive Leadership Team members
Philippe Kehren is Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board. Before becoming CEO, he was President and Head of Sustainability of the Soda Ash & Derivatives global business unit at Solvay. He is an industrial authority with a 30-year cross-functional experience acquired in multiple management roles. At the helm of the Soda Ash & Derivatives business since 2020, Mr. Kehren transformed the business, which has resulted in strong cash generation, margins and growth, reinforcing its global leadership while speeding up the Company’s energy transition. He accelerated the reinvention of the Solvay process through cutting-edge innovation to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of production. He joined Solvay in 2012 to lead business development in Energy Services, and later oversaw the successful turnaround of the European Soda Ash business. He also managed clean energy production and led transformation projects and customer relations in the EMEA region. Prior to Solvay, Mr. Kehren served in various management roles at Rhodia.
Alexandre Blum is Solvay's Chief Financial Officer. He was previously Group Controlling Director at Solvay and Finance Director of the Soda Ash & Derivatives business. He played a pivotal role in the financial management of the Group and in the profound transformation of Solvay’s Soda Ash activity. He joined Solvay in 1997 and has 20 years of experience in finance across multiple disciplines including strategic planning, resource allocation, shared-services implementation and investor relations. While at Solvay, Mr. Blum has gained significant international experience having worked across France, Russia, China, Singapore, Belgium and has exhibited a steadfast commitment to talent development.
Lanny Duvall is Solvay's Chief Operations Officer. He previously served as Chief Operations Officer at Heubach. He has three decades of chemical industry experience and a track record of creating organizations that deliver superior safety, quality, and productivity results. Mr. Duvall has lived and worked in the US, China, and Europe and has led the supply chain function through carve outs and integrations. Prior to his experience with Heubach, Mr. Duvall served in various roles within the chemical industry at global industry leaders including Nouryon/AkzoNobel, Arkema S.A., BlueStar Group, Celanese, and Rohm & Haas. He has extensive experience in all aspects of operations management, including manufacturing, procurement and global supply chain.
Dr. Mark van Bijsterveld is Solvay's Chief People Officer. He previously served as Chief HR Officer at Signify N.V. He is a seasoned HR executive with extensive experience building an engaged workforce at brand-led sustainable companies. Dr. van Bijsterveld works with leaders to build on their strengths and co-create an agile organization with a culture of belonging that has a positive impact on the lives of people and society. While at Signify, he created a strong standalone organization, optimizing the company’s operating model and advancing the transformation towards carbon neutrality in 2020. Prior to that, he served in HR roles at multinational corporations Royal Philips N.V., Microsoft and Deloitte.
Lisa Brown leads Solvay's General Counsel. Ms. Brown has over 20 years of professional experience leading a range of both public and private companies, having served as Chief Legal Officer of Sibelco Group and before that, WABCO as well as SSL International, after starting her career in leading law firms. Having built extensive global experience gained from large-scale acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures with expertise in healthcare, automotive and mining industries. Ms Brown also brings expertise in sustainability, corporate governance, effective risk management and managing through complex regulatory environments. Over the course of her career, she has demonstrated the ability to advance companies’ strategic plan through leading, negotiating and implementing multiple acquisitions, divestments, collaborations and joint ventures globally. In addition to her executive role, Ms. Brown serves as an Independent Director and chair of the Nominating and Remuneration Committee of the Board and PI Industries Limited.