- Effective July 1, 2026, Jim Fitterling moves from CEO to Executive Chair and Karen S. Carter becomes CEO and joins the board.
- Carter is Dow's COO with 30+ years at the company and previously led Packaging & Specialty Plastics; she will oversee operations and customer engagement.
- Dow reported roughly $40 billion in 2025 sales, operates manufacturing sites in 29 countries and employs about 34,600 people.
Leadership transition
Dow names Jim Fitterling Executive Chair of the Board and appoints Chief Operating Officer Karen S. Carter as CEO, effective July 1, 2026; Richard Davis will continue as Independent Lead Director.
Succession planning
The move follows a multi‑year succession process intended to preserve continuity as Dow advances its strategy.
Fitterling's role and record
Fitterling, CEO since 2018 and Board Chair since 2020, led the company through the DowDuPont spin‑out and navigated macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges; as Executive Chair he will chair the Board and focus on long‑term strategy, governance and external relationships while supporting leadership continuity.
Carter's background
Carter has more than three decades at Dow, served as COO overseeing company‑wide operations, operating segments and key functions, and previously led Packaging & Specialty Plastics where she drove value growth via asset upgrades, capacity expansions, reliability improvements and development of circular economy solutions with customers.
