The Executive Committee of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) has proposed Markus Steilemann as a candidate for the post.
Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of Leverkusen-based plastics manufacturer Covestro, is to head the VCI in the future. The association's executive committee nominated the 52-year-old as a candidate to succeed incumbent president Christian Kullmann, the VCI announced in early April. The election is scheduled to take place on September 29, 2022, at the general meeting in Berlin. Steilemann has been head of Covestro since summer 2018 and vice president on the VCI board for just over two years. The manager studied chemistry and business administration at RWTH Aachen University, where he also earned his doctorate. Current VCI President Kullmann (53), CEO of Essen-based specialty chemicals group Evonik, has held the post, which is filled every two years in accordance with the articles of association, since 2020. The VCI represents the interests of the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. In 2021, Germany's third-largest industrial sector after automotive and mechanical engineering achieved record sales of 225 billion euros. The industry employs 466,000 people in Germany.