The corporate shake-up follows the closing of a recent transaction, bringing together a mix of long-serving coatings veterans and senior executives with specialised backgrounds in finance, digital infrastructure, and corporate transformation.
BASF Coatings has officially unveiled the new Executive Committee tasked with leading the business when it begins operating as an independent company on 1st July 2026.
“Great teams combine experience with new thinking, and this one does both. Some of these leaders have spent their careers building this business over many years; others bring hard-won expertise from across the industry. Together they give us the continuity to keep serving our customers at the highest level and the strength to think bigger and move faster,” has stated Jens Luehring, Chief Executive Officer.
The newly formed committee will be responsible for setting the independent firm's strategic direction and driving its commercial performance. The board comprises:
- Jens Luehring (CEO): An international business leader with over 20 years of experience in corporate transformations, carve-outs, and mergers and acquisitions. Luehring previously spent 18 years in the industrial and medical gases sector, which included a seven-year stint as President and CEO of legacy Linde’s Americas assets during its transition into a private equity-backed business.
- Michael Pontzen (CFO): Joins with more than 25 years of financial leadership experience in the chemical sector. He most recently served as CFO at Nobian and spent 18 years at LANXESS, where he also held the Chief Financial Officer role.
- Ewout van Jarwaarde (Chief Transformation Officer): Formerly the CEO of Brenntag Essentials and a member of Brenntag SE’s Board of Management, van Jarwaarde brings a wealth of experience in large-scale corporate turnarounds, including past leadership roles at CarNext.com and McKinsey & Company.
- Frank Naber (EVP Surface Treatment): A veteran of BASF for over two decades, Naber will lead the Surface Treatment division and its Chemetall brand, having previously served as Senior Vice President of Global Surface Treatment.
- Patrick Zhao (EVP Mobility Coatings):
Zhao, who joined BASF in 1999, takes global responsibility for the OEM business after successfully expanding the company's automotive footprint in the Asia-Pacific and Chinese OEM markets.
- Steve Arndt (EVP Refinish Coatings): Arndt joins the team with three decades of automotive refinish experience across Europe and North America, including previous executive roles at Axalta Coating Systems and FinishMaster.
- Nils Lessmann (EVP Operations Mobility/Refinish): Having joined BASF in 2009, Lessmann will oversee the global production, supply chain, and procurement operations for both the Mobility and Refinish Coatings divisions.