Dow has announced a leadership transition, with Jim Fitterling moving to executive chair of the board and Karen Carter appointed chief executive officer (CEO), effective July 1, 2026.

Carter, currently chief operating officer, will also join Dow’s Board of Directors. The move follows a multi-year succession planning process aimed at ensuring continuity as the company advances its strategy as a global materials science leader.

Fitterling, who has served as CEO since 2018 and Board Chair since 2020, will focus on long-term strategy, governance, and external relationships in his new role. During his tenure, he led Dow through its post-DowDuPont transformation and strengthened its position in higher-growth, consumer-driven markets, including packaging.

“Serving as CEO of Dow has been the privilege of a lifetime,” says Fitterling. “Together with our employees and leadership team, we have transformed Dow into a stronger, more focused company with the right strategy, capabilities and culture for the future. I look forward to continuing to support Dow as executive chair and working closely with Karen to help ensure continuity and strong execution.”

Carter brings more than 30 years of experience at Dow, including leadership of the company’s Packaging & Specialty Plastics business — an area closely tied to flexible packaging and label applications. In that role, she drove growth through capacity expansion, operational improvements, and the development of circular economy solutions.

“I am deeply honored to assume the role of CEO and lead Dow into our next chapter,” says Carter. “Dow has extraordinary people, world-class assets and leading positions in the markets we serve. Our focus remains unwavering: delivering reliable and innovative solutions for our customers, and long-term value for our employees and our shareholders, while accelerating our transformation to set a new competitive standard for best-in-class performance. I look forward to continuing my partnership with Jim in his new role as executive chair, and to working with the Board and all of Team Dow to advance our strategy and deliver on our priorities.”

Dow says the leadership transition positions the company to continue driving innovation and sustainability across key markets, including packaging and specialty materials.