- dsm-firmenich’s Board of Directors proposed Richard Ridinger as its next Chairman.
- The company said current Chairman Thomas Leysen will retire after his successor is elected.
- Shareholders will be asked to approve Ridinger’s appointment at an Extraordinary General Shareholders Meeting on October 19, 2026, according to a press release sent by email
Maastricht, Netherlands — dsm-firmenich’s Board of Directors has proposed Richard Ridinger, currently an independent director, to become its new Chairman. The move follows current Chairman Thomas Leysen’s decision to retire.
Shareholders will be asked to approve Ridinger’s appointment at an Extraordinary General Shareholders Meeting (EGM) scheduled for October 19, 2026, dsm-firmenich said in an emailed press release today.
Leadership Transition
Leysen will step down from his role as Director and Chair once his successor is elected. The Board unanimously proposed Ridinger as his successor.
Ridinger’s Background
Ridinger brings extensive executive and board-level experience from global, innovation-led businesses in Pharma, Home & Personal Care, and Nutrition & Health. He has served as an independent member of the dsm-firmenich Board since 2023 and was on the Board of Directors of Firmenich from 2016 to 2023. Ridinger was Chief Executive Officer of Lonza from 2012 to 2019. He also held senior leadership positions at Cognis and Henkel.
Leysen’s Departure
Leysen stated that with the merger fully completed, strategic direction set, and portfolio tuning nearing completion, it is an opportune moment to hand over the role. He aims to devote more time to his other corporate and non-profit mandates. The Board thanked Leysen for his leadership during the company’s formation and development.