Evonik Announces Management Change

Dr. Klaus Engel, who served as Chairman of the Board at Evonik for many years, handed over his position to Christian Kullmann. At the meeting held at Grugahalle in Essen, Engel bid farewell to shareholders. Supervisory Board Chairman Dr. Werner Müller thanked Dr. Klaus Engel for his outstanding service. Dr. Werner Müller stated, "You successfully managed the company through the global financial and economic crisis and contributed to Evonik's development from a complex holding with diverse business areas into a leading specialty chemicals company," and continued: "Evonik is in an excellent position today. The successful acquisition of Air Products' specialty additives, completed in May 2016, also made an important contribution." Dr. Klaus Engel was appointed to Evonik's management in 2007 and has served as Chairman of the Board since 2009. Dr. Klaus Engel said, "Evonik has met all the conditions to actively and successfully shape the future and benefit from attractive and sustainable growth opportunities," and continued: "For this reason, I can hand over Evonik to my successor with confidence." Based on closing rates on 31 December, Evonik achieved earnings per share of EUR 1.15 and generated a return of over 4 percent for investors again in the 2016 financial year. The general meeting approved this dividend proposal with a vote approaching 100 percent and similarly reduced the burden on the management and supervisory boards.