Dr. Kadri is a world citizen with a rich professional experience across a variety of industries in four continents and with leading industrial multinationals, including Shell, UCB, Huntsman, Dow Chemical and Sealed Air. Prior to Solvay, Ilham Kadri was CEO and President of Diversey in the United States, having led the company’s return to profitability and result. Dr. Kadri is CEO of Syensqo, a global specialty materials leader which originated from the demerger of Solvay, a 160 year old chemical company, in December 2023.

Before the spin-off, Dr. Kadri drove the transformation of Solvay after she was appointed as CEO in 2019. During her tenure, the Group outperformed its objectives and delivered double-digit EBITDA growth as well as 18 consecutive quarters of positive free cash flow, while reducing debt and reinforcing its balance sheet. The economic objectives of the Group’s G.R.O.W. strategy were met two years ahead of schedule. Under her leadership, Solvay launched a holistic One Planet sustainability roadmap, which outperformed the CO2 reduction objectives set by the Paris Agreement. Dr. Kadri strove to promote superior people engagement, namely through the establishment of the company Purpose and the ‘One Dignity’ program to promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Dr. Kadri acquired extensive leadership experience with leading global companies across a variety of industries on four continents, including Shell, UCB, Dow and Sealed Air. Prior to joining Solvay, as CEO and President of Diversey in the United States of America, she led the company’s return to profitability and subsequent spin off and divestiture to Bain Capital.

Dr. Kadri is an independent Board member at A.O. Smith and L’Oréal. She is active in non-profit organizations, as Chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), member of the steering committee of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT), member of the Leadership Council of the Industry Transition Accelerator (ITA) as well as a permanent member of the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council (WEF). She is a philanthropist who created two charity funds THE HYGIEIA Network in the USA to combat illiteracy and the Solvay Solidarity Fund to support families and communities impacted by external catastrophes.