New leadership: Dr. Torsten Derr becomes SCHOTT’s new CEO on January 1, 2025
Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Mainz, Germany
- On January 1, 2025, Dr. Torsten Derr, a Ph.D. chemist, will take the helm of SCHOTT.
- SCHOTT’s new CEO previously served as CEO of SGL Carbon SE from 2020-2024.
Effective January 1, 2025, Dr. Torsten Derr will take the helm of SCHOTT AG as CEO. As announced in October 2024, he will succeed Dr. Frank Heinricht, who led the international technology group successfully for eleven years and will retire on December 31, 2024. Dr. Derr, who has served as CEO of SGL Carbon since 2020, will join SCHOTT upon the conclusion of his contract. In his new position in Mainz, he will be responsible for SCHOTT’s Tubing Business Unit as well as the corporate functions Research & Development, Compliance & Legal, Human Resources, Marketing & Communications, and Strategic Development. He will also serve as Chairman of the Supervisory Board for SCHOTT’s subsidiary SCHOTT Pharma.
Born in 1970 in Bremen, Germany, Dr. Torsten Derr earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Bremen, then began his career in 1997 at Bayer AG as an R&D Manager for plastics. In 2003, he joined specialty chemicals company LANXESS AG, where he held various leadership roles, including Head of Commercial & Supply Chain Excellence and Chief Commercial Officer. In 2016, he moved to the company’s subsidiary Saltigo, where he managed the fine chemicals business until becoming CEO of SGL Carbon, headquartered in Wiesbaden. There, he worked to ensure the successful and profitable development of the publicly listed company focused on carbon-based technologies.
The Chairman of SCHOTT’s Supervisory Board, Dr. Michael Bolle, welcomed Dr. Derr to his new role: “The Supervisory Board looks forward to working with Dr. Derr. His extensive experience and track record in leading and developing technology companies make him highly qualified for the position. With SCHOTT, he is joining a healthy and growth-oriented company with a solid foundation. Our best wishes to Dr. Derr.”
Dr. Torsten Derr succeeds Dr. Frank Heinricht, who became SCHOTT’s CEO in 2013 when the company was still grappling with a downturn in the German solar industry. In the years that followed, Heinricht steered SCHOTT back to a successful trajectory. Focused on innovation, his growth strategy significantly improved business performance, while his emphasis on a strong team culture inspired employees worldwide.
SCHOTT’s new CEO intends to build on this legacy: “SCHOTT is a company with an impressive history and tradition that is simultaneously highly innovative and future-oriented. It’s an honor to take on the leadership of the company. I look forward to the challenging and exciting journey ahead,” said Dr. Torsten Derr.
About SCHOTT
International technology group SCHOTT produces high-quality components and advanced materials, including specialty glass, glass-ceramics, and polymers. Many SCHOTT products have high-tech applications that push technological boundaries, such as flexible glass in foldable smartphones, glass-ceramic mirror substrates in the world's largest telescopes, and laser glass in nuclear fusion. With their pioneering spirit, SCHOTT’s 17,050 employees in over 30 countries work as partners to industries such as healthcare, home appliances, consumer electronics, semiconductors, optics, astronomy, energy, and aerospace. In fiscal year 2023, SCHOTT generated 2.9 billion euros (3.0 billion USD) in sales. In addition to innovation, one of its important corporate goals is sustainability, where it is pursuing climate neutral production by 2030. SCHOTT was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in Mainz, Germany. The company belongs to the Carl Zeiss Foundation, which uses its dividends to promote science. Further information at SCHOTT.com
Rina Della Vecchia
Senior Marketing Communication Manager