Dr. Markus Steilemann has been Chairman of the Board of Management of Covestro since June 2018. His responsibilities include central areas such as Strategy, Innovation and Sustainability, Corporate Audit, Human Resources and Communications. The strategic focus of his work is the company’s comprehensive orientation toward the Circular Economy. Since September 2022 Markus Steilemann is president of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI). Born in 1970 in Geilenkirchen, Germany, Steilemann studied chemistry at RWTH Aachen University and ETH Zurich. He completed his studies in Aachen with a doctorate, where he also earned a diploma in business administration. In 1999, Steilemann began his professional career with the Bayer Group. From 2008, he held management positions in the Polycarbonates Business Unit of Bayer MaterialScience, Covestro’s predecessor organization. From 2013 to 2015, he headed the entire segment, headquartered in China, where he lived for several years. Back in Germany, Steilemann became a member of the Covestro Board of Management in 2015 and was responsible for innovation. In the following year, he took over the management of the Polyurethanes business unit. In 2017, he assumed responsibility as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for all three segments of the company including Innovation, Marketing and Sales.