Our group operates a dual management structure consisting of an Executive Board and a Supervisory Board

Our Executive Board manages the company with the ultimate aim of increasing our company’s value. The Supervisory Board oversees and advises the Executive Board on matters such as business development, planning, strategy and risk mitigation.

Striving for economic success is what drives us. At board level, we encourage our teams to create innovative solutions that look beyond the classic areas of flavors and fragrances.

Our management at Symrise

The overarching focus of both our Executive and Supervisory Board is to drive the Symrise Group’s sustainable, long-term success. The two boards meet regularly to discuss business development, planning, strategy and risk mitigation. In compliance with the German Codetermination Act (MitbestG).

To fulfill its responsibilities more efficiently, the Supervisory Board formed a total of four committees. These committees draft the Supervisory Board’s resolutions and prepare the agenda items to be addressed in the full session. The three committees are the Auditing Committee, the Arbitration Committee pursuant to § 27 (3) of the Codetermination Act (MitbestG), a General Committee and a Nominations Committee. In certain instances where permitted by law, the Supervisory Board’s decision-making authority is assigned to its committees. For more information please see the Rules of Procedure of the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG.

Dr. Heinz-Jürgen Bertram

Chief Executive Officer

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Dr. Heinz-Jürgen Bertram

Chief Executive Officer

Personal particulars

Date of birth: September 18, 1958
Place of birth: Ohlenrode/Landwehr, Germany

Qualifications

1985: Chemistry degree
1987: Chemistry PhD

Career history

1985: various management positions in Research & Development at the Bayer Group, the Haarmann & Reimer-Group und Symrise GmbH & Co KG
2003: Symrise GmbH & Co KG, Global Head of the Aroma Chemicals Division
2004: Symrise GmbH & Co KG, Global Head of Operations
2006: Symrise AG, Global Head of Flavor & Nutrition
since 12/2006: Symrise AG, Member of the Executive Board
since 08/2009: Symrise AG, Chief Executive Officer
since 04/2021: Symrise AG, Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board for Scent & Care
since 02/2023 Symrise AG, Chief Executive Officer

Membership of statutory supervisory boards of other German companies

none

Membership of comparable supervisory bodies (in Germany or abroad)

Swedencare AB, Malmoe, Sweden, Member of the Board of Directors

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Olaf Klinger

Chief Financial Officer

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Olaf Klinger

Chief Financial Officer

Personal particulars

Date of birth: May 9, 1965
Place of birth: Heide, Germany

Qualifications

1992: Completion of studies in business administration, awarded degree in business

Career history

1993: Mannesmann AG, Finance department
1996: Mannesmann Corp./USA, Head of Treasury
2002: Merck KGaA, Head of Treasury
2007: Merck Serono S.A/Schweiz, CFO
2009: Merck KGaA, Head of Accounting & Controlling, Head of global Finance Organization
2015: AMEOS Group Switzerland, CFO (Member of Executive Board)
2016: Symrise AG, Chief Financial Officer

Membership of statutory supervisory boards of other German companies

none


Membership of comparable supervisory bodies (in Germany or abroad)

none

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DR. STEPHANIE COßMANN

Member of the Board and Labour Director

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DR. STEPHANIE COßMANN

Member of the Board and Labour Director

Personal particulars

Date of birth: October 2, 1973
Place of birth: Hanover, Germany

Qualifications

1992: Law Studies in Münster and Paris
1. and 2. State exam
2002: PhD in law, University Münster

Career history

2001: Clifford Chance, Attorney at law
2004: LANXESS AG, Legal department and internal auditing
07/2014: LANXESS AG, Head of Legal
07/2017: LANXESS AG, Global Head of Human Resources
01/2020: LANXESS AG, Member of the Board and Labour Director
since 02/2023: SYMRISE AG, Member of the Board and Labour Director

Membership of statutory supervisory boards of other German companies

none

Membership of comparable supervisory bodies (in Germany or abroad)

none

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Dr. Jörn Andreas

Member of the Board for Scent & Care

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Dr. Jörn Andreas

Member of the Board for Scent & Care

Personal particulars

Date of birth: December 5, 1980
Place of birth: Hameln, Germany

Qualifications

2001: MSc in Economic Sciences, HHL Leipzig, Tsinghua University Beijing
2010: PhD in Economic Sciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
2019: Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business School

Career history

2001: Bayer AG, Trainee International Business
2006: Boston Consulting Group
2011: Symrise AG, Director Corporate Development/M&A
07/2014: Symrise AG, CFO Division Nutrition
10/2015: Symrise AG, SVP BU Performance Specialties, Division Aroma Molecules
02/2017: Probi AB, Lund, Sweden, CFO
01/2019: Symrise AG, SVP Corporate Projects
11/2020: Symrise AG, Global President, Division Cosmetic Ingredients
since 02/2023: Symrise AG, Member of the Board for Scent & Care

Membership of statutory supervisory boards of other German companies

none

Membership of comparable supervisory bodies (in Germany or abroad)

Probi AB, Lund, Sweden, Member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee

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Dr. Jean-Yves Parisot

Member of the Board for Taste, Nutrition & Health

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Dr. Jean-Yves Parisot

Member of the Board for Taste, Nutrition & Health

Personal particulars

Date of birth: February 7, 1964
Place of birth: Lunéville, France

Qualifications

1988: University degree in veterinary medicine and MBA HEC Paris

Career history

1989: Sales & Marketing Pfizer
1990: Product Manager/Head for Europe at Merial (Rhone Poulenc Group)
1996: General Manager Rhone Poulenc Poland
2000: Head of "Prepared Food“ Business Unit Food Rhodia & Vice President for Europe
2004: Vice President Gobal Marketing & Sales Development Danisco
2006: Global Market Director „Food and Pharma“ at Air Liquide
2009: Head of the Food Division Diana
since 2014: Head of the Diana Division at Symrise
since 10/2016: Symrise AG, Member of the Board for Nutrition
since 04/2021: Symrise AG, Member of the Board for Flavor & Nutrition
since 03/2022: Symrise AG, Member of the Board for Taste, Nutrition & Health

Membership of statutory supervisory boards of other German companies

none

Membership of comparable supervisory bodies (in Germany or abroad)

Probi AB, Lund, Sweden, Chairman of the Board of Directors
VetAgroSup, Lyon, France, Chairman of the Board of Directors
Swedencare AB, Malmoe, Sweden, Member of the Board of Directors

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Michael König

Chief Executive Officer of Nobian Industrial Chemicals B.V. Amersfoort, Netherlands

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Michael König

Chief Executive Officer of Nobian Industrial Chemicals B.V. Amersfoort, Netherlands

Personal Information

Date of birth: September 3, 1963
Place of birth: Iserlohn, Germany

Education

1989: Graduate Engineer in Chemical Process Engineering, Technical University, Dortmund

Professional Career

1989-1998: Various Technical Roles in Polymer Manufacturing, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany
1999-2000: Project Manager for Shanghai Polycarbonate-Project, Bayer AG, Krefeld, Germany
2000-2004: Managing Director of Bayer Polymers Shanghai Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
2001-2004: Site Manager MDI/TDI, Shanghai, China
2004-2007: Global Head Production & Technology for MDI and TDI, Bayer Material Science AG, Leverkusen, Germany
2007-2011: Chairman and CEO, Bayer China, Shanghai; China/Managing Director, Bayer Material Science China Ltd, Shanghai; China
2011-2013: Global Head Business Unit Polycarbonates, Shanghai, China
2013-2015: Member of the Executive Board of Bayer Group, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany
2016-12/2019: Chief Executive Officer, China National Bluestar Group, Beijing, China
since 12/2019: Chief Executive Officer, Elkem ASA, Oslo, Norway
since 09/2021: Chief Executive Officer of Nobian Industrial Chemicals B.V., Amersfoort, Netherlands

Membership in other Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards 

Symrise AG, Holzminden, Chairman of the Supervisory Board
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (Domestic and International)

Celanese Corporation, Irving/Texas, USA, Member of the Board of Directors

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Ursula Buck

Managing Director of BC BuckConsult

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Ursula Buck

Managing Director of BC BuckConsult

Personal Information

Date of birth: October 24, 1961
Place of birth: Ulm, Germany

Education

1981: High school diploma, Wirtschaftsgymnasium Ulm
1986: Degree in Business Economics at the University of Augsburg, Faculty of Business and Economics

Professional Career

1987-1993: McKinsey & Company, New York (USA), Düsseldorf, Munich, Consultant
1993-1998: Hugo Boss, Metzingen, Director of Strategic Planning/Director of Licenses
1999: Valentino S.p.A., Rom/Italy, Head of Marketing/Productmanagement/Licenses
2000-2002: Willy Bogner GmbH & Co. KG, Munich, Director of Strategic Planning/Licenses
2002-2012: Esprit Holdings, Ratingen, Executive Director of Product & Licenses
since 2013: BC BuckConsult, Munich, Managing Director

Membership in Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards

Symrise AG, Holzminden, Member of the Supervisory Board
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (Domestic and International)

none

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Jeannette Chiarlitti

Regional Head, IG BCE District South Lower Saxony

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Jeannette Chiarlitti

Regional Head, IG BCE District South Lower Saxony

Personal Information

Date of birth: March 15, 1982
Place of birth: Schönebeck, Germany

Education

2001: High school diploma at Gymnasium Himmelsthür, Hildesheim
2001-2008: Degree in Social Sciences from Georg-August University in Göttingen (Diplom)

Professional Career

2008-2009: Youth officer for the IG BCE in the Mainfranken and Nuremberg districts
2010: Trainee trade union secretary in the Augsburg district and in Baden-Wuerttemberg for IG BCE
2010-2012: IG BCE trade union secretary for Kassel district
2012-03/2023: IG BCE trade union secretary for the North region
since 04/2023 Regional Head, IG BCE District South Lower Saxony

Membership in Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards

Symrise AG, Holzminden, Member of the Supervisory Board
amedes-group GmbH Göttingen, Member of the Supervisory Board
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (Domestic and International)

none

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Harald Feist

Chairman of the works council and Chairman of the general works council of Symrise AG

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Harald Feist

Chairman of the works council and Chairman of the general works council of Symrise AG

Personal Information

Date of birth: November 5, 1962
Place of birth: Stadtoldendorf, Germany

Education

1982: High school diploma
1984: Industrial clerk at Dragoco Gerberding GmbH & Co. GmbH

Professional Career

1984-1988: Flavor sales clerk at Dragoco Gerberding GmbH & Co.
1988-1992: Team leader for foreign sales at DEUTSCHE SPEZIALGLAS AG
1992-2006: Various sales positions at Haarmann & Reimer GmbH and Symrise GmbH & Co. KG in the Flavor division
since 2006: Pricing Manager EAME in the Flavor & Nutrition division at Symrise AG
since 2010: Member of the Holzminden works council of Symrise AG
since 07/2013: Chairman of the works council and Chairman of the general works council of Symrise AG
since 03/2018: Chairman of the works council of Symrise AG and Chairman of the general works council of Symrise AG

Membership in other Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards

Symrise AG, Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (Domestic and International)

none

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Bernd Hirsch

Chief Financial Officer of COFRA Holding AG, Zug, Switzerland

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Bernd Hirsch

Chief Financial Officer of COFRA Holding AG, Zug, Switzerland

Personal Information

Date of birth: July 24, 1970
Place of birth: Ellwangen

Education

1989: High school graduation (Abitur)
1998: Study of business economics (Diplom-Betriebswirt)

Professional Career

1998-2001: Wirtschaftsprüfungs- und Steuerberatungsgesellschaft Arthur Andersen, Audit Manager
2001-2002: Carl Zeiss-Gruppe, Head of Mergers & Acquistions
2002-2009: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Member of the Executive Board / Chief Financial Officer
2009-2015: Symrise AG, Member of the Executive Board / Chief Financial Officer
2016-2020: Bertelsmann Management SE, Chief Financial Officer
since 2021: COFRA Holding AG, Zug, Switzerland, Chief Financial Officer

Membership of statutory supervisory boards of other German companies

Symrise AG, Holzminden, Member of the Supervisory Board
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (in Germany or abroad)

none

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André Kirchhoff

Independent member of the works council at Symrise AG

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André Kirchhoff

Independent member of the works council at Symrise AG

Personal Information

Date of birth: August 20, 1965
Place of birth: Stadtoldendorf, Germany

Education

1982: Secondary school certificate
1982-1983: BGJ Electro
1983-1986: Apprenticeship as power plant technician at Haarmann & Reimer GmbH

Professional Career

1986-2003: Haarmann & Reimer GmbH
2003-2006: Symrise GmbH & Co KG
2006-06/2016: Tesium GmbH
since 07/2016: Independent member of the works council at Symrise AG

Membership in Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards

Symrise AG, Holzminden, Member of the Supervisory Board
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (Domestic and International)

none

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Dr. Jakob Ley

Director Research Biobased Ingredients, Research & Technology, Food & Beverage, Taste, Nutrition & Health, Symrise AG

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Dr. Jakob Ley

Director Research Biobased Ingredients, Research & Technology, Food & Beverage, Taste, Nutrition & Health, Symrise AG

Personal Information

Date of birth: March 1st, 1967
Place of birth: Bonn, Germany

Education

1986: Abitur
1987-1992: Diploma degree in chemistry, University of Bonn
1992-1995: PhD thesis, University of Bonn

Professional Career

1995-1999: Laboratory Head Cosmetic Ingredients, Haarmann & Reimer GmbH, Holzminden
2000-2003: Laboratory Head Flavor Research, Haarmann & Reimer GmbH, Holzminden
2003-2006: Head of New Molecules Flavors, Corporate Research, Symrise GmbH & Co KG, Holzminden
2006-2017: Director Ingredient Research, Research & Technology, Flavor & Nutrition, Symrise AG, Holzminden
2017-2022: Director Research Biobased Ingredients, Research & Technology, Flavor & Nutrition, Symrise AG, Holzminden
since 2022: Director Research Biobased Ingredients, Research & Technology, Food & Beverage, Taste, Nutrition & Health, Symrise AG, Holzminden
   
since 2016: Member of the „Sprecherausschuss der Leitenden Angestellten“ of Symrise AG
since 2020: Chairman of the „Sprecherausschuss der Leitenden Angestellten“ of Symrise AG

Membership in Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards

Symrise AG; Holzminden, Member of the Supervisory Board
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (Domestic and International) 

none

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Malte Lückert

IGBCE Secretary of the Chairman of the Executive Board, Division 1 for Politics and Transformation

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Malte Lückert

IGBCE Secretary of the Chairman of the Executive Board, Division 1 for Politics and Transformation

Personal Information

Date of birth: 3 February 1988
Place of birth: Soltau, Germany

Education

09/2004-
02/2008:
Chemical Laboratory Technician Training, AF Personalpartner GmbH – Industriepark Walsrode
10/2010-
08/2011:
Training at the Europäische Akademie der Arbeit (European Academy of Labour), Frankfurt

Professional Career

02/2008-
12/2009:
Youth Officer, German Youth and Trainees Council (JAV)
01/2010-
11/2011:
Trainee, IG BCE, Middle Rhine District
12/2011-
04/2015:
Regional Secretary for Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland
05/2015-
11/2017:
Union Secretary, Young Generation/Training Department, Hanover
12/2017-
12/2020:
Head of the IG BCE Executive Office, Berlin
12/2020-
07/2023:
Head of the Sectoral and Economic Policy Department, Hanover

01/2022-
08/2023:

Secretary of the Executive Board, Division 2 for Economic, Sectoral and Collective Bargaining Policy and HR, IG BCE, Hanover
since 09/2023 IGBCE Secretary of the Chairman of the Executive Board, Division 1 for Politics and Transformation, Hanover

Membership in Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards

Member of the Supervisory Board, Symrise AG, Holzminden
Member of the Supervisory Board, Rain Carbon Germany GmbH, Castrop-Rauxel
 

Membership within comparable supervisory bodies (domestic and international)

N/A

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Prof. Dr. Andrea Pfeifer

Chief Executive Officer of AC Immune S.A., Lausanne, Switzerland

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Prof. Dr. Andrea Pfeifer

Chief Executive Officer of AC Immune S.A., Lausanne, Switzerland

Personal Information

Date of birth: September 26, 1957
Place of birth: Munich, Germany

Training

1980: Pharmaceutical studies, University of Würzburg
1981: Registered pharmacist
1984: Doctoral degree in toxicology (magna cum laude), University of Würzburg
1999: Registered toxicologist
2000: Postdoctoral teaching position, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Professional Career

1985: American research grant, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
1989: Various research positions, Nestlé, Switzerland
1998: Head of Global Research, Nestlé, Switzerland
2001: Global management of Nestlé Science & Technology Alliances, Nestlé, Switzerland
since 2003: Founder and Chief Executive Officer, AC Immune S.A., Lausanne, Switzerland

Membership in Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards

Symrise AG, Holzminden, Member of the Supervisory Board
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (Domestic and International)

Bio MedInvest AG, Basel, Switzerland, Chairperson of the Board of Directors
AB2 Bio SA, Lausanne, Switzerland, Chairperson of the Board of Directors
E.M.S. Electro Medicals System S.A., Member of the Supervisory Board

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Andrea Püttcher

Vice Chairperson of the works council and Vice Chairperson of the general works council at Symrise AG

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Andrea Püttcher

Vice Chairperson of the works council and Vice Chairperson of the general works council at Symrise AG

Personal Information

Date of birth: October 4, 1977
Place of birth: Holzminden, Germany

Education

1997: High school diploma
1999: Industrial clerk at Haarmann & Reimer GmbH
2003: Specialist for Marketing (IHK)

Professional Career

1999-2005: Fragrance/CI Sales Clerk
2005-2011: Purchasing Assistant S&C
2011-2016: Global Marketing Manager Menthol
since 2002: Member of the Holzminden works council of Symrise AG
since 03/2018: Vice Chairperson of the works council and Vice Chairperson of the general works council of Symrise AG

Membership in Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards

Symrise AG, Holzminden, Member of the Supervisory Board
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (Domestic and International)

none

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Peter Vanacker

Chief Executive Officer of LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Houston/USA und London/UK

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Peter Vanacker

Chief Executive Officer of LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Houston/USA und London/UK

Personal Information

Date of birth: March 11, 1966
Place of birth: Wervik, Belgium

Education

1989: MSc. Chemical Engineering, University Gent, Belgium

Professional Career

1990-1994: Sales & Technical Manager Coatings/Polyurethanes for the Benelux Countries, Bayer NV, Brussels, Belgium
1994-1996: Sales Manager Elastomers, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany
1996-1998: Manager Marketing Unit Electrical Encapsulation and Speciality Raw Materials, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany
1998-2001: Regional Director for Polyurethanes in South America, Bayer SA, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2001-2002: Vice President Specialities Business Group NAFTA-Region, Bayer Corp.,Pittsburgh, USA
2002-2003: Senior Vice President & Head of Polymer Solutions Americas Division, Bayer Corp., Pittsburgh, USA
2003-2004: Executive Vice President, Head of Region Europe, Middle East and Africa, Member of the Executive Committee, Bayer Polymers AG, Leverkusen, Germany
2004-2011: Executive Vice President & General Manager Business Unit Polyurethanes, Member of the Executive Committee, Bayer MaterialScience AG, Leverkusen, Germany
2011-2012: Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, Member of the Executive Committee, Bayer MaterialScience AG, Leverkusen, Germany
2012-2015: CEO & Managing Director, Treofan Group GmbH, Raunheim, Germany
2015-2018: CEO & Managing Director, CABB Group GmbH, Sulzbach, Germany
2018-2022: President & CEO, Neste Corp., Espoo, Finland
since 2022 CEO, LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Houston/USA and London/UK

Membership in other Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards

Symrise AG, Holzminden, Member of the Supervisory Bord
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (Domestic and International)

LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Houston/USA and London/UK, Member of the Supervisory Board

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Jan Zijderveld

Professional Supervisory Board Member

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Jan Zijderveld

Professional Supervisory Board Member

Personal Information

Date of birth: May 9, 1964                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Place of birth: Ede, Netherlands

Education

1987: Business Management Degree, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

Professional Career

1988-1991: Brand & Marketing Manager, Detergent and Personal Care, Unilever Foods, New Zealand
1991-1992: Logistic & Planning Director, Unilever Food Solutions; Australia
1992-1995: Marketing Manager, Unilever Foods, Netherlands
1995-1996: Vice President, European Dressings Category, Unilever Foods, Netherlands
1996-2000: Marketing Director and Global Category Director Olive Oil, Unilever, Italy
2000-2004: Chairman / CEO, Unilever Nordics Ice Cream, Sweden
2004-2008: Chairman / CEO, Unilever Middle East & North Africa, United Arab Emirates
2008-2011: Executive Vice President / CEO, Unilever SE Asia Australasia, Singapore, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Pt. Unilever Indonesia, Indonesia
2011-2017: President / CEO and Member Global Leadership Team, Unilever Europe B.V., Netherlands
2018-2020: Chief Executive Officer and Director, AVON, England

Membership in other Legally Mandated Domestic Supervisory Boards 

Symrise AG, Holzminden, Member of the Supervisory Bord
 

Membership in Comparable Supervisory Bodies (Domestic and International)

Ahold Delhaize N.V., Netherlands, Member of the Supervisory Board
Pandora, Denmark, Member of the Board of Directors
 

Independency

The Supervisory Board considers Mr. Zijderveld to be independent. Mr. Zijderveld does not have any personal or business relationship, directly or indirectly, with the Company, any shareholder of the Company who is subject to disclosure obligations or with any member of the Management Board or Supervisory Board. The aforementioned has not been the case in the past too and does also include Mr Zijderveld's family members.

    

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