Ilham Kadri

{{Resume-like|date=May 2026}} {{NPOV|date=May 2026}} {{Short description|French-Moroccan business executive}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Ilham Kadri | honorific_suffix = | image = Ilham Kadri Syensqo.jpg | image_upright = | image_size =  | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | pronunciation = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|02|14|mf=yes}} | birth_place = Casablanca, Morocco | disappeared_date = | disappeared_place = | disappeared_status = | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | body_discovered = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates =  | burial_place =  | burial_coordinates =  | monuments = | nationality = | other_names = | citizenship = | education = PhD in macromolecular physical chemistry | alma_mater = ECPM Strasbourg (ex-École des Hauts Polymères de Strasbourg) | occupation = Senior Advisor & Board Member | years_active = 2026- Present | era = | employer = | organization = | known_for = | notable_works =  }}

'''Ilham Kadri''' (born February 14, 1969)<ref name=":3" /> is a Moroccan business executive, and the former CEO of Syensqo.<br> Between 2019 and 2023, she was the CEO of Solvay, a Belgian chemical company. After the split of the company in December 2023, she continued as CEO of Syensqo until December 2025.<ref name="syensqo-elt">{{cite web |title=Syensqo Executive Leadership Team |url=https://www.syensqo.com/en/investors/corporate-governance/executive-leadership-team |website=Syensqo.com |access-date=27 March 2024}}</ref>

== Early life and education == Kadri was born and grew up in Casablanca, Morocco.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ceos-increasingly-see-sustainability-as-path-to-profitability-11602535250?mod=hp_lead_pos13|title=CEOs Increasingly See Sustainability as Path to Profitability|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=12 October 2020}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> She studied engineering at ECPM Strasbourg (formerly École des Hauts Polymères de Strasbourg), majoring in polymer physics and chemistry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lesrencontreseconomiques.fr/intervenants/ilham-kadri/|title = Ilham KADRI}}</ref> Kadri obtained her PhD in macromolecular physical chemistry in 1997.<ref>{{Cite thesis|url=http://www.theses.fr/1997STR13016|title=Etude de la distribution de sejour dans une extrudeuse bi-vis corotative et modelisation de la chimie aux interfaces|date=January 1997|publisher=Université Louis Pasteur (Strasbourg) (1971-2008)|type=These de doctorat}}</ref>

== Career ==

=== 1997-2007 === Kadri started her career as a Development and Technical Service Manager at Royal Dutch Shell in Belgium, where she was part of a team that invented a synthetic bottle stopper made from a foamed thermoplastic elastomer to prevent the spread of fungi and bacteria from cork stoppers to stored liquids.<ref>{{Cite patent|pubdate=2000-07-04|inventor=Emanuelle Coignoul, Ilham Kadri |assign= Kraton Polymers Research B.V.|country=WO|number=2001002263A1|title= Synthetic bottle stopper|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2001002263A1}}</ref> She then joined LyondellBasell in France, where she worked in Sales and Global Key Account Management.<ref name="leadersleague.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.leadersleague.com/en/news/the-rise-and-rise-of-ilham-kadri|title = The Rise and Rise of Ilham Kadri}}</ref>

In 2002, Kadri took on a Product Management and Marketing role at UCB-Cytec in Belgium, until UCB sold its chemicals business.<ref name="managementscope.nl">{{Cite web|url=https://managementscope.nl/manager/ilham-kadri|title = Ilham Kadri - Solvay - CEO}}</ref>

In 2005, she moved to the Huntsman Corporation in Switzerland to become marketing director of the global epoxy business divested to private equity.<ref name="managementscope.nl"/>

=== 2007-2013 === In 2007, Kadri joined Rohm and Haas as marketing director of its paint, coatings and construction businesses until Dow Chemical Company acquired the company in 2009.<ref name="leadersleague.com"/>

In 2010, she became marketing director for Dow Coating Materiales. She was then appointed as General Manager Middle East and Africa (MEA) for Dow's Advanced Materials division and Commercial Director EMEA for Dow Water and Process Solutions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/environment/archives/greenweek2012/dr-ilham-kadri.html|title = Dr Ilham Kadri - Environment - European Commission}}</ref>

While at Dow, Kadri built water purification plants in the United Arab Emirates,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chemicalonline.com/doc/water-recycling-solutions-earn-dow-prestigious-middle-east-award-0001|title = Water Recycling Solutions Earn Dow Prestigious Middle East Award for Innovation in Sustainability}}</ref> oversaw expansions in Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q-7RDwAAQBAJ&q=Ilham+kadri+kenya+ghana+nigeria&pg=PT130|title = The Future Leader: 9 Skills and Mindsets to Succeed in the Next Decade|isbn = 9781119518389|last1 = Morgan|first1 = Jacob|date = 19 February 2020| publisher=John Wiley & Sons }}</ref> and developed water projects in Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Israel, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. She also launched the construction of Saudi Arabia's first reverse osmosis (RO) membrane manufacturing plant.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/dow/20110726005458/en/Dow-Invest-Water-Technology-Saudi-Arabia|title=Dow to Invest in Water Technology in Saudi Arabia|date=26 July 2011}}</ref>

=== 2013- January 2019 === From 2013, Kadri became Senior Vice President and Officer for Sealed Air Corporation, and took on the role of President of Diversey Care,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-08-01|title=Dr Ilham Kadri named president and CEO of Diversey|url=https://www.incleanmag.com.au/dr-ilham-kadri-named-president-ceo-diversey/|access-date=2021-02-11|website=Australasia's Cleaning Industry and Environmental Technology Magazine|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126014932/https://www.incleanmag.com.au/dr-ilham-kadri-named-president-ceo-diversey/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-08-01|title=Dr. Ilham Kadri Named President and CEO of Diversey|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170801006324/en/Dr.-Ilham-Kadri-Named-President-and-CEO-of-Diversey|access-date=2021-02-11|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en}}</ref> the company's hygiene and cleaning business, which had suffered losses in the previous year. On arriving at Diversey Care, Kadri was tasked with the turnaround of falling sales and profits, which saw her lead reforms of the service division.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-internet-of-clean-diverseys-plan-to-change-commercial-cleaning-with-connected-technology/|title=The Internet of Clean: Diversey's plan to change commercial cleaning with connected technology|last=Nichols|first=Greg|work=ZDNet|access-date=2017-08-07|language=en}}</ref>

She was also a key figure in Diversey Care focusing on a strategy of technological innovation. This includes the launch of the first global range of commercial cleaning robots across the US and Europe, and a digital food safety management platform that helps organizations to achieve regulatory compliance in the food industry. Originally based in the Netherlands, Kadri relocated to Sealed Air's new corporate headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, when it opened in 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article164783497.html|title=Charlotte exec named CEO of cleaning products company|last=Peralta|first=Katherine|date=1 August 2017|work=Charlotte Observer|access-date=15 August 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=http://businessnc.com/trash-talk/|title=NC trend: Trash talk|last=Leggett|first=Page|date=2016-06-04|work=Business North Carolina|access-date=2017-08-15|language=en-US}}</ref>

In early 2016, Kadri became Sealed Air's Digital Leader, responsible for Internet of Things (IoT) integration across the entire company – focusing on the IS digital architecture, external ecosystems acquisitions, digital monetisation and robotics.

In 2017, following the return to profitability, Diversey Care was acquired by Bain Capital for $3.2 billion and Ilham Kadri was appointed as President & CEO of the new business, Diversey.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.incleanmag.com.au/dr-ilham-kadri-named-president-ceo-diversey/|title=Dr Ilham Kadri named president and CEO of Diversey|last=Hunter|first=Lizzie|date=2 August 2017|website=INCLEAN Magazine|access-date=7 August 2017|archive-date=29 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829093144/http://incleanmag.com.au/dr-ilham-kadri-named-president-ceo-diversey/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170801006324/en/Dr.-Ilham-Kadri-Named-President-CEO-Diversey|title=Dr. Ilham Kadri Named President and CEO of Diversey|website=www.businesswire.com|date=August 2017|language=en|access-date=2017-08-07}}</ref>

=== March 2019-2023 === In March 2019, Ilham Kadri became CEO of Solvay, where she had previously been an intern in Tavaux, France, in 1989. Her appointment was announced in October 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/solvay-ceo-idUSL8N1WP13M|title=UPDATE 1-Belgium's Solvay names Ilham Kadri to replace Clamadieu as CEO|date=9 October 2018|work=Reuters|access-date=8 August 2019|language=en}}</ref>

Under her first year as CEO, Solvay launched its new strategy G.R.O.W.,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Investegate {{!}}Solvay S.A. Announcements {{!}} Solvay S.A.: Solvay announces its G.R.O.W. strategy to drive growth, cash and returns|url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/article.aspx?id=20191107060000H2275|access-date=2021-02-11|website=www.investegate.co.uk}}</ref> the Solvay One Planet sustainability plan,<ref>{{Cite press release|last=S.A|first=Solvay|date=2020-02-26|title=Solvay launches Solvay One Planet|url=http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/02/26/1990611/0/en/Solvay-launches-Solvay-One-Planet.html|access-date=2021-02-11|website=GlobeNewswire News Room}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Bugault|first=Dieter Holger and Olivia|date=2020-10-12|title=CEOs Increasingly See Sustainability as Path to Profitability|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ceos-increasingly-see-sustainability-as-path-to-profitability-11602535250|access-date=2021-02-11|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> and its corporate purpose.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Solvay unveils its Group purpose|url=https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=253165|access-date=2021-02-11|website=WebWire}}</ref> In 2020, Solvay, together with the King Baudouin Foundation, created the Solvay Solidarity Fund for employees and their families impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SOLVAY SOLIDARITY (FUND)|url=https://kbs-frb.be/en/solvay-solidarity-fund|access-date=2024-04-09|website=KBF website}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Ilham Kadri, Directrice générale du Groupe Solvay|url=https://laref.org/ilham-kadri-2/|access-date=2024-04-09|website=LaRef}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Solvay launches fund for employees|url=https://www.reinforcedplastics.com/content/news/solvay-launches-fund-for-employees/|access-date=2024-04-08|website=Reinforced plastics|date=6 May 2020 }}</ref>

Kadri was instrumental in the split of the company into the traditional Solvay and Syensqo materials unit. Syensqo was immediately after the split made part of the Bel 20 index.

=== December 2023-2025 === In the new Syensqo spin-off, Kadri served as chief executive officer, Chair of the Executive Leadership Team, and member of the Board of Directors of Syensqo.<ref name="syensqo-elt" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Syensqo CEO Ilham Kadri to step down|url=https://cen.acs.org/business/specialty-chemicals/Syensqo-CEO-Ilham-Kadri-step/103/web/2025/09|access-date=2026-02-21|website=C&EN|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=New CEO for chemicals specialist Syensqo|url=https://www.belganewsagency.eu/new-ceo-for-chemicals-specialist-syensqo|access-date=2026-02-21|website=Belganewsagency.eu|language=en}}</ref>

== Memberships == Kadri is an independent director at A.O. Smith Corporation and L’Oréal.<ref>{{Cite web|title=L'Oréal Group : Board Of Directors|url=https://www.loreal.com/en/governance/board-of-directors/|access-date=2021-02-18|website=L'Oréal|language=en}}</ref>

She is a steering committee member of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members|url=https://ert.eu/members/|access-date=2021-02-18|website=ERT|language=en}}</ref> Executive Committee Chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Our Team|url=https://www.wbcsd.org/Overview/About-us/Our-team|access-date=2024-04-10|website=World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=World Business Council for Sustainable Development appoints first female chair|url=https://www.eco-business.com/news/world-business-council-for-sustainable-development-appoints-first-female-chair/|access-date=2024-04-10|website=Eco-Business.com|date=29 October 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref> permanent member of the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council (WEF), as well as member of the Leadership Council of the Industry Transition Accelerator (ITA).<ref>{{Cite web|title=European Round Table for Industry|url=https://ert.eu/members/ilham-kadri/|access-date=2024-03-28|website=ERT|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=COP28 Presidency, United Nations Climate Change, and Bloomberg Philanthropies Launch New Industrial Transition Accelerator for Heavy-Emitting Industries|url=https://www.bloomberg.org/press/cop28-presidency-united-nations-climate-change-and-bloomberg-philanthropies-launch-new-industrial-transition-accelerator-for-heavy-emitting-industries/|access-date=2024-03-27|website=Bloomberg|language=en}}</ref>

She is the founder of the ISSA Hygieia Network,<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Beginning|url=https://hygieianetwork.org/cool_timeline/the-beginning/|access-date=2021-02-18|website=ISSA HYGIEIA NETWORK|language=en-US}}</ref> which she and other female cleaning industry executives founded in 2015.

Kadri is a member of The B Team, a collective of global business and civil society leaders working to catalyze better business practices for the wellbeing of people and the planet.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The B Team {{!}} Ilham Kadri, Joseph Kenner and Van Jones join The B Team|url=https://bteam.org/our-thinking/news/ilham-kadri-joseph-kenner-and-van-jones-join-the-b-team|access-date=2021-12-06|website=The B Team|language=en}}</ref>

== Awards and recognition ==

* Kadri was ranked 21st in Fortune magazine's Most Powerful Women in Business -International list in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/most-powerful-women-international/2019/|title=Most Powerful Women International|website=Fortune|language=en|access-date=8 December 2019}}</ref> * In 2017, she won Golden award for Woman of the Year (Industry), and Golden award for Women Helping Women (Business) awards at the 14th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/Diversey-Care-President-Wins-Four-Awards-in-2016-Stevie-Awards-for-Women-in-Business--20326|title=Diversey Care President Wins Four Awards in 2016 Stevie Awards for Women in Business|date=12 September 2016|website=CleanLink|language=en|access-date=8 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.issa.com/media/news/diversey-president-wins-four-stevie-awards|title=Diversey President Wins Four Stevie Awards|date=20 November 2017|website=ISSA|language=en|access-date=8 December 2019}}</ref> * In July 2021, she was decorated with the Légion d’honneur. She is also Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Namur (Belgium) and EWHA University (Korea).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ilham Kadri|url=https://www.bakerhughes.com/annual-meeting-2023/annual-meeting-2023-speakers/ilham-kadri|access-date=2024-03-21|website=Baker Hughes|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Ilham Kadri, CEO Solvay|url=https://www.lesrencontreseconomiques.fr/2023/en/speakers/ilham-kadri/|access-date=2024-03-22|website=Les Rencontres Economiques|language=en}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category-inline}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kadri, Ilham}} Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:Moroccan business executives Category:Moroccan chemists Category:Université Laval alumni