{{short description|German businessman|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox person | name = Kurt Bock | image = Kurt Bock.jpg | caption = Bock in 2013 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|7|3|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Rahden]], Eastern Westphalia, [[West Germany]] | death_date = | death_place = | education = | alma_mater = {{ubl|[[Pennsylvania State University]]| [[University of Münster]]| [[University of Bonn]]}} | occupation = | years_active = | title = Former CEO, [[BASF]] | term = 2011-18 | predecessor = [[Jürgen Hambrecht]] | successor = [[Martin Brudermüller]] | parents = | spouse = married | children = 3 }} '''Kurt Bock''' (born 3 July 1958), is a German businessman who has been president of the German Chemical Industry Association since 2016,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vci.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/kurt-bock-ist-neuer-vci-praesident-basf-chef-uebernimmt-fuehrung-des-chemieverbandes.jsp|title=Kurt Bock ist neuer VCI-Präsident - Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.V. (VCI)|website=www.vci.de|language=DE|access-date=2018-08-06|archive-date=2018-08-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806180921/https://www.vci.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/kurt-bock-ist-neuer-vci-praesident-basf-chef-uebernimmt-fuehrung-des-chemieverbandes.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was [[chief executive officer]] (CEO) of [[BASF]], the world's largest chemical producer, from 2011 to 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article176082950/BASF-Scheidender-Vorstandschef-Kurt-Bock-kanzelt-Kritiker-ab.html|title=BASF: Scheidender Vorstandschef Kurt Bock kanzelt Kritiker ab|last=Ettel|first=Anja|date=2018-05-04|work=DIE WELT|access-date=2018-08-06}}</ref>
==Early life== Bock was born in 1958, in [[Rahden]], Eastern Westphalia, [[West Germany]].<ref name=BASF>{{cite web|title=Dr. Kurt Bock|url=https://www.basf.com/en/company/about-us/management/board-of-executive-directors/dr-kurt-bock.html|website=BASF|accessdate=25 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614072041/https://www.basf.com/en/company/about-us/management/board-of-executive-directors/dr-kurt-bock.html|archive-date=14 June 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Bock studied business administration at the [[University of Münster]], [[University of Cologne]] and [[Pennsylvania State University]], and received his doctorate in economics from the [[University of Bonn]] in 1985.<ref name=Bloomberg>{{cite web|title=Executive Profile: Kurt Bock|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=2936463&capId=398118|website=Bloomberg|accessdate=26 June 2015}}</ref> He wrote his thesis on "Corporate success and organization".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bunte.de/starprofile/kurt-bock.html|title=Kurt Bock: Aktuelle News, Infos & Bilder {{!}} BUNTE.de|website=www.bunte.de|language=de|access-date=2018-08-06}}</ref>
==Career== Bock joined the finance division of BASF in 1985, after he earned his doctorate (PhD) in economics from the University of Bonn. In 1992, he joined [[Robert Bosch GmbH|Bosch]] as head of the finance and balance division. Later he took over the management of the Brazilian subsidiary.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.basf.com/at/de/company/about-us/management/board-of-executive-directors/dr-kurt-bock.html|title=Dr. Kurt Bock|work=BASF|access-date=2018-08-06|language=de}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In 1998, Bock returned to BASF and was first [[chief financial officer]] of the US subsidiary. In 2000, he became head of logistics and IT at the BASF parent company. In 2003, he was appointed to the executive board of BASF AG with responsibility for the finance department.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.finance-magazin.de/cfo/cfo-wechsel/basf-cfo-bock-rueckt-an-die-spitze-1123312/|title=BASF-CFO Bock rückt an die Spitze|access-date=2018-08-06|language=de}}</ref> In 2007, he also assumed responsibility as chairman and CEO of BASF Corporation, [[New Jersey]], US.<ref name=":0" />
Bock became chief executive of BASF in May 2011. He served as CEO until resigning from the board at the end of the [[annual general meeting]] on May 4, 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.basf.com/de/company/news-and-media/news-releases/2018/05/p-18-197.html|title=Vorstandswechsel bei BASF: Bock übergibt an Brudermüller|work=BASF|access-date=2018-08-08|language=de}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He was succeeded by [[Martin Brudermüller]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/industrie/portraet-martin-brudermueller-a-1205291.html|title=BASF: Wie Martin Brudermüller BASF technisch wieder stark machen will - manager magazin|work=manager magazin|access-date=2018-08-14}}</ref>
Bock is assumed to be elected as chairman of the BASF [[supervisory board]] after the expiration of the mandatory two-year cooling-off period in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.basf.com/de/company/news-and-media/news-releases/2017/12/p-17-401.html|title=Führungswechsel: BASF regelt Nachfolgen|work=BASF|access-date=2018-08-08|language=de}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In March 2013, Bock advocated inside BASF to renounce the formal use of academic titles in corporate language and correspondence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/industrie/-vorstandschef-bock-basf-mitarbeiter-sollen-auf-gebrauch-akademischer-titel-verzichten/8004440.html|title=Vorstandschef Bock: BASF-Mitarbeiter sollen auf Gebrauch akademischer Titel verzichten|access-date=2018-08-14|language=de}}</ref>
In September 2012, Bock was elected as chairman of the [[European Chemical Industry Council]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chemistryviews.org/details/news/1352333/Kurt_Bock_New_President_of_Cefic.html|title=Kurt Bock New President of Cefic :: News :: ChemistryViews|website=www.chemistryviews.org|language=en|access-date=2018-08-09}}</ref> From 2013 to 2014, he headed the [[International Council of Chemical Associations]] ICCA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://icca.cefic.org/en/Home/Newsroom/News-Archive/2012/15-----BASFs-Kurt-Bock-to-lead-ICCA/|title=International Council of Chemical Associations - BASF's Kurt Bock to lead ICCA|website=icca.cefic.org|access-date=2018-08-09|archive-date=2018-08-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809215738/http://icca.cefic.org/en/Home/Newsroom/News-Archive/2012/15-----BASFs-Kurt-Bock-to-lead-ICCA/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://icca.cefic.org/en/Home/Newsroom/News-Archive/2015/Welcome-note-from-ICCA-President-Mark-Rohr/|title=International Council of Chemical Associations - Welcome note from ICCA President Mark Rohr|website=icca.cefic.org|access-date=2018-08-09|archive-date=2018-08-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809215535/http://icca.cefic.org/en/Home/Newsroom/News-Archive/2015/Welcome-note-from-ICCA-President-Mark-Rohr/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He has been a member of the executive board and the Presidium of the German Chemical Industry Association since autumn 2012. In September 2016, he was elected as its president. The term of office runs for two years, up to the next general meeting in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vci.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/kurt-bock-ist-neuer-vci-praesident-basf-chef-uebernimmt-fuehrung-des-chemieverbandes.jsp|title=Kurt Bock ist neuer VCI-Präsident - Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.V. (VCI)|website=www.vci.de|language=DE|access-date=2018-08-10|archive-date=2018-08-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806180921/https://www.vci.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/kurt-bock-ist-neuer-vci-praesident-basf-chef-uebernimmt-fuehrung-des-chemieverbandes.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Bock is also a member of the joint advisory council of the [[Allianz]] companies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allianz.com/v_1365080917000/media/investor_relations/de/berichte_und_finanzdaten/gb2012/pdf/allianz-gb2012_gemeinsamer-beirat-der-allianz-gesellschaften.pdf|title=Gemeinsamer Beirat der Allianz Gesellschaften|last=|first=|date=|website=Allianz|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810205104/https://www.allianz.com/v_1365080917000/media/investor_relations/de/berichte_und_finanzdaten/gb2012/pdf/allianz-gb2012_gemeinsamer-beirat-der-allianz-gesellschaften.pdf|archive-date=2018-08-10|url-status=dead|access-date=2018-08-10}}</ref>
==Other activities== * Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG), Member of the Executive Board<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbug.de/en/wer-wir-sind/ |title=Executive Board |work=Baden-Badener Unternehmer-Gespräche (BBUG)|access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref> * [[Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft]], Vice-President<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.stifterverband.org/vorstand|title=Der Vorstand des Stifterverbandes|date=2015-10-21|work=Stifterverband|access-date=2018-08-10|language=de}}</ref>
==Personal life== Bock is married, with three children.<ref name=BASF />
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{S-start}} {{S-bus}} {{S-bef | before = [[Jürgen Hambrecht]] }} {{S-ttl | title = Chief Executive of [[BASF]] | years = May 2011 – May 2018 }} {{S-aft | after = [[Martin Brudermüller]] }} {{S-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bock, Kurt}} [[Category:1958 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:BASF people]] [[Category:German chief executives]] [[Category:Pennsylvania State University alumni]] [[Category:University of Münster alumni]] [[Category:University of Cologne alumni]] [[Category:German businesspeople in the chemical industry]]
{{Germany-business-bio-stub}}