Dow (NYSE: DOW) announces that Mary Draves, vice president of Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) and chief sustainability officer, has announced her decision to retire in April 2022, following more than 32 years of service with Dow. Andre Argenton, vice president of Core Research and Development (R&D), has been named vice president, EH&S and chief sustainability officer, and will assume the role upon Draves’ retirement.

Argenton will be responsible for corporate EH&S governance and corporate sustainability, including the reporting and disclosure of Dow’s Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) performance.

Argenton joined Dow in 1999 in Brazil as a research scientist working with various Dow technologies in close collaboration with customers, aligned to a broad range of applications like home and personal care, paints and pulp and paper. Later in his career, already in the U.S. he held numerous leadership positions including director of Core R&D and global R&D director of the Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure business where he was responsible for the pipeline of innovation programs. In his last role as vice president of Core R&D, he was responsible for a broad portfolio of research programs and world-leading innovation capabilities, all aligned to the businesses’ goals. He serves on several academic advisory boards for chemical engineering and chemistry including U.C. Berkeley College of Chemistry and University of Michigan Department of Chemical Engineering. He holds a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Sao Paulo.

“As we announced at our 2021 Investor Day, we have outlined a clear and ambitious plan to use our innovation and sustainability expertise to drive near-and long-term growth in the key markets we serve,” said Jim Fitterling, Dow chairman and CEO. “Andre’s scientific expertise and business experience will help us further advance our focus on decarbonizing and developing circular and sustainable materials that will help us achieve those goals.”

Draves has served as vice president of EH&S and chief sustainability officer since 2019. During her tenure, she oversaw the best-ever Company safety performance. She helped shape Dow’s first, comprehensive ESG report and was instrumental in designing Dow’s sustainability targets to address climate protection and advance a circular economy. Draves previously led Dow’s groundbreaking Valuing Nature Goal, the first-ever commitment by a corporation to factor nature into its business decisions. Under this goal, Dow is more than halfway toward $1 billion of net present from value in nature-based decisions. In 2021, she was named to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Council on Climate Solutions. Draves joined Dow in 1989 and held several manufacturing and EH&S leadership roles. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and Master of Science in technological processes from Saginaw Valley State University.

“Over the course of her career, Mary has lived her passion for using science, innovation and collaboration to drive meaningful change. Above all, Mary has been an exceptional leader, who inspires others to reach further and to find the best answers,” said Fitterling. “Her legacy will carry on through the many people whom she has influenced during her time with Dow. I wish Mary and her family every happiness in this next chapter of life.”