CARSTEN KNOBEL

Henkel’s CEO stepped up during the pandemic, and is guided by the company’s mission to be “pioneers at heart, for the good of generations.”

- Peter Vanham

AS THE GERMAN Bundesliga kicked off, Henkel CEO Carsten Knobel was heartbroken to see his favorite teams, Hertha Berlin and Fortuna Düsseldorf, relegated to the second-tier league.

Knowing how to deal with the ups and downs of his favorite football clubs is a skill that comes in handy for business. Henkel, a family-controlled, DAX-listed chemicals and consumer goods company, has had its share of ups and downs since the company veteran took over as chief executive in early 2020.

In business, as in sports, you need a steady hand at the top and a well-oiled and motivated team to make it all happen. Knobel benefits from both. His chairwoman, Simone Bagel-Trah, is a member of the family that founded the company over 140 years ago. He can talk to her at any time of day.

Henkel is undergoing a true transformation.

Like its rivals, the company wants "purposeful growth" and to have a positive impact on society.

But when rivals toned down their ambitions recently, Henkel doubled down. It now wants to be climate-neutral by 2030, and exited its operations in Russia even when other companies demurred. "We should act and not only talk," Knobel says. "You have to be able to put [your purpose] into reality."

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