Kemira CEO has died

Kemira president and CEO Jari Rosendal died after a short illness on 31 July. He was 58. The company had announced that he had gone on sick leave on 11 July and a week later said that he would step down by 2024 at the latest. CFO Petri Castrén is acting as interim president and CEO while a successor is sought.

“Jari was a leader whose main focus was always the safety and wellbeing of employees” the company said. “Under his leadership, Kemira’s profitability improved significantly and the strategic focus shifted towards sustainable profitable growth. Jari will be greatly missed by colleagues around the world.”

Rosendal began his career in the mining industry before joining Kemira and had been president and CEO since 2014. In 2020, the President of Finland awarded him the honorary title of ‘vuorineuvos’ in public recognition of his services to society. He was also a board member at another Finnish chemicals company, Neste, the Finnish Chemical Association and CEFIC.

“Finland loses one of its most prominent industrial leaders, who helped shape the chemical industry far beyond the borders of his country” CEFIC stated. “He was a mentor to us and a key driver for a sustainable future for the chemical industry. His passion for Finland and stories on his outdoor adventures were shared with many. Most of all, he was a genuinely nice person.”