Browse the most recent issues of Coatings World Magazine, featuring timely insights and industry-leading analysis.
Access the interactive digital version of the magazine with multimedia enhancements and exclusive online features.
Join a global community of coatings professionals—subscribe to receive the magazine in print or digital formats.
Promote your brand to decision-makers across the global coatings value chain with targeted advertising options.
Review our standards for submitting articles and technical content to ensure alignment with editorial goals.
Understand how your data is collected, stored, and used when interacting with Coatings World Magazine.
Immediate updates on significant industry developments.
News from major and regional paint and coatings producers.
Updates from raw material and equipment suppliers.
Leadership changes and notable appointments.
Mergers, acquisitions, and earnings reports across the industry.
Data-driven insights into regional and global coatings markets.
Interviews with executives, innovators, and influencers in the coatings sector.
Explore long-form articles and special reports that analyze trends, technologies, and business strategies in coatings.
Recurring editorial pieces offering expert perspectives and commentary on regulatory, sustainability, and R&D topics.
Access original interviews, Q&As, and insights that offer a deeper understanding of key industry developments.
Industry leaders weigh in on technical advancements, market challenges, and future opportunities.
Explore color trend predictions and their influence on coatings design, formulation, and application.
Profiles and rankings of the world’s leading coatings manufacturers and suppliers.
Comprehensive resource for locating suppliers of coatings materials and services.
Connect with distributors of raw materials, packaging, and equipment.
Showcase your company’s services, products, and expertise.
Look up definitions for key terms and concepts used across the coatings industry.
Full-length videos covering events, innovations, and thought leadership.
Short-form video interviews offering quick updates and takeaways.
Audio interviews and discussions with industry experts and insiders.
In-depth digital publications on coatings technologies and trends.
Research-backed documents examining industry challenges and solutions.
Informational materials highlighting products, services, and companies.
Company-sponsored articles offering valuable insights, case studies, and product applications.
Company announcements, product launches, and business developments from across the coatings sector.
Search for career opportunities in the coatings industry and connect with hiring companies.
Explore the latest job opportunities in the coatings industry. View current openings and take the next step in your career today.
Looking to hire in the coatings industry? Post your job on Coatings World and get in front of thousands of chemists, formulators, engineers, and industry experts actively seeking new opportunities.Explore the latest job opportunities in the coatings industry. View current openings and take the next step in your career today.
What are you searching for?
The new committee will run the business as an independent company, effective July 1, 2026.
June 29, 2026
By: Rachel Klemovitch
Assistant Editor
BASF Coatings named the leadership team that will run the business as an independent company from July 1, 2026, after the closing of the transaction.
The Executive Committee will be led by incoming Chief Executive Officer Jens Luehring.
The new structure brings together leaders who have built the coatings business over many years and senior executives with proven records in finance, digital, and transformation.
“Great teams combine experience with new thinking, and this one does both,” said incoming CEO Jens Luehring. “Some of these leaders have spent their careers building this business over many years; others bring hard-won expertise from across the industry. Together they give us the continuity to keep serving our customers at the highest level and the strength to think bigger and move faster.”
Jens Luehring is an international business leader with over two decades of experience in corporate transformation, carve-outs, mergers & acquisitions, and finance. As President & CEO, he led the business for seven years, driving improvements in financial performance, operational excellence, and growth. Jens has served in CEO and CFO roles for over a decade and began his career in investment banking.
Michael Pontzen joins as Chief Financial Officer with over 25 years in finance leadership and executive positions in the chemical industry. In the last three years, he was the CFO of Nobian, a chemical company owned by The Carlyle Group and GIC.
Ewout van Jarwaarde joins as Chief Transformation Officer, bringing extensive experience in leading global businesses, delivering complex, large-scale transformations, and unlocking performance and value creation. Most recently, he served as CEO of Brenntag Essentials and a member of the Board of Management of Brenntag SE, a DAX 40 company.
Frank Naber leads Surface Treatment, with its trusted Chemetall brand, as Executive Vice President. He has been with BASF for more than two decades, holding leadership roles in coatings and surface treatment across Europe and Asia Pacific, most recently as Senior Vice President Global Surface Treatment and previously as SVP Automotive OEM Coatings Solutions EMEA.
Patrick Zhao leads Mobility Coatings as Executive Vice President, with an established record of growing the Automotive OEM business, especially in the Chinese OEM market and serving Automotive customers around the world. He has been with BASF since 1999.
Steve Arndt joins as Executive Vice President Refinish Coatings with over 30 years of automotive refinish industry experience spanning both manufacturing and distribution across North America and Europe. He spent six years at Axalta Coating Systems as Global Distribution Sales Director, responsible for distribution strategy across over 140 countries.
Dr. Nils Lessmann becomes Executive Vice President Operations Mobility/Refinish, with major responsibility for production and supply chain for the businesses of Mobility and Refinish Coatings, and company-wide procurement. He joined BASF in 2009 and has held senior business, technical and operations roles across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas, most recently as SVP Global Operations Paints and Resin.
David Johnston joins as Chief Digital and Information Officer with over three decades of global IT leadership across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. Most recently CIO at Messer Americas, he built a standalone IT organization following the company’s carve-out.
The Executive Committee is supported by the company’s corporate functions, including digital and information, procurement, human resources, safety, sustainability and innovation as well as legal and communications.
Enter your account email.
A verification code was sent to your email, Enter the 6-digit code sent to your mail.
Didn't get the code? Check your spam folder or resend code
Set a new password for signing in and accessing your data.
Your Password has been Updated !
