Mark E. Newman

Mark E. Newman was instrumental in Chemours transformation and growth while serving as the company’s first Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Now taking the helm as Chemours’ second CEO, he'll leverage his passion for customers and the communities in which we work, along with his diverse experience, to guide Chemours to achieve its next goal: to shape the future of the world through the power of our chemistry.

Q: With a background in finance, what drew you to Chemours, and eventually the CEO role? 

A: While I started in several public company roles, my career has been a 30-year journey rooted in engineering that evolved to financial and operations leadership, overseeing strategy, business development, and restructuring in previous roles. When the opportunity arose in 2014 to help to launch an exciting new company, Chemours was a natural fit for someone who loves numbers AND the commercial aspect of running a business. The founding of Chemours was rooted in the idea of creating value and making a difference for all stakeholders, from understanding market trends and unmet needs to defining customer needs for products, innovating new solutions, and safely and responsibly manufacturing those products. All of this comes together through our people. Listening to and empowering our employees is critical to how we run our business and brings our value proposition together, and is something I have always enjoyed. The CEO role gives me the opportunity to touch all those aspects and more, including continuing to uplift the communities where we operate, current and potential customers, and corporate partners.

Q: Given the increasing importance of sustainability across all aspects of business, can you explain how a chemical company can make an impact?

A: Chemistry enables thousands of products that people use every day. From cell phones, automobiles, and refrigeration, to medical devices, 5G data transfer that powers the Internet of Things, semiconductors, energy storage, protective coatings, and more. Chemours is uniquely positioned to deliver on the demand for cleaner, safer, and more capable products and processes. Many of the products in our portfolio enable the next generation of more sustainable technologies and processes, including electric vehicles, the membranes needed for carbon reduction, and low global warming refrigerants. Our products often enable these more sustainable and highly demanding new solutions when no other material can. Partnering with customers to help them find sustainable solutions through our knowledge of chemistry will be the key to unlocking the next generation of planet-friendly and high-performance solutions. Chemours must lead the way to making the world more sustainable, and we are well-positioned to do so!

Q: What are a few areas you’re most energized about as the new CEO?

A: I think I am most excited about three things: First, our employees are a key to our success and engaging and empowering them to make decisions that make a difference for the company is critical. I believe we should position every employee to be at their best, and if they are supported, included, and empowered, they will be able to realize their full potential in the company. Our employees are the best and brightest in the industry and they are energized and ready to take the company to a higher level. Second, the new product innovations that are being developed within our Chemours Discovery Hub will help unlock new market opportunities and position our customers to take advantage of market trends and grow. Through continued collaboration with our customers, our knowledge and expertise coupled with more speed and agility will allow us to take advantage of emerging opportunities. Last but not least, I’m really excited about our new Executive Leadership Team. This is a highly talented and energized group that has what it takes to make bold, courageous, and impactful business decisions.

Q: For those who are getting to know you, what experiences from your personal life have helped shape the leader you are today?

A: I grew up on a sugar cane and citrus farm in Jamaica, and one of my first jobs was mowing (or as we call it in Jamaica, bush cutting) the citrus groves. One day I was in a hurry and didn’t do a very good job. My father said, "You realize, everybody knows you cut this field." The next morning, I went back and redid it. It’s a lesson that stuck with me, to always give 100%. Now, throughout my career, I’ve learned that it also impacts the people around you, and if you give everything your all it empowers others to do the same – as a leader, a peer, or even a friend.

Biography

Mark Newman joined Chemours in 2014 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He was instrumental in the launch of Chemours as a stand-alone, publicly traded company and helped transform a portfolio of businesses into a focused and profitable company. In 2019, Mark was appointed Chief Operating Officer with responsibility over the company’s global commercial businesses. He oversaw improvements to the Ti-Pure™ Value Stabilization (TVS) strategy, and the recent evolution of the former Fluoroproducts business into two reportable segments: Thermal & Specialized Solutions and Advanced Performance Materials. 

Throughout 2020, he chaired the company’s Crisis Leadership Team which oversaw the company’s global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mark served as the executive sponsor of the Chemours Diversity and Inclusion Council, the group charged with improving the company’s overall inclusion and diversity approach to talent acquisition and development, company culture, and community engagement.

Before joining Chemours, Mark was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of SunCoke Energy, Inc., where he oversaw strategy, business development, and information technology. He also served in several senior operating and finance leadership roles in the United States and China, primarily with General Motors Corporation, where he began his career in 1986. 

Mark received his Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and earned his Master of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario.

Mark serves on the board of directors for the American Chemistry Council, is a member of the board of trustees for the United States Council for International Business, and a member of the Ivey Society, based on Richard Ivey alumnus activity. He previously served on the board of directors for Altria Group, Inc.