•Executive Excellence•

Education:
-Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry — University of São Paulo (Brazil)
-M.Sc. in Physical Chemistry — University of São Paulo (Brazil)
-B.S. in Chemistry — University of São Paulo (Brazil)

Dr. Andre Argenton exemplifies the qualities of an executive whose leadership, vision, and discipline have left an indelible mark on Dow, the global chemical industry, and the communities he serves. With more than two decades of experience, he now holds one of the company’s most critical leadership roles: Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S), reporting directly to Dow’s Chairman and CEO, Jim Fitterling.

In this capacity, Dr. Argenton oversees more than 1,000 employees worldwide and directs a global budget that spans environmental operations, remediation, occupational health, toxicology, product regulatory oversight, and corporate sustainability strategy. His charge is not only to ensure compliance and governance but to drive transformational change—embedding sustainability into every corner of Dow’s operations. He is responsible for setting the company’s sustainability vision, developing metrics and reporting systems, and engaging customers, investors, regulators, and academia in advancing solutions that align with global environmental and social imperatives.

Dr. Argenton’s executive leadership has consistently been demonstrated across roles of escalating responsibility. As Vice President of Core R&D from 2018–2022, he managed one of Dow’s largest scientific organizations—hundreds of researchers spanning every business sector—while navigating the unprecedented $131 billion Dow-DuPont merger and the $4.8 billion Dow Corning acquisition. His ability to maintain research momentum, integrate new colleagues, and deliver on aggressive financial and innovation targets during this period of upheaval underscored his exceptional managerial acumen.

Prior this VP role, Dr. Argenton served as Senior R&D Director for Polyurethanes and Industrial Solutions where he led more than 360 scientists and engineers supporting businesses with revenues exceeding $10 billion. He expanded his team’s capabilities, championed investment in people development, and delivered innovations that strengthened Dow’s leadership in these markets. And earlier, as Senior R&D Director for Core R&D and New Business Development, he was entrusted with corporate investments in disruptive research and long-term technology pipelines, guiding multimillion-dollar funding decisions and shaping Dow’s external partnerships with academia and government.

Under his leadership, Dow has established groundbreaking academic collaborations, funding more than $15 million annually over a decade, which yielded new technologies, intellectual property, and deep access to top global talent. He has also been a driving force in developing industry standards to accelerate investment in emissions reductions across chemical value chains—efforts with the potential to reshape the industry’s sustainability trajectory.

Beyond his executive scope, Dr. Argenton has distinguished himself as a mentor and advocate. As Global Co-Chair of Dow’s Hispanic and Latin Network, he has inspired countless professionals across geographies and continues to be an active presence in Dow’s Building Engineering & Science Talent (BEST) Symposium, directly supporting the recruitment and advancement of underrepresented scientists. His leadership in these areas has built a diverse pipeline of future leaders while strengthening Dow’s culture of inclusion.

Dr. Argenton’s hobbies and personal pursuits complete the portrait of a worldly yet grounded individual.  He enjoys rock climbing, plays the saxophone, shoots photography, and cultivates bonsai trees – activities he credits with helping balance his high-level executive responsibilities with an active and fulfilling life outside the lab and the office.

A native of São Paulo, Brazil with a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of São Paulo, Dr. Argenton combines scientific depth with executive-level strategic vision. His stewardship of large organizations, multimillion-dollar budgets, and transformational strategies places him among the foremost leaders in his field. Simply put, Dr. Argenton is equal parts scientist, strategist, and executive whose achievements in sustainability, innovation, and talent development exemplify the highest standard of executive excellence.