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Brenntag CEO takes over leadership of Brenntag Essentials

Brenntag CEO Jens Birgersson will additionally lead the Brenntag Essentials division, succeeding Ewout van Jarwaarde, who left the board on 8 September 2025.

Jens Birgersson takes over the leadership of Brenntag Essentials alongside his role as CEO of Brenntag. Source: Brenntag

Chemical distributor Brenntag has announced a leadership change within its Brenntag Essentials division. CEO Jens Birgersson will assume responsibility for the division following the departure of Ewout van Jarwaarde from the board on 8 September 2025. The handover of management duties has already been initiated to ensure a smooth transition.

Van Jarwaarde joined the board as Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) in January 2021 and played a key role in establishing the operational structure of Brenntag Essentials. Under his leadership, the Didex transformation programme was implemented, strengthening the company’s capabilities in digitalisation, data and AI while accelerating the rollout of the group-wide technology strategy.

Strategic development under van Jarwaarde’s leadership

On 1 August 2023, van Jarwaarde became CEO of Brenntag Essentials. In this role, he successfully developed and advanced the division’s “Triple” strategy, including the implementation of Last Mile Service Operations. He also accelerated M&A activities and reinforced strategic partnerships with customers and suppliers, significantly enhancing the market position of Brenntag Essentials and paving the way for sustainable and profitable growth.