DeSimone Kullman Carbon
Carbon Appoints Ellen Kullman President and CEO, Dr. Joseph DeSimone Named Executive Chairman.
Carbon has announced former DuPont chief Ellen J. Kullman has succeeded Dr. Joseph DeSimone as CEO and President with immediate effect.
DeSimone is one of the co-founders of the Silicon Valley-based company and has occupied the role of CEO since 2013, but will now take up a position as Executive Chairman of the Board.
In a message penned by DeSimone and distributed by Carbon on November 21st, he said he ‘knew it was time to take another important step, one taken by founders at other great companies, as I planned for 2020’. His successor Kullman has previous CEO experience at DuPont and joined the Carbon board of directors – where she shall remain – in 2016. Since then, the pair have worked closely with DeSimone citing their mutual 'profound belief in the potential of digital manufacturing platforms to change the world for the better’ as a key reason behind her appointment.
In her new position, Kullman will lead the development of the company’s short and long-term strategies, while DeSimone will focus on growing mainstream adoption of the Carbon Digital Manufacturing Platform from his elevated role.
Kullman has a background in engineering and has been named one of the ’50 Most Powerful Women in Business’ by Fortune and one of the ‘World’s Most Powerful Women’ by Forbes. In 2009, she was appointed as the 19th CEO of DuPont, and the first woman to hold the position in its 212-year history, having been elected as President and director a year prior. She led double-digit growth of the company’s Safety and Protection business portfolio and oversaw the introduction of the DuPont Industrial Biosciences and DuPont Sustainable Solutions business units. Kullman is also co-chair of the Paradigm for Party coalition and a board director of United Technologies, Dell Technologies, Amgen and Goldman Sachs. She now heads one of additive manufacturing’s leading hardware vendors.
“Today’s announcement is a great honour,” commented Kullman. “I am privileged to have spent the last few years on the Carbon board working alongside Joe, one of the greatest entrepreneurs and scientists of our time. Joe has built Carbon into the world’s leading digital manufacturing platform, and as President and CEO of Carbon, I am excited to partner with Joe and build on the solid foundations he’s put into place.”
“For the last six years, I have led Carbon as Chief Executive Officer and am enormously proud of what we’ve accomplished during my tenure,” DeSimone said. “I know what we will accomplish under Ellen will be even more extraordinary. Ellen is the right person to lead Carbon today. She has broad experience across multiple businesses, cycles and geographies. Her vision, outstanding leadership traits and distinguished track record will continue to drive Carbon’s growth into the future. In assuming the Executive Chairman role, I will be able to focus on evangelising the platform and driving adoption more widely.”
