Innovative Growth: Dow's Next Tech and Sustainability Chief

Dow has appointed Andre Argenton as its next Chief Technology & Sustainability Officer, marking a strategic shift as the materials science giant prepares for its next phase of innovation-led growth.

The appointment comes as Attiganal Narayanaswam Sreeram, who has shaped Dow's technology agenda since 2005, prepares to retire at the end of June.

Andre will lead one of the world's largest materials science companies at a critical juncture where technology and sustainability have become inseparable drivers of competitive advantage.

"Science has always been at the heart of what we do," Andre says, according to company updates. "But today, it is about how fast we can turn that science into real solutions – ones that improve performance and reduce environmental impact at the same time."

Two decades of materials innovation

Andre's career with Dow began more than two decades ago at the global materials science leader, which reported 2024 sales of around US$43bn, according to company financial statements.

During this period, he has built a reputation as a leader who understands both the precision of research and the power of human collaboration.

Working across regions and product lines, he has played a role in creating materials that underpin modern industry. These range from more efficient coatings and smarter packaging to circular plastics designed for reuse and recyclability.

In his new role, Andre drives Dow's innovation, growth and sustainability strategies by steering global R&D, advancing new product commercialisation and leading the company's Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S) organisation.

Appointed Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of EHS&S in 2022, Andre accelerated Dow's efforts to create value through sustainable materials and transparent ESG performance.

A PhD graduate in Physical Chemistry from the University of São Paulo, he joined Dow Brazil in 1999 before moving to the US in 2007.

A scientist by training, Andre brings technology and sustainability together, leveraging his specialisms in surfactants, colloidal chemistry and applied statistics. He applies his expertise across industries and innovation disciplines.

Bridging research and environmental responsibility

By combining technology and sustainability portfolios, Dow is positioning itself to bridge the gap between research excellence and environmental responsibility.

Assuming his new role, Andre's mission is to ensure that every stage of product development, from molecule design to manufacturing and end-of-life, is guided by both technical performance and lifecycle impact.

This unified approach could signal a broader industry trend where Chief Technology Officers increasingly own sustainability outcomes alongside traditional innovation metrics.

The shift reflects evolving stakeholder expectations and regulatory pressures.

Accelerating AI and data-driven materials

Andre is a strong advocate for bringing advanced computational tools into the materials lab.

By using AI, molecular modelling and automated experimentation, Dow's research teams can now simulate how materials behave long before they are physically produced.

Taking a data-led approach allows Dow to focus resources where they matter most. It uses predictive insights to design materials with targeted properties and verified sustainability metrics.

It also supports closer integration between R&D and manufacturing, ensuring that pilot concepts can move rapidly towards industrial-scale deployment.

For C-suite leaders across manufacturing and chemical industries, this computational shift represents a potential competitive differentiator. It has implications for speed to market, capital efficiency and the ability to meet increasingly complex customer specifications.

Leading Dow's next growth phase

Following on from his predecessor, Andre is taking on a proven framework with a sharpened technology mandate.

With years of tenure at Dow behind him, including leadership of core R&D and sustainability, his future focus is clear. He aims to curate solutions that outperform customer expectations whilst differentiating Dow through sustainable innovation.

With Andre now at the helm, it is expected that Dow will scale technologies like AI-optimised materials design and circular plastics.

This builds directly on Attiganal's collaborative legacy to drive Dow's next growth phase.