Daniela Vlad joined HELM on 1 October 2026. She will initially work closely with Andreas Woschek, Executive Vice President Chemicals, and is planned to succeed him in this role with the beginning of 2027. In the second half of 2027, she is expected to begin the next stage of her onboarding alongside HELM COO Axel Viering and is planned to succeed him in the role of COO once he retires.
Daniela Vlad brings extensive international leadership experience from OMV and Borealis, AkzoNobel and Shell. Her broad industry background, experience in leading international organisations and functional expertise across different business areas will add valuable perspectives to HELM.
Andreas Woschek will retire at end of 2026 after more than four decades with HELM. Throughout his career, he has made a lasting contribution to the company's international development through his expertise, commitment, and dedication in the field of Chemicals.
Axel Viering will retire as a Board member at the end of 2027 after nearly 40 years with HELM. The planning for his succession began almost three years ago, enabling the company to stagger major leadership changes and provide sufficient time for a structured handover.
In addition to Daniela Vlad's onboarding, Peter Harders will return to HELM in the second half of 2027 after more than six years with Proman/Valenz in Switzerland. Harders is planned to take over the role of Executive Vice President Chemicals from Daniela Vlad once she moves on to the role of COO. Peter Harders began his career with an apprenticeship at HELM and subsequently held a range of positions, including Product Manager, department head, and division head. His more than 30 years of experience at HELM, combined with the international perspective gained with HELM's longstanding partner Proman, will bring both continuity and fresh insight to the Executive Committee.
“As a family-owned company, HELM takes a long-term approach to leadership succession. These carefully sequenced transitions give us the time to transfer knowledge, build trust and maintain stability while adding new capabilities and perspectives,” said Stephan Schnabel. “I am grateful to Andreas Woschek and Axel Viering for their outstanding commitment to HELM over many decades. At the same time, I am delighted to welcome Daniela Vlad and to see Peter Harders return to the company. Together, this combination of renewal and continuity will position HELM well for the years ahead.”
The structured transition periods are intended to support close collaboration and effective transfer of roles.
About HELM AG
The HELM group is a global, family-owned chemicals company headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. HELM markets and distributes with operations in more than 30 countries. The company portfolio spans across chemicals, crop solutions and specialty & advanced materials, combining international market reach with deep technical and supply chain expertise. HELM is committed to advancing sustainable solutions and responsible supply chains, supporting innovation in circular economy technologies and low-carbon industrial processes through partnerships worldwide.
