Inside the Strategy Room

239. CEO perspectives: Jim Fitterling, Chair and CEO of Dow Inc.

Feb 19, 2025

Jim Fitterling, Chair and CEO of Dow Inc., discusses his pivotal role in the transformative merger with DuPont, creating three distinct businesses. He emphasizes the vital importance of innovation and customer-centricity in today’s competitive market. Fitterling touches on the challenges of fostering inclusivity and maintaining morale post-merger. He also shares insights on sustainability efforts and the need for transparency to bolster client loyalty, driving a supportive organizational culture that enhances employee engagement.

35:41

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Jim Fitterling

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Quick takeaways

Continuous innovation is essential for companies to maintain market positions and adapt to evolving industry demands amidst competition.

Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace culture significantly enhances talent recruitment and retention while improving the company's external reputation.

Deep dives

The Critical Role of Innovation in Business

Innovation is essential for survival in a competitive industry. Without the introduction of new, higher-margin products, companies risk erosion of their margins, forcing them to exit the market. This necessitates a continuous cycle of innovation, which may involve navigating into new territories while phasing out established products. The commitment to innovation allows organizations to sustain their market position and adapt to evolving industry demands.

Intro

2min

Strategic Transformation in Chemical Industry

20min

Building an Inclusive Workplace

6min

Navigating Cultural Integration and Strategic Vision Post-Merger

3min

Strategies for Client Loyalty and Organizational Transparency

4min

Innovation and transformation become critical imperatives for many organizations, especially as they grow larger and mature. The complex merger and series of spin-offs that Dow Inc. underwent with E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company between 2017 and 2018 is among the more dramatic of such reinventions. The move to create a materials science company (Dow), an agricultural business (Corteva), and an industrial company (Dupont), remains a much-studied growth strategy case.

In this episode, Dow Inc. Chair and CEO Jim Fitterling talks with McKinsey Senior Partner and Global Energy and Materials Practice leader John Warner about why the “merge-spin” made sense then and now, and about leading a global company with compassion in a rapidly changing world.

Related insights

How Dow reinvented itself

Getting fit for growth: The leadership mindsets and behaviors that matter

The Committed Innovator: A conversation with Neal Gutterson of Corteva

The making of a megadeal: Howard Ungerleider on the merger of Dow and DuPont

Top M&A trends in 2024: Blueprint for success in the next wave of deals

How one approach to M&A is more likely to create value than all others

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