Specialized polymer materials maker Avient Corp.‘s Board of Directors unanimously voted to elect Ashish Khandpur as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective Dec. 1.

Khandpur will succeed Robert Patterson, who will retire from his role as President and CEO and resign from the board, according to a Nov. 13 news release. He will remain with the company through May 31, 2024, in an advisory capacity to help facilitate the leadership transition.

In connection with this appointment, the board also elected Richard Fearon, Lead Independent Director, as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, effective Dec. 1.

About Avient’s New President and CEO

Khandpur joins Avient after nearly three decades at 3M, where he began in research and development, and technology roles, ultimately ascending to Chief Technology Officer.

He has since led several different 3M businesses, most recently serving as Group President of 3M’s Transportation and Electronics Business.  This business applies materials science expertise to commercialize products and solutions for a variety of market segments, including automotive, automotive electrification, semiconductors, LCD and OLED displays, consumer electronics, data centers, 5G networks, and transportation safety.

“Ashish is one of the world’s leading experts in polymers and materials, having earned undergraduate and doctorate degrees in chemical engineering at two of the world’s leading chemical engineering universities, and then used that knowledge over several decades to help pioneer a host of new products for 3M,” Fearon said.

He added: “Now that Avient’s portfolio has been repositioned to be 100 percent specialty materials, Ashish’s deep technical expertise and demonstrated commercial success in building and growing businesses makes him the ideal leader to take Avient to the next level of performance.”