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Carsten Knobel

Operator

Carsten Knobel has served as CEO of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA since January 2020, leading one of Germany's most prominent multinational companies with operations spanning adhesive technologies, beauty care, and laundry & home care. Henkel's portfolio includes globally recognized brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf, and Loctite, and the company invests significantly in consumer marketing and advertising across global markets, making Knobel a consequential figure in brand marketing at scale. Knobel spent the bulk of his career at Henkel, rising through finance and corporate functions before becoming CFO in 2012, a role he held until his appointment as CEO. His tenure as CEO has been marked by a major strategic restructuring, including the merger of the Adhesive Technologies and Consumer Brands business units and a significant transformation program aimed at improving profitability and portfolio focus. Under his leadership, Henkel has pursued a strategy of brand investment and premiumization, with marketing effectiveness and brand equity playing a central role in the company's recovery and growth agenda.

Last updated Oct 25, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment

Role
CEO
Company
Henkel
Based
Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Boards
1

AI-drafted from public sources1 source cited

Years in industry
25 years

Bio

Carsten Knobel has served as CEO of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA since January 2020, leading one of Germany's most prominent multinational companies with operations spanning adhesive technologies, beauty care, and laundry & home care. Henkel's portfolio includes globally recognized brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf, and Loctite, and the company invests significantly in consumer marketing and advertising across global markets, making Knobel a consequential figure in brand marketing at scale. Knobel spent the bulk of his career at Henkel, rising through finance and corporate functions before becoming CFO in 2012, a role he held until his appointment as CEO. His tenure as CEO has been marked by a major strategic restructuring, including the merger of the Adhesive Technologies and Consumer Brands business units and a significant transformation program aimed at improving profitability and portfolio focus. Under his leadership, Henkel has pursued a strategy of brand investment and premiumization, with marketing effectiveness and brand equity playing a central role in the company's recovery and growth agenda.

Expertise & education

Expertise

Consumer Goods MarketingBrand ManagementCorporate StrategyBusiness TransformationFinanceGlobal Brand AdvertisingPortfolio Management

Education

  • Business Administration, University of Augsburg
  • MBA, University of Georgia

Speaking topics

Corporate transformation and restructuringSustainability in consumer goodsBrand investment and marketing effectivenessGlobal business strategy

Recognition

Notable achievements

  • Appointed CEO of Henkel in January 2020, succeeding Hans Van Bylen
  • Led the merger of Henkel's Adhesive Technologies and Consumer Brands divisions into a streamlined operating model
  • Oversaw a major transformation program targeting significant cost savings and margin improvement
  • Drove renewed investment in brand marketing and premiumization across Henkel's consumer portfolio