Albemarle Corporation said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it has appointed Ragnar "Rag" Udd as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2027.
Udd will also join Albemarle's Board of Directors when he takes on the role. Current Chairman and CEO Kent Masters will transition to Executive Chairman of the Board upon Udd's arrival, while Gerald Steiner will continue serving as Lead Independent Director.
Udd currently serves as Chief Commercial Officer of BHP, where he is a member of the executive leadership team with global responsibility for sales and marketing, procurement, maritime activities and commodities market strategy. He has more than 25 years of experience leading global resources businesses in geographies including Australia, Asia, and North and South America. He previously served as President Americas at BHP, leading its copper and potash businesses, and held roles including interim Chief Technology Officer, BHP Mitsubishi Asset President, and Vice President of Logistics and Infrastructure for Western Australia Iron Ore.
Steiner said Udd's appointment followed a comprehensive succession planning process conducted by the Board. Udd said he was honored to be named Albemarle's next CEO and looked forward to working with Masters, the leadership team and the Board to build on the company's foundation in its Energy Storage and Specialties business segments.
As Executive Chairman, Masters will lead the Board's governance, provide input on strategic planning, and work to ensure a seamless handoff of leadership responsibilities. He will serve in that role through the date of the company's 2027 annual meeting of shareholders, after which his role will be reviewed as part of the Board's annual director nomination process. Masters said he was proud of what the team had achieved and confident that now is the right time to transition leadership to Udd.
$ALBAlbemarlePrice$138 ▲1.47%Net sentiment+0.31Bullish75%Mentions · 30d4Samplen=4Avg volume233,625View on the dashboardFinazon · prior-day close · Sep 2, 2026