Avient Appoints Mike Frank as CEO to Drive Global Growth

Veteran executive brings global leadership to avient

• Bonnie Johnson
• October 16, 2026
• Media Article

Avient appoints Mike Frank as President and CEO, succeeding Ashish Khandpur, while reaffirming 2026 financial guidance and positioning the company for continued growth and innovation.

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Avient Corporation has appointed Mike Frank as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. He succeeds Dr. Ashish K. Khandpur, who will remain in an advisory role through the end of 2026 to support the leadership transition. Richard H. Fearon has also been named Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.
 

Frank brings more than 30 years of experience in the agricultural chemicals and solutions industry. Prior to joining Avient, he served as CEO of UPL Corporation and previously led Nutrien Ag Solutions. He also spent 25 years at Monsanto, where he held several senior leadership positions, including global Chief Commercial Officer.
 

Fearon said Frank's extensive experience in global operations, commercial strategy, and technology commercialization makes him well-positioned to lead Avient’s next phase of growth. He added that Frank’s international leadership background and focus on execution will help strengthen the company’s specialty portfolio and support continued business momentum.
 

Frank said he is honored to lead Avient and plans to build on the company’s strong foundation of innovation, customer relationships, and talented employees. He noted that his focus will be on improving performance, enhancing execution, and advancing Avient’s mission of delivering sustainable material solutions.
 

Fearon also thanked Khandpur for his contributions to the company. He credited Khandpur with implementing a new strategic plan, strengthening the leadership team, enhancing research and development efforts, and delivering consistent financial performance during his tenure.
 

The company also reaffirmed its previously issued third-quarter and full-year 2026 financial guidance. Avient expects to release its third-quarter 2026 earnings results on November 4, 2026, as it continues expanding its portfolio of sustainable and high-performance material solutions for customers around the world.
 

Photo Credit: Avient Corporation