Diploma in Business Administration, University of Cologne, Germany; studies at University of Münster, Germany and Pennsylvania State University, US; PhD in Economics, University of Bonn. 1985, in finance and controlling, BASF; 1992-98, several management positions, Robert Bosch, Germany and Brazil; 1998, returned to BASF; 2003-11, Chief Financial Officer, BASF Group, and from 2007, also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BASF Corporation, US; since May 2011, current position.