Neo Performance Materials announces CEO succession
by CM Staff
Rahim Suleman, currently the President and Interim Chief Financial Officer, will succeed Mr. Karayannopoulos as Chief Executive Officer and will be appointed to the Board of Directors at that time.
TORONTO — Neo Performance Materials Inc. announced that Constantine E. Karayannopoulos, Chief Executive Officer, will retire from the Company and the Board of Directors on July 7, 2023, after leading the Company for years including, most recently, as the Chief Executive Officer for the last three years. Rahim Suleman, currently the President and Interim Chief Financial Officer, will succeed Mr. Karayannopoulos as Chief Executive Officer and will be appointed to the Board of Directors at that time. Following a robust recruiting process, the Company says they have identified a strong CFO candidate and expects to announce further details on this appointment within the next few weeks.
“It has been an honour to dedicate most of my professional career to the Neo organization,” said Mr. Karayannopoulos. “From the beginning, my approach has been to build on Neo’s strengths and invest in the people, culture, and technology that will position the Company for long-term success in a rapidly changing world. I could not be more proud of our team’s leadership position in many of the world’s most technologically advanced projects and collaborations, including our expansion into the production of rare earth magnets in Europe for electric vehicles and a similar potential future expansion in North America. I have great confidence in the future success of this world-class team, and in Rahim’s talents and ability to continue to expand Neo’s operations and global success, and I look forward to working with Rahim in the coming months to ensure a seamless transition.”
Mr. Suleman became President of Neo in January 2023, after serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Neo and its predecessor company since January 2017. Over the course of his career, Rahim has held progressively senior leadership positions, and was Chief Financial Officer at Stackpole International from 2010 through to 2016. Mr. Suleman holds a CPA designation and graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Masters in Accountancy.
