Karen G. Narwold is an accomplished C-level executive and Board member who brings a wide breadth of expertise spanning global business strategy, risk management, ESG, corporate transactions, compliance, and ethical leadership to steer companies for continued growth in a changing world. With 30+ years of experience leading legal, compliance, external affairs, governance, human resources and corporate development functions at global Fortune 500 companies, Karen understands how to help business leaders deliver long-term, far-reaching impacts aligned with high-level corporate goals. A subject matter expert in sustainable manufacturing, clean energy, and workplace safety, Karen brings people and processes together to improve a company’s corporate citizenship.
Karen currently sits on the Board of Directors for Ingevity Corporation, where she collaborates with key leaders to advance the global chemical manufacturer’s mission to provide products and technologies that purify, protect, and enhance the world. In this advisory role, she collaborates with other Board members and C-suite leaders to influence global policies related to sustainable manufacturing, ethical business practices, workplace safety, and overall company operations. As the inaugural Chair of the newly founded Sustainability & Safety Committee, Karen unified the focus under one group to strengthen Ingevity’s commitment to sustainable growth and foster a safe and values-based organizational culture. In addition to chairing the Sustainability & Safety Committee, Karen also serves as a member of the Audit Committee.
Before joining the Ingevity Board, Karen led Albemarle and Symmetry Advisors (previously Barzel Industries) as Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel. She instilled an enterprise-wide commitment to advocacy, stood up critical new teams and functions, shepherded businesses through periods of immense change, influenced strategic growth decisions, and instilled a values-based culture, enabling long-term success and positive corporate citizenship.
As a leader, Karen is dedicated to hiring and mentoring associates with steadfast values who possess sound business judgment, risk identification and mitigation skills, and critical decision-making abilities. She lives by her commitment to sustainability and inspires others to do the same, creating a shared connection and powerful culture where people can make a lasting impact on the world.
BOARD & CORPORATE EXPERIENCE
Ingevity CORPORATION (nyse: ngvt)
Board of Directors | Sustainability & Safety Committee Chair | Audit Committee Member
ALBEMARLE CORPORATION (nyse: alb)
Chief Administrative Officer | General Counsel | EVP | Corporate Secretary
Symmetry AdvisorS | Symmetry Holdings (AMEX: SHJ) | bARZEL iNDUSTRIES (NASDAQ: TPUT)
Advisor | VP, Strategic Counsel | VP, Chief Administrative Officer | General Counsel
GrafTech International LTD. (NYSE: EAF)
VP | General Counsel | HR | Corporate Secretary | Deputy/Asst. General Counsel | Regulatory & Commercial Counsel
EDUCATION
J.D.| University of Connecticut School of Law B.A., Political Science | University of Connecticut