Charles O. Holliday
Chad Holliday | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 9, 1948 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Occupation | Corporate executive |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Known for | CEO and director of DuPont; chairman of Royal Dutch Shell and Bank of America |
Charles Otis "Chad" Holliday, Jr. (born March 9, 1948) is an American corporate executive known for his tenure as chairman of both Royal Dutch Shell and Bank of America, as well as serving as CEO and director of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont). He holds the title of chairman emeritus at the U.S. Council on Competitiveness and leads the Business Roundtable's Task Force focused on Environment, Technology, and Economy. Additionally, Holliday is among the founding members of the International Business Council and contributes to the advisory board of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.
Between May 2015 and May 2021, he fulfilled the role of chairman at Royal Dutch Shell.
Early life
Holliday was born in 1948 in Nashville, Tennessee. He completed his secondary education at John Overton High, where he met Ann, who would become his spouse. He graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering and was affiliated with the Zeta chapter of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. His professional journey began at DuPont in 1970 at their Old Hickory facility, where a summer position evolved into a permanent engineering role. Over time, he advanced through various manufacturing and supervisory positions internationally before ascending to CEO in 1998.
Professional career
As DuPont's 18th CEO in its more than two centuries of existence, Holliday championed a strategy centered on sustainable growth, aiming to boost both shareholder value and societal benefits while minimizing environmental impact. This approach shifted DuPont’s focus from a conventional chemical manufacturer to a company emphasizing science-based products and services. On September 23, 2008, it was announced that Holliday would retire as CEO effective December 31, 2008; he was succeeded by Ellen J. Kullman starting January 1, 2009. Subsequently, on October 30, 2009, Kullman was appointed chairman effective December 31, 2009, coinciding with Holliday stepping down from that position.
Holliday has held prominent leadership roles including chairmanship of the Council on Competitiveness and leading the Business Roundtable's Task Force on Environment, Technology and Economy. He formerly chaired the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the American Section of the Society of Chemical Industry, and served as president of The Business Council during 2003-2004. As a founding figure of the International Business Council, he also participates on the advisory board for the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.
On September 21, 2009, Holliday joined the board of directors at Bank of America, later being elected chairman on April 28, 2010. He holds an honorary doctorate from Polytechnic University and is certified as a professional engineer. In recognition of his contributions to engineering, he was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2004.
Compensation
During his final year as DuPont’s CEO in 2008, Holliday’s total remuneration amounted to $10,213,441. This package comprised a base salary of $1,369,500, a cash bonus totaling $1,732,000, stock awards valued at $4,796,309, and options worth $2,166,672.
Publications
Holliday contributed as a co-author to Walking the Talk, a work that presents the strategic advantages of integrating sustainable development and corporate social responsibility into business practices.