United States, October 2025 – Linde announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Sanjiv Lamba, Chief Executive Officer, to the additional role of Chairman of the Board, effective January 31, 2026. Lamba will succeed Steve Angel, who will retire from Linde’s Board on the same date.
Angel departs after 25 years of distinguished service, having played a pivotal role in shaping Linde’s growth trajectory. He served as Chairman since 2022, Chief Executive Officer from 2018 to 2022, and as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Praxair, Inc., Linde’s predecessor company, from 2007 to 2018.
Angel reflected on his tenure, stating, “It has been a privilege to serve Linde over the past 25 years. I’ve especially enjoyed working alongside our talented employees and fellow Directors.”
In addition to these Board-level changes, Linde announced the appointment of Sean Durbin as Chief Operating Officer effective October 1, 2025, underscoring the company’s commitment to accelerating growth initiatives and sustaining operational excellence.
Sanjiv Lamba has been serving as Chief Executive Officer at Linde since March 2022, where he has overseen global operations and steered the company’s strategic priorities. Before this, he held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Linde plc for over a year.
He previously led as EVP & CEO, Asia Pacific, managing operations across 20 countries, and earlier served as Member of the Executive Board & Chief Operating Officer for Asia Pacific for eight years, during which he directed over 11,000 employees across diverse markets.
Lamba also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Linde India Limited for more than seven years, contributing significantly to the company’s footprint in India. His leadership in the South & East Asia region at Linde Gas Asia and as Business Unit Head for PGS South & South East Asia further highlighted his expertise in scaling operations and driving profitability.
His early leadership journey included a successful stint as Managing Director of Linde India Limited, where he led a critical business turnaround. Prior roles in finance and corporate strategy at BOC India Limited and The BOC Group plc in the UK laid the foundation for his extensive global leadership experience.
About Linde
Linde is a leading global industrial gases and engineering company with 2023 sales of $33 billion. The company lives its mission of making the world more productive every day by providing high-quality solutions, technologies, and services that help customers succeed while advancing sustainability and decarbonization.
Linde serves a broad range of end markets including chemicals & energy, food & beverage, electronics, healthcare, manufacturing, metals, and mining. Its gases and technologies are used in applications from life-saving oxygen for hospitals to high-purity specialty gases for electronics manufacturing, and from hydrogen for clean fuels to advanced gas processing solutions that improve efficiency and reduce emissions.
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