It’s been a busy two years for Shane Hostetter since he took the finance seat of the global chemical business Chemours in July 2024: he’s navigated tariffs, a cost-cutting inititative and most recently impacts on the company’s supply chain from the war in Iran.
A CPA who started his career in auditing with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Hostetter joined the Wilmington, Delaware-based company from Quaker Chemical, where he served for 13 years in varying roles including as CFO.
He also arrived at a challenging time for the company and its leadership. His predecessor Jonathan Lock resigned from the company after an internal probe found that Lock and the company’s then CEO and controller engaged in unethical financial practices in part to meet free cash flow targets.
In emailed responses, Hostetter answered questions from CFO Dive regarding efforts by the company to resolve weaknesses in internal controls, his role in restoring trust, and his views on tariffs and legacy environmental claims. This Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.
CFO Dive: The multi-year Pathway to Thrive is a restructuring/turnaround strategy poised to reduce Chemours’ costs by $250 million from 2024 to 2027. Are you still on a path to realize those costs by next year and what role are you playing as CFO in that initiative?
