---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001193125-23-276084"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "AVNT"
cik: "0001122976"
company_name: "AVIENT CORP"
filed_at: "2023-11-13T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-08T04:37:21.548688+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.75
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Avient appoints Ashish Khandpur as CEO effective Dec 1, 2023; Patterson to advise through May 2024

## Summary
- Robert M. Patterson retires as CEO and Board member effective Dec 1, 2023; stays as Special Advisor through May 31, 2024.
- Dr. Ashish Khandpur, former 3M Group President, appointed President, CEO and Board member effective Dec 1, 2023.
- Richard H. Fearon appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, also effective Dec 1, 2023.
- Khandpur receives $1.05M base salary, 120% target annual bonus, 440% LTI target; sign-on of $1.5M cash + $5M RSUs vesting over 4 years.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001193125-23-276084
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: AVNT
- cik: 0001122976
- company_name: AVIENT CORP
- filed_at: 2023-11-13T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.75
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1122976/000119312523276084/0001193125-23-276084-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1122976/000119312523276084/d578408d8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-23-276084
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-23-276084.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-23-276084.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Robert M. Patterson departed as President and Chief Executive Officer at AVIENT CORP.
  - Action: retire
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Robert M. Patterson, Chairman of the Board of Directors and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Avient Corporation (the “Company”), notified the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company that he will retire as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board, effective as of December 1, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1122976/000119312523276084/0001193125-23-276084-index.htm
- Executive change
  Dr. Ashish Khandpur was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer at AVIENT CORP.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: On November 13, 2023, the Company announced that, in connection with Mr. Patterson’s retirement, Dr. Ashish Khandpur has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board, effective December 1, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1122976/000119312523276084/0001193125-23-276084-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.