PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Chemical company FMC Corp. said Friday it named Pierre Brondeau as its president and CEO, effective Jan. 1.

Brondeau succeeds William G. Walter. He will continue as chairman until his Oct. 1 retirement date.

Brondeau, 52, retired from Dow Chemical Co. in September, where he served as president and chief executive of Dow Advanced Materials. Before joining Dow, Brondeau was president and chief operating officer of Rohm and Haas Co., which was acquired by Dow earlier this year.

Brondeau becomes the 11th director on the FMC board. Walter and Brondeau will be the only non-independent directors.