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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 25, 2023

graftechinternationala25.jpg

GRAFTECH INTERNATIONAL LTD.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 1-13888 27-2496053
(State or other
jurisdiction of incorporation)
(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)

982 Keynote Circle
Brooklyn Heights, OH 44131
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(216) 676-2000
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
   
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Trading
Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share EAF New York Stock Exchange
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐




Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On September 25, 2023, Marcel Kessler, Chief Executive Officer and President and Director of GrafTech International Ltd. (the “Company”), informed the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) of his intention, due to family reasons, to (i) step down as Chief Executive Officer and President effective November 15, 2023 and (ii) resign as an employee of the Company effective December 31, 2023. Mr. Kessler will continue to serve on the Board. Mr. Kessler will continue to receive his base salary through December 31, 2023, and thereafter will be compensated as a non-employee director in accordance with the standard director compensation program of the Company, which is described on pages 15-19 of the Company’s Proxy Statement for its Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 10, 2023, and filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on April 6, 2023.

On September 27, 2023, the Board appointed Timothy K. Flanagan, the current Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President Finance and Treasurer of the Company, to serve as interim Chief Executive Officer and President, and Catherine Hedoux-Delgado, the current Vice President, Corporate Controller of the Company, to serve as interim Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, each effective November 15, 2023. In addition, Jeremy Halford, the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer of the Company, will continue to work with Timothy K. Flanagan on key strategic initiatives, including leading efforts in connection with the active investigation into the use of the Company’s assets to supply the growing electric vehicle battery market, along with his current duties. During the period of interim service, the Board also approved incremental monthly compensation stipends payable on the first of the month in the amount of $21,000, $8,000, and $4,000 to Timothy K. Flanagan, Jeremy Halford, and Catherine Hedoux-Delgado, respectively.

For additional information regarding Messrs. Flanagan and Halford, please see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the SEC on February 14, 2023. Ms. Hedoux-Delgado, age 59, has served as Vice President, Corporate Controller of the Company since April 2012 where she has been responsible for the accounting and financial reporting of the Company. Prior to joining the Company, she spent 20 years at Lexmark International Inc., a multinational printing product and services company, where she most recently served as Director of SEC Reporting and Corporate Consolidation. Prior to that, she held numerous finance and accounting leadership roles, including Corporate Director of Internal Controls, Finance Director of the Consumer Printing Division for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and Finance Director of Lexmark Canada. Ms. Hedoux-Delgado holds a B.S. in Management from the ESCP Business School in France.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board (the “Committee”) will work with a leading executive search firm to conduct a global search for a non-interim Chief Executive Officer and President and assist the Committee in considering both internal and external candidates. The Committee will make recommendations to the Board with the Board making the final decision on a non-interim successor.

There are no family relationships between Ms. Hedoux-Delgado and any other any director or executive officer of the Company and there are no arrangements or understandings between her and any other person pursuant to which she was selected for her position. There are no related person transactions involving Ms. Hedoux-Delgado that would require disclosure pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

The Company intends to enter into an indemnification agreement with Ms. Hedoux-Delgado. The form of indemnification agreement was previously filed with the SEC on March 26, 2018 as Exhibit 10.15 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S‑1/A (Registration No. 333‑223791) and is incorporated herein by reference.

A copy of the press release issued by the Company announcing these management changes is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
99.1
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)




SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
GRAFTECH INTERNATIONAL LTD.
 
 
Date: September 28, 2023 By: /s/ Timothy K. Flanagan
Timothy K. Flanagan
Chief Financial Officer,
Senior Vice President Finance and Treasurer


EX-99.1 2 exhibit991-leadershipupdate.htm EX-99.1 Document
Exhibit 99.1
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GrafTech Announces Leadership Update

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, Ohio – September 28, 2023 – GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE:EAF) (“GrafTech” or the “Company”) announced today that Marcel Kessler has informed the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) of his intention, due to family reasons, to (i) step down as Chief Executive Officer and President effective November 15, 2023 and (ii) resign as an employee of the Company effective December 31, 2023. Mr. Kessler will continue to serve on GrafTech’s Board.

The Board has appointed Timothy K. Flanagan, the current Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President Finance and Treasurer of the Company, to serve as interim Chief Executive Officer and President, and Catherine Hedoux-Delgado, the current Vice President, Corporate Controller of the Company, to serve as interim Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, each effective November 15, 2023. In addition, Jeremy Halford, the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer of the Company, will continue to work with Mr. Flanagan on key strategic initiatives, including leading efforts in connection with the active investigation into the use of the Company’s assets to supply the growing electric vehicle battery market, along with his current duties.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Marcel for his dedication and leadership since joining the Company in 2022,” said Henry R. Keizer, Chairman of the Board of GrafTech. “I am pleased that Marcel will continue to serve on the Board and look forward to his continued contributions to GrafTech and its stakeholders. I would also like to thank Tim and Catherine for assuming these new responsibilities. Both possess decades of experience in leadership positions and industry-related expertise, and I am confident they will continue to make meaningful contributions in their new roles. I look forward to working with Tim, Jeremy, Catherine and the rest of the leadership team during this pivotal and exciting time for GrafTech.”

Mr. Flanagan was appointed GrafTech’s Chief Financial Officer, Vice President Finance and Treasurer in November 2021. He previously served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., a flat-rolled steel producer and supplier of iron ore pellets, from January 2017 to February 2019. Prior to being promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Cleveland-Cliffs, he held a variety of financial leadership roles at Cleveland-Cliffs since joining in 2008. More recently, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff, LLP, an AmLaw 200 law firm, from June 2019 to November 2021.

Ms. Hedoux-Delgado has served as Vice President, Corporate Controller of GrafTech since April 2012 where she has been responsible for the accounting and financial reporting of the Company. Prior to joining GrafTech, she spent 20 years at Lexmark International Inc., a multinational printing product and services company, where she held numerous finance and accounting leadership roles.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board (the “Committee”) will work with a leading executive search firm to conduct a global search for a non-interim Chief Executive Officer and President and assist the Committee in considering both internal and external candidates. The Committee will make recommendations to the Board with the Board making the final decision on a non-interim successor.




About GrafTech

GrafTech International Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of high-quality graphite electrode products essential to the production of electric arc furnace steel and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The Company has a competitive portfolio of low-cost, ultra-high power graphite electrode manufacturing facilities, including three of the highest capacity facilities in the world. We are the only large-scale graphite electrode producer that is substantially vertically integrated into petroleum needle coke, our key raw material for graphite electrode manufacturing. This unique position provides us with competitive advantages in product quality and cost.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, financial projections, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and future economic performance. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding future estimated volume, pricing and revenue, anticipated levels of capital expenditures and guidance relating to earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking words such as “will,” “may,” “plan,” “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “foresee,” “intend,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “target,” “goal,” “continue to,” “positioned to,” “are confident,” or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon our historical performance and on our current plans, estimates and expectations considering information currently available to us. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be regarded as a representation by us that the future plans, estimates, or expectations contemplated by us will be achieved. Our expectations and targets are not predictions of actual performance and historically our performance has deviated, often significantly, from our expectations and targets. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, financial results, financial condition, business, prospects, growth strategy and liquidity. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements, including those factors described in the “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” sections in reports and statements filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.


Contact:
Michael Dillon
216-676-2000