EXPLORING THE WORLD OF ENGINEERING PLASTICS AT DSM | SEPTEMBER 2014

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At the end of the day I want to be able to say: I made a di�erence, I’ve been challenged, I’ve learned something.’

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I believe ‘science’ is all about creating value.’

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He has Indian roots, grew up in Paris, studied in France, and worked in Boston for the last six years. Meet Alexis Ponnouradjou, the new Vice President Global Research & Technology of DSM in engineering plastics . ‘My international background helps me to connect to people all over the world.’

Bright Minds

‘Sustainability is everywhere nowadays. Some companies ‘go green’ just for marketing purposes. DSM has a more solid take on sustainability. EcoPaXX®, Stanyl®: two concrete examples of sustainable DSM solutions. At DSM, sustainability is not only about marketing; it’s a driver for the end result, part of the identity.’

R&T is a recurring theme throughout your career. Where does that passion come from? ‘I like to make a di�erence. R&T means generally creating something new and valuable to the world. I strongly believe that in BtoB technology is the best way to make a valuable di�erence: either through better performance of products or lower costs. R&T is a strategic asset that will also enable a more sustainable future. I like to see that DSM is one of the few companies that uses the word ’science’ in its slogan. This tells a lot!’

You were raised in Europe, have worked in the US, and you have Asian roots. It must be a great advantage to have such an international background? ‘Yes, it is! This helps me to reach out and relate to people of di�erent origins. I grew up in a di�cult and very diverse suburb of Paris, where I return regularly and where many members of my family are still living, so I can connect to people of any background.

I am also interested in a lot of disciplines other than science, like arts, philosophy and history. This helps me to better understand our world and the di�erent people in it. But sometimes just my passion for football alone is an excellent way to connect all over the world (works well in the Netherlands by the way !)...’

‘We can only succeed globally if we develop strong local teams. DSM has a very strong global vision, but I don’t think you always have to work in global teams to serve a local market. In the specialty world, speed is key. In order to move fast, you must use local regional expertise. Empowering local sta� provides your company with the best possible lever for growth.’

Born in Paris, year of birth: 1970 | Family: married, two daughtersEcole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris | PhD Materials Science (Ecole des Mines de Paris, 1998) 2008 -2014 Director R&D Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics | 2004 - 2008 R&D Manager Saint-Gobain Isover | 2000 - 2004 Laboratory Manager, Rhodia | 1999 - 2000 PSA Peugeot Citroën

What’s your �rst impression of DSM? ‘I’m really excited about my new job. DSM is a very strong company. The skill level, the technology, the science… Very impressive! It’s clear that the people behind DSM think with a long term perspective in mind. It takes time to build up such a strong organization!’

And your second impression? ‘When you look at DSM from the outside, it’s actually not immediately obvious and not known enough how strong the company is. Especially in terms of science and application engineering. And that actually highlights tremendous opportunities for growth as there are a lot of unmet needs in the �eld of performance materials. Clients and potential clients should be more aware that we can o�er them the best tailor-made solutions and high level support in the industry… opportunities are there. So let’s spread the word!’

‘I was impressed all the way by the people I met at DSM during interviews. I almost immediately connected with the culture, which is critical whenever you change company. It was exciting also to discover that DSM is putting so much e�ort in Innovation and Bright Science, especially with this ambitious e�ort that is the Innovation Center. This is a unique endeavour in the industry and my meeting with Rob Van Leen was pivotal in my decision to join the company.’

Who introduced you to DSM and what made you decide to take the challenge? ‘A head hunter from Shanghai invited me to meet John Meijs. We immediately got on very well together, and I got the o�er a few months later. It was a radical and tough decision, though, to relocate from Boston to Singapore. I loved the US and really liked my former company. However, this new job o�ers my family and me an exciting opportunity in a new culture and Asia was high on my list for a next assignment.’

What’s your plan for the next months? ‘The �rst thing I’ll do is try to gather as much information as possible. I’ll meet all the key people and stakeholders in EU, Asia and North America. A�er a few months, I’ll formulate my vision and key priorities for R&T. A lot will hinge on ongoing e�orts, especially the global performance improvement program Summit. I will also work to connect even more the dots between the opportunities in the specialty plastics world, where I am coming from, and our amazing technical assets. All of this while striving to make R&T organization more nimble.’

What's your style of leadership? ‘Demanding! I constantly challenge people to be creative scienti�-cally and to be more e�ective in the way they work so that speed becomes a focus. In the specialty world it is indeed essential to adapt to the customer’s speed. As a leader, I also want to make sure that my people clearly understand the bigger picture and how the things they do as individual contributors are connected to the plans of DSM. Finally I think it’s important in a leadership role to be open, approachable, and especially respectful. I have a humble social background: I come from the bottom, not the top. For me everyone has a value and can bring something to the table.’