Christian Kling

Leading with disciplined structure and efficient systems that fuel sustainable growth

Aachen-Mitte, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

About

Driven to make the difference

Experience

  • ProteinDistillery (Hybrid)
    • Managing Director
      Dec 2025 - Present · 7 mos

    • Chief Commercial Officer
      Nov 2025 - Present · 8 mos

  • ANDRITZ (Full-time · 3 yrs 9 mos)
    • Head of Alternative Protein Solutions
      Oct 2022 - Oct 2025 · 3 yrs 1 mo

      Position ANDRITZ as the full solution player in alternative proteins supporting customers in lab, scaling to industrial scale and during process life: Execution of the developed and approved strategy with P&L responsibility. Build up the team, drive R&D and test center activities.

    • Senior Business Developer Alternative Proteins
      Feb 2022 - Oct 2022 · 9 mos

      Develop business case and setting strategy to position ANDRITZ in the alternative protein market. Focus on dry / wet separation and rendering for food and feed market. Executive board approval and financing achieved to set up new product home

  • DSM (7 yrs 11 mos)
    • Head of Strategy and Growth Proteins
      Jan 2020 - Feb 2022 · 2 yrs 2 mos

      * Build M&S sales strategy and plan, including needed customer, market and consumer insights. Translate into actionable items for NBD team * Coordinate market understanding, data, growth and projections company wide * Right hand to VP POFU, providing foundation for informed decision taking and challenger * Driving cohesive and clear reporting * Lead identification and analysis of potential partners, novel protein sources and technologies allowing DSM to accelerate growth. Coordinate needed DSM experts for evaluation * Leading partnership approach, joint development and commercialization of intermediate products * Coordinate OneDSM team in intermediate products enabling DSM solution play

    • Business Strategy Manager
      Jul 2018 - Dec 2019 · 1 yr 6 mos

      Driving a company wide aligned approach to emerging opportunities in the protein space: - anchoring company wide aligned understanding and evaluation of the protein space - driving the DSM Protein strategy for the executive committee - supporting protein and related ingredient activities to leverage opportunity in proteins - Value adding solutions for customers and DSM

    • New Business Development Manager
      May 2016 - Jul 2018 · 2 yrs 3 mos

      NBD Manager for DSM’s CanolaPro™, a novel protein based on rapeseed. Define target segments and segment specific value preposition/USP, identify and approach target customers product combination, set up development process, select best practise applications/customers for market introduction, coordinate speed to market. Launch of the first consumer product containing CanolaPro™

  • Business Insights Manager at Reverdia
    Apr 2014 - Sep 2018 · 4 yrs 6 mos

    - Business insights manager Reverdia, a joint venture between Royal DSM and Roquette - Driving business and competitive insights, advisor and challenger of the CEO - Supporting sales force in new markets with guidance

  • Consultant at Schlegel und Partner - Your Market Insighters®
    Dec 2010 - Mar 2014 · 3 yrs 4 mos

    Consultant at Schlegel and Partners in the department Technical Consumables and Services. Focus on market understanding and derived strategy in the chemical industry, food technology, membrane technology, water treatment and technical textiles. Working as project leader of multinational and multidisciplinary teams; work included project acquisition and design, research, presentation of results and implementation Core questions answered: - Clarification of relevant value chains, competitors and their business models - Identification of new application fields / acquisition targets - Opportunities to differentiate and grow in new and mature markets - Applications of current R&D results and new product development - Identification and evaluation of drivers and retarders, e.g. REACH, on existing product portfolio - Evaluation of investment opportunities and possible investment targets - Customer satisfaction and customer relation management