Hendrik Schönfelder

President - Brazil and SVP Segment Advanced Technologies, Americas

Brazil

About

Business management in the chemical industry. Emphasize on plastics and automotive industry. Strong technical foundation. Broad range of experience along the value chain: R&D, capital investment projects, business processes, sales & marketing. International career.

Experience

  • Evonik (13 yrs 6 mos)
    • President Evonik Brazil
      Sep 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 1 mo

    • Senior Vice President, Segment Advanced Technologies, Americas
      May 2025 - Jun 2026 · 1 yr 2 mos

    • President - Region Central and South America
      Sep 2022 - Jun 2026 · 3 yrs 10 mos

  • LyondellBasell (5 yrs 3 mos)
    • Sales Director, Specialty Polyolefins Europe
      Dec 2011 - Mar 2013 · 1 yr 4 mos

      Set up newly created sales team for polyolefins with potential for differentiated properties and services. Manage team of highly skilled professionals selling throughout all of Europe.

    • Global Business Manager
      2008 - Dec 2011 · 4 yrs

      Global commercial responsibility for polymers applied in automotive fluid systems. Develop pricing strategy and negotiate long-term supply contracts. Manage marketing and advertising activities. Launch new polymer products and master automotive validation/test procedures. Manage toll-manufacturers in America and Asia.

  • Basell (4 yrs 1 mo)
    • Regional Business Manager
      2005 - 2007 · 2 yrs

      Commercial and technical responsibility for Europe. Market: Polyethylene for application in Plastic Fuel Tanks in automotive vehicles. Key account management of major customers. Lead sales force and technical service group in Europe and coordinate exports for Asia.

    • Project Manager
      2004 - 2005 · 1 yr

      Close a commercial Office and relocate employees to other sites.

    • Six Sigma Black Belt
      2003 - 2005 · 2 yrs

      Introduce Six Sigma into the company as member of first wave of project managers. Projects in technical martketing and supply chain in Italy and Belgium.

  • Project Manager, Investment project at Basell
    2000 - 2002 · 2 yrs

    Technical Leader of investment project in Middle East. Provide process design and basic engineering for largest LDPE plant of the world. Manage bidding process for construction contract and support project financing activity.

  • BASF (4 yrs 1 mo)
    • Head of R&D team
      1996 - 1999 · 3 yrs

      Manage team of engineers and laboratory personnel. Reponsibility for solids reactor engineering within BASF.

    • Development Engineer
      1995 - 1996 · 1 yr

      Develop chemical processes and reactor designs for chemical syntheses envolving solids, e.g. heterogeneously catalysed reactions and polymerisations.