Eindhoven Area
I am a passionate R&D professional with 10+ years’ experience in the field of research, innovation and technology. During the past years I have been leading several international teams located in different locations to finalise complex cross-functional R&D projects. I have a broad experience in polymers design and formulation, products development and scale-up, and projects management. As a Lead Chemist and Team Lead, I developed during the years an innovative way of thinking combined with a hands-on and proactive attitude. I enjoy working in the R&D field with multi-cultural and cross-functional teams and see my idea about a process or product to be scaled-up from lab scale to industrial production and finally launched on the market. I strongly believe in the value of sustainability and in the idea of implementing a circular economy system within the chemical industry.
- Management of R&D projects related to the development and scale-up of new materials and polymers technologies into production and the market - focus on sustainability and renewables. - Management of the polymers portfolio within the different production plants (design, formulation, specifications). Evaluation and optimisation of cost, performances and sustainability profile of several polymers. - Development, industrialisation and launch of sustainable products into the market. - Stakeholders management - IPs portfolio management
- Coaching (e.g. skills, development and improvement plans) and mentoring of team members. - Allocation of resources and budget to activities and projects. - Team workload analysis and tasks prioritization. - Team targets settings and review.
- Evaluation, testing and implementation of renewable raw materials and bio based polymer systems (e.g. lignin, tannins, starch, furfural, PLA), especially focusing on lignin and lignin based resins. - Establish and maintain relationships with raw materials, polymers, semi-finished materials suppliers. Define and agree technical specifications. - Establish new projects collaborations and maintain relationships with Universities and Research Institutes. - Define and test process parameters for industrial production lines (e.g. impregnation, dry forming, composites pressing) in order to optimize quality, decrease scrap and increase output.
- Plan, set-up, conduct and supervise experimental lab work to develop new resin technologies or improve existing resins formulations (e.g. Phenol-Formaldehyde resins, Amino-resins, Fire retardant resins, Bio-based resins). - Test, evaluation and implementation of new and sustainable raw materials (e.g. lignin, tannins, Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL), Cardanol). - Scaling-up new resins technologies and new products development from lab./pilot to industrial scale. - Troubleshooting operations at production lines: resin production, paper impregnation, composites pressing. - Support production by solving issues and guiding trial batches of new resin recipes.
- Phenol formaldehyde resins, amino resins and fire retardant resins synthesis and characterization in the laboratory. - Evaluation and characterization of different renewable raw materials and feedstocks for bio-based resins production. In particular, utilization of lignin for thermosetting resin synthesis. - Leading resin production, impregnation and composites pressing trials in the plant. - Identify and evaluate new potential raw material suppliers for thermosetting resins synthesis.