At the Helm of Innovation: Placing an Interim CEO to Drive Scientific and Commercial Leadership

The Client

Our client is a global leader in sustainable technologies, trusted by many of the world’s largest energy, chemicals, and automotive companies to enable decarbonization, reduce emissions, and advance sustainability. With a focus on applying cutting-edge science to some of the most pressing challenges of our time, the company plays a pivotal role in the global push toward cleaner energy, greener materials, and a circular economy.

The Challenge

The company was entering a critical period of leadership transition and needed a seasoned Interim CEO to ensure strategic continuity and effective operational oversight. More than a stopgap, this leader would be responsible for stabilizing operations, managing stakeholder expectations, and helping to shape the long-term strategic direction of the business.

The ideal candidate required deep commercial acumen, exceptional leadership skills, and a proven track record in science-led businesses. Familiarity with technical fields like chemistry and materials science—as well as experience managing complex, multinational organizations—was essential.

Key mandate areas included:

• Leading during a high-stakes executive transition
• Guiding strategic initiatives across a global footprint
• Building trust and alignment across executive and operational teams
• Engaging internal and external stakeholders—including regulators and industry partners
• Supporting succession planning and future leadership development

Our Approach

We conducted a targeted search for executive leaders with global experience in specialty chemicals, advanced materials, or adjacent science-based sectors. The ideal profile combined operational leadership, transformation experience, and deep subject matter expertise with the ability to manage complexity across geographies and stakeholder groups.

Key qualifications included:

• Leadership across multiple continents (Europe, North America, Asia)
• Private equity and carve-out experience
• Strategic thinking and execution in R&D-driven businesses
• Strong commercial instincts and turnaround experience
• Proven stakeholder management and cross-functional leadership

The Placement

We placed a senior executive with extensive global experience in specialty and fine chemicals, APIs, and CDMO. He had held leadership positions in North America, Europe, and Asia and demonstrated consistent success in growing revenue and EBITDA, driving restructuring programs, and executing productivity initiatives.

Notably, he had previously led the carve-out and transformation of a CDMO business from Johnson Matthey, bringing a highly relevant background in both operational integration and stakeholder management. His blend of technical knowledge and strategic leadership made him an ideal choice to guide the company through this period of transition.

The Outcome

The Interim CEO brought immediate structure and clarity to a pivotal time in the organization’s evolution. His leadership helped:

• Maintain operational stability and strategic momentum
• Strengthen alignment across regions and business units
• Deepen engagement with internal and external stakeholders
• Advance long-term succession planning for the permanent CEO role

Through his thoughtful leadership and deep industry experience, the company continued to accelerate toward its mission—empowering a cleaner, more sustainable future through science-led innovation.