Session #14 | Curiosity, Courage & Confidence: Premal Desai on India, Innovation and Growth

Session #14 | Curiosity, Courage & Confidence: Premal Desai on India, Innovation and Growth

In this episode of Speciality Sessions, Natasha speaks to Premal Desai, CEO of hubergroup. Known for its heritage in printing inks and packaging solutions, hubergroup is evolving into a broader specialty chemicals business. Premal shares how the company is navigating that transformation, what it means to lead through change, and why he believes India will play an increasingly important role in the future of global manufacturing and innovation. The conversation explores leadership, supply chain resilience, talent, and the realities of managing a business through periods of significant transition. From a personal story that brings Premal's career full circle, to practical lessons on transformation and growth, this episode offers valuable insights for leaders across the chemicals and manufacturing sectors. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Premal Desai and hubergroup 01:20 - From Printing Inks to Specialty Chemicals 03:25 - Career Journey: From BCG and Steel to Chemicals 06:03 - A Personal Connection to India 08:16 - India's Growing Role in Global Manufacturing 11:13 - What Makes Europe-India Partnerships Work 12:48 - Talent, Innovation and Global Capability Centres 17:07 - Leading Through Transformation and Change 19:29 - What Leaders Need to Get Right During Change 21:42 - Growth in a Challenging Chemicals Market 22:28 - The One Huber Philosophy 23:10 - Supply Chain Resilience and Procurement Strategy 24:34 - Why Chemical Supply Chains Are Often Misunderstood 26:40 - Advice for the Next Generation of Industry Leaders 28:36 - From Being Right to Being Responsible 30:20 - Closing Remarks

Session #13 | Building For the Long Term: Thoralf Gliese on Leadership, Innovation & Private Ownership

In this episode of Speciality Sessions, Natasha speaks to Thoralf Gliese, Chief Commercial Officer at Omya. With more than 20 years inside one of the world’s leading specialty materials businesses, Thoralf shares his perspective on transferable skills, innovation, leadership, customer intimacy, and why long-term thinking matters more than ever in today’s market environment. The conversation explores the evolution of chemical distribution, the value of adjacent sector experience, how innovation creates resilience during downturns, and the differences between privately owned and publicly listed businesses when it comes to decision-making and strategy. Thoralf also reflects on his own career journey from the paper industry into specialty materials, the importance of staying connected to academia and science, and why some of the best opportunities come from stepping outside your comfort zone. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:21 - From Paper Industry to Omya 01:41 - Moving Beyond One Industry 02:24 - Staying Connected to Academia & Science 03:16 - Attracting Young Talent into Chemicals 05:24 - Why Customer Proximity Matters 07:03 - Moving from Technical to Commercial Roles 08:09 - Transferable Skills & Adjacent Sector Hiring 10:54 - How to Successfully Onboard Cross-Industry Talent 12:32 - Omya’s Evolution into Distribution 14:17 - Changing Market Perception & Strategic Focus 17:49 - Innovation & Technical Credibility 19:29 - Innovation During Market Downturns 20:59 - Long-Term Thinking in Difficult Markets 21:33 - Private Ownership & Thinking in Generations 23:01 - Strategic Decision-Making in Private Businesses 25:03 - Leadership During Challenging Markets 25:30 - What Good Leadership Actually Looks Like 26:44 - Why Communication Is Critical in Leadership 27:12 - Career Change, Risk & Leaving Your Comfort Zone 28:29 - Final Reflections on Leadership & Communication

Session #12 | Beyond Compliance: Chris Brown on Sustainability & Commercial Value

In this episode of Speciality Sessions, Natasha speaks to Chris Brown, VP ESG at Synthomer. From starting his career in environmental engineering to leading ESG strategy at one of the world’s leading specialty polymer businesses, Chris shares a commercially grounded perspective on sustainability, innovation and the future direction of the chemical industry. This conversation goes beyond compliance and reporting - into how sustainability creates competitive advantage, why commercial teams are central to innovation, and how chemistry underpins almost every aspect of modern life. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction & Chris Brown’s Background 02:00 - Perceptions of the Chemical Industry 05:40 - Why Chemistry Has a Branding Problem 09:15 - Why Chemistry Underpins Modern Life 10:00 - Sustainability as Long-Term Strategy 12:15 - Why Sustainability Must Be Embedded Into Business Strategy 14:10 - Reframing Sustainability Around Commercial Value 15:30 - The Role of Commercial Teams in Sustainable Innovation 18:20 - Building Customer Relationships Through Sustainability 21:25 - Innovation Timing & Market Readiness 24:15 - Who Really Drives Innovation in the Value Chain? 25:55 - Reasons for Optimism in the Chemicals Sector 26:30 - China’s Five-Year Plan & Global Competition 28:00 - How Chemistry Enables Sustainable Outcomes 31:30 - Advice for Sustainability Leaders 33:45 - Changing Perspectives on Sustainability & Leadership

Session #11 | Leadership Without All The Answers: Anna Bertona on Judgement, Complexity and Building Teams

In the first episode of Season 2 of Speciality Sessions, Natasha speaks to Anna Bertona, CEO of Azelis. From entering the chemicals industry without a traditional background, to leading one of the world’s top distribution businesses, Anna shares a candid view on leadership, decision-making, and what it really takes to operate in a complex, high-performance environment. This conversation goes beyond the headlines - into how leaders actually think, hire, and make decisions when the stakes are high. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction & About Azelis 02:00 - Breaking Misconceptions in Chemical Distribution 03:45 - What Makes the Distribution Model So Powerful 05:00 - Manufacturing vs Distribution: Why Transitions Are Hard 06:45 - Leadership Style: Empowerment vs Accountability 08:20 - How Leadership Evolves Over Time 09:10 - The Behaviours That Destroy High-Performing Teams 10:05 - Scaling Culture in a Global Business 11:50 - Hiring for ‘Why’, Not Just Job Specs 12:50 - Consulting vs Industry Thinking 14:40 - Decision-Making Without Perfect Information 16:00 - Women in Leadership & Industry Progress 19:40 - The Real Challenge: Retaining Talent 21:00 - What Makes a Great Leadership Team 23:00 - The Toughest Career Moments 24:15 - Letting Go of the ‘Super Specialist’ Mindset 25:20 - Advice for First-Time Senior Leaders 26:30 - Navigating a Challenging Market 29:40 - What Anna Changed Her Mind About

Session #10 | Stay Calm and Carry On: Christian Kohlpaintner on Resilience in Leadership

In this final episode of the first series of "Speciality Sessions," host Natasha Klymczuk sits down with Christian Kohlpaintner, a seasoned leader in the chemical industry, to discuss the art of resilience and leadership. Christian shares insights from his extensive career, including his transition from CEO at Brenntag to a supervisory role at Evonik. They explore the challenges and opportunities within the European chemical sector, the importance of building resilient business models, and the role of mentorship and coaching in personal and professional growth. Christian also offers valuable advice for leaders at all levels on fostering team resilience and navigating career transitions. Chapters: * [00:10] Introduction and Welcome * [01:28] Opportunities in the European Chemical Sector * [03:07] Building Resilient Business Models * [06:43] Leadership and Team Resilience * [09:59] Career Transitions and Taking Risks * [14:02] Mentorship and Coaching * [19:11] Leadership Challenges and Adjustments * [21:19] Innovation in Distribution * [25:25] Final Thoughts and Advice