Speciality Sessions

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

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

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

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

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