Crafting a Sustainable Tomorrow: Frank's 20-Year Impact

How have your responsibilities evolved over time?

Next year I will have been with Evonik or its predecessor companies for 20 years. Honestly, I couldn't have imagined this when I started. However, I've never been bored because I've consistently had the opportunity—and seized it—to take on different tasks in the broad field of marketing management. I've been able to grow into leadership roles, learn new things, assume responsibilities, lead projects, and manage teams. I've often benefited from experienced colleagues and supervisors who have generously shared their knowledge with me.

Which aspects of your work do you find particularly fulfilling or meaningful?

We work on many important topics, both at Evonik in general and at Creavis in particular. Many inventions of the past have improved our lives, making them better, more comfortable and longer. Now, it's time to ensure that our inventions have an even more positive impact on the environment and ecosystems of this world. Nothing is more motivating than working for a good cause, an important goal that goes beyond just maximizing short-term profits. We need to ask ourselves: How can we enable a circular economy? What biobased and biodegradable alternatives to conventional raw materials are available? How can we avoid waste or, ideally, turn it into fertilizer or even fish feed?

In addition, I am often asked to be an internal trainer for communication and marketing topics, for example at the Evonik Innovation Academy. I am very pleased to work with the young scientists. Their learning success and their further development in this outstanding project motivate me. 

Do you believe your talents and skills are fully utilized in your position?

I hope to continually develop my skills rather than just fully utilize them. Some tasks require more creativity, others require analytical skills, organizational talent, or negotiation skills. My position challenges me with my talents and abilities—and that's exactly how it should be.

How does your work at Evonik contribute to the company’s sustainability goals and initiatives?

Everything we do at Creavis pursues sustainability goals. Biobased materials, circular economy, carbon cycle, energy transition—these are all topics I can contribute to as an economist in a chemical company. My tasks usually involve better understanding the market and customer needs for such innovations and drawing the right conclusions. A major success was the development and successful marketing of an environmentally friendly high-performance insulation material based on Evonik’s silica, which significantly contributes to the energy efficiency of buildings. The product is now produced by one of the largest insulation manufacturers in the world.