What does it take to transform a legacy chemical business into a cutting-edge innovation engine? Mike Finelli, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Syensqo (formerly Solvay), shares his journey from mailroom to C-suite and outlines how the company is leveraging sustainability, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence to drive growth and solve some of the world's toughest challenges. With a 160-year heritage and a fresh start after splitting from Solvay, Syensqo’s focus spans advanced materials for aerospace, automotive, healthcare, electronics, water filtration, and more.
Host Victoria Meyer and Mike discuss building a culture where AI becomes a daily tool for everyone, the company’s research priorities, and the launch of customer innovation centers designed to foster collaborative, customer-centric solutions. They also address leading through change—both technological and organizational—offering candid insights on managing culture shifts, developing future leaders, and the role of purpose-driven innovation in attracting and retaining talent in the chemical industry.
In this week's episode, Victoria and Mike talk about:
- From Mailroom to C-Suite: Mike Finelli’s journey highlights the power of a growth mindset in chemicals.
- How Syensqo balances tradition with a culture of innovation after its split from Solvay.
- Syensqo puts sustainability at the core of R&D, tackling global challenges with biotech and renewables.
- Building an AI-driven organization where generative tools accelerate discovery and everyday productivity.
- Driving innovation by partnering closely with customers in globally connected labs for faster solutions.
Killer Quote: "Our job is to turn molecules into money... and we do that by solving our customers' biggest challenges. You can't do that if you're not interacting with the customer." —Mike Finelli
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