Solvay is a global chemical company founded in 1863, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, specializing in advanced materials and specialty chemicals. The company, which employs around 22,000 people, focuses on creating sustainable solutions across various industries, including automotive, aerospace, electronics, and healthcare. Solvay is known for its innovation in developing high-performance materials, commitment to environmental sustainability, and generates approximately €12 billion in annual revenue.

I joined Solvay in September 2021 to lead the Digital Transformation, focusing on designing and implementing changes based on Agile principles and the Spotify organisational model. My primary objectives were to enhance satisfaction, accelerate value delivery, and integrate Digital, IT, and OT teams into a cohesive organisation. This transformation required not only the acquisition of new skills but also the upskilling of existing staff and the onboarding of new talent. We successfully launched the new model after nine months, utilising an MVP approach and continuous improvement cycles. This allowed us to achieve high levels of adoption and creativity, successfully onboarding over 120 new staff in less than six months without any business disruption. Additionally, I established an enablement team composed of experts in Enterprise Architecture, Data Governance, Vendor Management, Strategic Portfolio, Agile Coaching, Project Management, Change Management, and Risk Management.

In March 2023, the CEO announced that the company would split into two entities, Solvay and Syensqo, by the end of 2024. This significant change required us to pivot our strategy, transitioning the digital transformation efforts to a best-effort and opportunistic approach. My role evolved to lead the IT Program Management Office, encompassing budget management, PMO oversight, program structuring, staffing, risk management, and communication. The program grew to involve over €60 million and engaged more than 400 people. Additionally, I led the effort to review and split 220 sites worldwide in just 18 months, addressing technology, process, and people aspects. Concurrently, I spearheaded the OneDesk program, which aimed to consolidate over 30 providers into a single entity for local support and first and second-level support, a critical step for ensuring smooth operations post-split.

For the last six months of this journey, I took on the leadership of all technology platforms (excluding CRM) at Syenqo, directing the digital transformation for corporate functions. This role required managing a €70 million annual budget to secure the necessary TSA support from Solvay while simultaneously designing the target state for 2026 and 2028. This dual role combined strategic design with service delivery management, ensuring that the technology infrastructure was robust and future-proofed to support Syenqo’s long-term objectives.