Confidential mandate
Board Adviser — Green Chemistry Transition
Planned Hiring / New
A speciality-chemicals manufacturer needs an adviser to challenge feedstock, process and customer-transition choices as the board considers a portfolio of lower-carbon products and technologies globally.
The mandate
The board repeatedly asks which lower-carbon routes can command durable customer value rather than create expensive compliance variants. Technology cases use inconsistent lifecycle boundaries and assume feedstock availability that has not been contracted.
Two monthly days cover a technology-commercial review and committee attendance, with an initial view on material licence or capex proposals within forty-eight hours and detailed advice within five business days.
The twelve-month appointment spans portfolio selection and first demonstration gate and offers no renewal. The adviser has no line authority, process-safety responsibility, investment vote or executive accountability.
No more than three other mandates may coexist. Interests in competing chemical producers, licensors, feedstock suppliers, customers or verification firms must be disclosed, and technology referral fees are barred.
Why the board wants this voice
Sustainability, R&D and commercial teams define value differently. Directors need a veteran who can challenge chemistry maturity, credible carbon claims and customer qualification together. They are seeking judgement, not endorsement of a predetermined transition narrative.
What you will own
- Test lifecycle assumptions, system boundaries and claimed emissions improvement.
- Challenge feedstock availability, variability and price exposure at commercial scale.
- Press teams on product performance, customer qualification and change-management burden.
- Shape portfolio questions across process retrofit, new route, bio-based input and circular feedstock.
- Examine licensor dependency, scale-up evidence and intellectual-property freedom.
- Guide stage gates from laboratory evidence through demonstration and capital approval.
- Advise when customer-backed premiums justify optionality rather than full conversion.
Candidate qualifications
- 28+ years in speciality chemicals, process technology, R&D or manufacturing leadership.
- Direct experience commercialising at least one materially lower-impact chemical route.
- Evidence of evaluating lifecycle claims alongside plant and customer qualification realities.
- Knowledge of scale-up, process safety, feedstocks, licensing and product stewardship.
- Board credibility on technology portfolio and capital allocation.
- Independence from licensors and suppliers likely to benefit.
Non-negotiables
- Two Ahmedabad days monthly through the first demonstration gate.
- Five-business-day response on complete licence or capital papers.
- Disclosure of producer, licensor, supplier, customer and verifier relationships.
- No executive process direction, safety sign-off or investment authority.
- 49 words maximum. Which lower-impact chemical route did you commercialise, and what scale-up evidence changed the board case?
- 49 words maximum. Which producer, licensor, feedstock or customer relationships could conflict with this advice?
- 49 words maximum. Can you reserve two monthly days through portfolio selection and the first demonstration gate?
This mandate is confidential. The client is named only under a mutual NDA, and your own record is never listed, sold or shown to a company under your name until you release it for this specific mandate.