AT THE CROSSROADS OF TALENT
The Research & Development Center (CRDC) is based in Changshu, China, and is Arkema’s biggest industrial platform in the world. Its French manager, Denis Bortzmeyer, handed over to Weiqing Liu, who is Chinese, in 2020. They tell their stories below.
“Weiqing joined CRDC in 2012 after completing his doctoral thesis in France. He was there from the outset, holding management roles at CRDC and in business units. He was the obvious choice. Our HR officers helped to draw up a succession plan, setting up a training and coaching program to give him the right tools. In terms of managing the handover, there can only be one boss, so once responsibility for safety and people management has been transferred, the successor is in charge. But he can only do that by taking on the entire role. In general, I think it is vital that Arkema has this kind of promotion policy. We can’t have a glass ceiling that reserves management roles for the French. We need to use talent from all our sites…men and women who have become part of Arkema’s culture, developed their network within the company and demonstrated their loyalty. Once these criteria are met, it’s very important to show them that the way is open for them.”
Denis Bortzmeyer, former Manager of CRDC, Head of partnerships in the research and development department
“I’m very proud that people have put their trust in me and to be able to follow in Denis’s footsteps, because I see him as a consummate professional. My promotion had a very positive impact on my colleagues, 95% of whom are Chinese. It’s a clear sign that Arkema recognizes individual commitment and performance. This is particularly important within the local context, which has been characterized by a high turnover rate. Of course, I feel pressure taking on this new role, particularly about being responsible for the safety, development and well-being of around sixty employees. The fact that I’m Chinese is an undeniable advantage in terms of people management and closer ties with local partners, businesses and universities. Having a Chinese person in charge of R&D – which few of our peers do – also shows that Arkema is serious about investing and expanding in China in the long term. This is a very persuasive argument for many of our business partners.”
Weiqin Liu, Manager of CRDC
