The Board of Directors of Axelera, at a meeting on September 10th 2009, appointed Denis Bortzmeyer, Partnerships Director at Arkema’s R&D, Chairman of the Chemistry-Environment competitiveness cluster for a two-year term.

A mining engineer, Denis Bortzmeyer graduated from the Paris École des Mines with a PhD (thesis on Rheology of Ceramic Powders, 1990), also with accreditation to lead research at the University of Orléans (rupture mechanics of granular materials, 1996).

After starting his career in thermostructural ceramics, Denis Bortzmeyer joined Arkema at the Rhône-Alpes Research Center where he led the Mineral Chemicals activities.

He has been Partnerships Director, Arkema Group R&D, since September 2004. In this capacity he coordinates and leads key research projects involving Arkema as part of the competitiveness clusters, ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche), and the European Commission.

Denis Bortzmeyer has held leading posts within a number of learned societies as well as organizations providing an interface between academic research and industrial research: Groupe Français de Rhéologie, GECAT (Groupe d’Études sur la Catalyse), Institut de Chimie de Lyon, and Fondation Lyon 1.

A global chemical company and France’s leading chemicals producer, Arkema consists of three businesses: Vinyl Products, Industrial Chemicals, and Performance Products. Arkema reports sales of 5.6 billion euros. Arkema has 15,000 employees in over 40 countries and six research centers located in France, the United States and Japan. With internationally recognized brands, Arkema holds leadership positions in its principal markets.