Evonik has established 20-staff strong Evonik Digital, to develop new business models and build up digital expertise.
“Digitisation offers more than new technologies,” said Evonik deputy chairman of the Executive Board and responsible for digitisation strategy, Christian Kullmann.
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“It also creates new opportunities for collaboration and production and gives rise to new business models and marketing options. Evonik is taking a pioneering role in the chemical industry here.”
In the newly created position of chief digital officer (CDO), Henrik Hahn will now coordinate digitisation activities for the Group. Hahn is also chairman of the Management Board of Evonik Digital.
The team of experts at Evonik Digital will develop digital concepts and solutions to test and start them running within the Group. Collaboration with technology companies and promising startups will play a role.
“We recognised early on the opportunities that digital business models could offer, and we’re very systematically organising the necessary changes in the company,” added Kullmann.
The new subsidiary is located in the centre of Essen and started operating early this year. The experts combine broad international experience, a network of contacts, and expertise in social and media studies, in addition to chemistry, engineering and business management.
“Evonik wants to support its customers’ success – specifically through new products and services,” said Hahn. “This customer focus is absolutely essential for the digitisation team. This will then also involve working jointly with the business lines to identify digital business ideas throughout the entire Group and providing strong support in their implementation.”
The team is planning to present its first concrete results during this year. The current pilot projects include platform approaches for e-commerce and the topic of do-it-yourself sensor technology.
