CEO

Title: CEO

Reporting to: the Board of Directors

Package: According to experience; benefits include equity options, health care, car allowance

Holiferm is one of the globally leading biochemical manufacturers, with a ktonne scale biosurfactant plant in Wallasey, near Liverpool, which we are scaling to 3.5kta and then 15kta over the next few years, before scaling globally to replace millions of tonnes of petrochemicals across surfactants and other sectors. Our technology uses our patented integrated fermentation and separation technology which facilitates cost competitiveness with petrochemicals. We are currently selling sophorolipids and have additional products in the pipeline. We have a broad range of customers and collaborators, ranging from some of the largest chemical multinationals to small UK Indie brands.

Role description

Holiferm is looking for an experienced CEO to take the company through its growth over the coming years. Our growth plans include significant fundraising to build international manufacturing plants and preparing the company for IPO or strategic sale. The current CEO has proposed the appointment, to enable him to take a more active role in R and D and to maximize the value of the company by bringing in a CEO with additional skills to take the company to the next level.

What Youll Do at Holiferm

Ensure that the company is aligned around the right strategy and executing effectively

• Work with the leadership team and board to define quarterly and annual strategy and operational plan to bring the company to profitability
• Drive internal prioritisation, alignment and performance, bringing a bigger picture perspective
• Work with the internal functional leaders to ensure performance in all areas of the business
• Support management of key strategic partners

Build financial and strategic partnerships required for further capacity build-outs and global expansion

• Fundraising, including building relationships with leading global capital sources (VC, PE, project finance, banks, etc)
• Develop strategy and necessary partners to enter American and Asian markets

Prepare the company for IPO or a strategic transaction

• Build organizational capability required to support IPO and subsequent public company operations
• Build and maintain relationships with senior executives at large, relevant strategics and the financial markets to prepare for IPO

What Youve Done Before

• Grown a chemical, biochemical or FMCG businesses to 100s M revenue
• Proven record of taking a company from cash burn to 10s M in EBITDA
• Held P&L responsibility as a general manager of a large division of a public or PE-backed chemical or biochemical company
• Completed M&A transactions and / or IPOs
• Secured large-scale debt finance for investment in manufacturing capacity
• Led a large organization by example, creating a culture of openness, transparency and effectiveness in a manufacturing environment
• Exceptional strategic leadership and management skills
• Extremely ambitious and outcome focused- the company has an ambition to rapidly change the chemical industry from petrochemicals to biochemicals.

Key Words: CEO, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Executive, Chief Officer, Director, FMCG, Chemical, Biochemical, Biotechnology, Surfactants, Biosurfactants, General Manager etc.