BERLIN — Dr. Gavin Bown has joined Beckers as the company's new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The company reports that the move is part of its 2030 Sustainability Strategy and its goal to have a real impact on sustainability improvements via its products.

Bown is an internationally experienced and awarded R&D and innovation leader with a strong background and track record in both the B2B and B2C arenas. He has 20 years of experience working across the full R&D spectrum — from longer-term strategy with all associated technology and product platforms and open innovation to delivery to market. The last 10 years Bown worked at Barry Callebaut Group, a leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, where he was responsible for all strategic R&D and innovation activities. There, he led a number of game-changing innovations with global impact, including Ruby Chocolate, Whole Fruit Chocolate and personalized 3D printed chocolate. Before that, Gavin worked for Kraft Foods, Reckitt Benckiser and Mars. His educational background is in chemistry; he holds a PhD in polymer physics and a BSc degree in chemistry.

At Beckers, Bown will be responsible for leading and managing scientific and technological development, expanding Beckers' product portfolio, and creating breakthrough innovations. He will align R&D activities, coordinating efforts and ensuring the sharing of internal knowledge. He will report directly to Beckers' CEO Christophe Sabas. He will have direct reporting lines to Beckers' Research group: the Long Term Development labs, and he will have dotted lines to the coordinators of all local laboratories in charge of development. Additionally, he is responsible for the Sustainability and Digitalization of R&D activities. The position of Beckers' CTO was not occupied for the last two years.

A British national, Bown will be located in Liverpool, where Beckers' Long Term Development unit for coil coatings is also based.

"Gavin is an excellent match," said Christophe Sabas. "He is joining a team at Beckers that is best-in-class in terms of innovation and recognized for developing products that meet new customer demands. But we have a big journey ahead of us to our 2030 sustainability vision. Coming from a different industry and bringing what I would call 'fresh eyes,' and with his deep knowledge and expertise in using science, data and digital to drive R&D and innovation, Gavin will help us leap forward and develop the products of tomorrow, so we might fulfill our targets for 2030."

Learn more at www.beckers-group.com.