Bert De Mot

I work as CTO for Solvakem, an SME specializing in the recovery and trading of byproducts and waste from the chemical industry. My role primarily involves identifying new potential projects and developing them from start to finish. In addition, I also assist with the general management of the Solvakem Group (HR, Finance, Legal, Operations, Strategy, etc.).

My day consists of a mix of client visits (alternating between technical and sales meetings), following up on projects with internal staff, conducting market research (applications of raw materials, new technologies, potential partners, etc.), and developing new projects (assessing technical feasibility, building business cases, preparing proposals, etc.).

The skills I primarily use are a very broad general knowledge of chemistry and chemical engineering, supplemented by the general skills needed to manage an SME (time management, project management, leadership, negotiation, etc.).