Dr. GUIDO BOGNOLO

Dr. Guido Bognolo studied theoretical Chemistry at the University of Trieste (Italy). He has spent his professional careers in the field of the surface and interfacial active agents and specialty chemicals, working first in the multinational surfactant end user Procter & Gamble Europe and later in various companies of the Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) Group.

He has contributed to the technical and market development of innovative classes of interfacial active agents, e.g. the polymeric surfactants and dispersants for paints, inks and coatings, the alkyl polyglucosides, now widely used as adjuvants in non-selective herbicides and the emerging class of the specialty polyols and neopolyols alkoxylates for polyurethanes foams and radiation cure coatings.

Between 1991 and 1997 he has lead the ICI Industrial Surfactants business in Europe before moving to the position of Innovation Director of the newly formed Uniqema Company (ICI Group) and of global Product Manager of the Uniqema alkoxylate derivatives, which included interfacial active agents and specialty intermediates.

Since 2002 he is the Managing Director of WSA Associates, a Brussels based independent technology development consulting firm active internationally in the field of effect and specialty chemicals.

Dr. G. Bognolo has produced over 50 publications dealing with the technology, marketing and innovation processes in the field of specialty chemicals, including chapters in reference books. He is a Director in the European Institute for Industrial Leadership (EIIL), the General Secretary of the Confederation of the European Senior Consultant Services (CESES) and a member of the Editorial Board of Chimica Oggi/ Cemistry Today. He collaborates with the University of Padova (Italy) and of Pretoria (South Africa) and advices European and overseas companies on matters of technology and business development. He also holds a diploma in Business Administration from the Solvay Business School.