Tom van Aken

Chief Executive Officer, Avantium Technologies

Tom van Aken holds a Master’s Degree in Chemistry from the Utrecht University. He worked at DSM, a Dutch chemical company, from 1996 till 2002. At DSM he held various commercial positions, primarily in DSM’s life sciences business in the USA and the Netherlands. In 2002, he joined Avantium Technologies B.V. as Vice-President of Business Development. He was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Avantium in 2005.

Avantium is a leading technology company in the area of advanced high-throughput R&D operating in the energy, chemicals and pharmaceutical industries. The company develops products and processes in the area of biofuels, bio-based chemicals and novel crystal forms of existing drugs by applying its proprietary, high-throughput R&D technology. Avantium has demonstrated the potential of this technology by providing R&D services and tools to more than 70 companies worldwide. Avantium’s customer base includes many of the world’s largest energy, chemicals and pharmaceutical companies, such as BP, Shell, Sasol, Pfizer and GSK. The company recorded EUR 15.3 million of revenues in 2007. The company successfully completed a EUR 18 million financing in October 2008. Avantium has approximately 130 employees; its offices and head quarters are based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.