Orion has appointed Natalia Scherbakoff as its new chief technology officer, succeeding David Deters.
Deters, who announced his retirement earlier this year, had led a global innovation program for almost 10 years that “made Orion a leader in developing sustainable materials, battery additives and other technology in the carbon black industry”, the company said. Deters will remain with Orion to the end of 2024 to ensure a seamless transition.
Scherbakoff joins Orion from Trinseo, a specialty materials company, where she served as the vice president of technology and innovation. Prior to this, Scherbakoff was the VP of research innovation and product lines at Plastic Omnium, a French automotive supplier now known as OPmobility. She also served as the general manager of specialty composites and the director of Global Innovation at Owens Corning, a building materials maker.
“Natalia has broad global experience, a track record of moving ideas through the development process to successful product launches, and commercial savvy. She combines strong people skills with a passion for driving innovation and achieving tangible outcomes,” said Orion CEO Corning Painter.
Scherbakoff is a non-executive board member at specialty materials producer Clayens NP and is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council. She holds a PhD and MSc in macromolecular science from Case Western Reserve University in the USA; and a chemical engineering degree from Mauá Engineering University and an MBA from Getulio Vargas Foundation, both in Brazil.
Scherbakoff will be based at Orion’s main innovation hub in Cologne, Germany, and will oversee the company’s technical centers in China, South Korea and the USA.
She will also oversee Orion’s €12.8m (US$13.9m) investment – which includes €6.4 (US$6.9m) in funding from the German government and European Union – to further develop and demonstrate a climate-neutral process for producing carbon black from alternative carbon sources.
