On August 1, 2024, Dr. Tom Kinzel took over the Executive Director role of the German Chemical Society (GDCh). He succeeds Professor Wolfram Koch who has retired. In his new role, Tom wants to develop the GDCh along its guiding principles and focus on further supporting the many volunteer contributors. He also wants to deepen the relationships with fellow organizations.
Tom’s first contact with the GDCh was during his studies and his doctorate, when he received travel grants from the GDCh. “Without this support, I would not have been able to take the path I have taken and I am deeply grateful for it,” he recalls. He has been a member of the GDCh for around 20 years.
Tom has been working at the GDCh office since May and has come to know the great enthusiasm of the staff and their strong identification with the GDCh’s charitable goals. “This, as well as the good financial situation, is one of the most important achievements of my predecessor Wolfram Koch”, he says. “The GDCh is very well positioned to face the challenges of the future,” Tom summarizes. He is also particularly impressed by the high level of commitment of the volunteers, who contribute significantly to the success of the GDCh.
Tom Kinzel has definite plans for the future: he wants to further align GDCh’s offers along the four guiding principles of the GDCh – relevance in society and politics, a lively network of committed members, a globally leading society, and the creation of new forms of cooperation – with new offerings. He also wants to promote the support of volunteers in order to create added value for the chemical community and the members of the GDCh together with them.
Tom Kinzel studied chemistry in Göttingen and completed his doctorate in organic chemistry there. After a postdoctoral stay at MIT in the USA, he began his career as a lab head in medicinal chemistry at Bayer Pharma in Wuppertal in 2011. He later headed Bayer’s Open Innovation Centers in China and Europe, which are responsible for alliances with external partners. In 2022, he moved to Nuvisan ICB, where he headed the services department in Life Science Chemistry. In 2023, he also completed an EMBA degree at HEC Paris.
