Tom Kinzel new Managing Director of the GDCh

An alliance manager at the head of the largest chemical science network in the EU

14-Aug-2024

On August 1, 2024, Dr. Tom Kinzel took over the management of the German Chemical Society (GDCh). He succeeds Professor Dr. Wolfram Koch, who led the GDCh for almost 22 years and has now retired. In his new role, Kinzel intends above all to continue to fill the GDCh's guiding principles with life and to support the honorary office. As a former Alliance Manager, he would also like to promote the chemical community together with friendly organizations.

Before taking up his post, Tom Kinzel first spent three months familiarizing himself with the processes in the office. However, his first contact with the GDCh took place much earlier. "During my studies and my doctorate, I 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," Kinzel recalls. Even then, he joined the GDCh, of which he has been a member for around twenty years.

Since May, Kinzel has also gotten to know the GDCh from an internal perspective. "I have observed an enormous enthusiasm for the work and a strong identification with the non-profit goals of the GDCh among the employees. Here, as well as in the good financial situation, lies one of the most important merits of my predecessor, Professor Wolfram Koch: the GDCh is very well positioned to face the challenges of the future," summarizes Kinzel. "But the office with its full-time staff is only part of the architecture. I am also impressed by the high level of commitment with which the volunteers contribute to the functioning of the GDCh."

Kinzel already has plans for the future direction of the GDCh: "The GDCh follows four guiding principles, namely relevance in society and politics, a lively network of committed members, a globally leading society and the creation of new forms of cooperation and communication. We need to examine the extent to which the GDCh's offerings for the chemical community correspond to these guiding principles, where much progress has already been made and where we are perhaps still at the beginning. I would also like to take a close look at how we deal with volunteers, because only together can we create added value for the chemical community. So we want to continue to achieve a lot for the chemical community and our members!"

Tom Kinzel studied chemistry in Göttingen and completed his doctorate in organic chemistry there. After a postdoctoral stay at MIT in the USA, he started his career as a laboratory manager at Bayer Pharma in Wuppertal in 2011. After several professional positions, he headed the Open Innovation Centers China and Europe, which are responsible for alliances and collaborations with external partners. In 2022, Kinzel moved to Nuvisan ICB, a company that researches new active ingredients on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry. There he headed the Services department within the Life Science Chemistry division. In 2023, he also completed an EMBA degree at HEC Paris.

Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.

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