GFBiochemicals Accelerates Growth with Strategic Leadership Hires and Sustainable Market Expansion

GFBiochemicals, a pioneer in bio-based chemistry and sustainable materials innovation, is strengthening its leadership capability as it scales to meet growing global demand. With a focus on levulinic acid derivatives and safer alternatives to traditional petrochemicals, the company has taken major steps in 2025 to expand its commercial reach, secure its supply chains and deliver industrial-scale manufacturing.

As part of this development, GFBiochemicals partnered with Listgrove, the specialist international recruitment consultancy for the plastics, packaging and chemicals industries. Over the course of an 18-month collaboration, Listgrove applied its industry knowledge and investigative search expertise to secure three highly challenging, multi-disciplinary appointments: a Procurement & Supply Chain Director, a Plant Project Director and a Business Development Manager.

Driving Sustainable Chemistry Forward

Founded with the mission to “end chemical pollution” GFBiochemicals has become a reference point in green chemistry. Its proprietary RE:CHEMISTRY® platform is enabling the replacement of harmful petrochemical ingredients with safer bio-based solutions across multiple applications including coatings, personal care, agrochemicals, household and industrial cleaning.

The company offers a variety of products:

• Solve100 (Ethyl Levulinate)
• Move200 (Butyl Levulinate)
• Clean300 (Levulinate Propanediol Ketal)
• New320 (Levulinate Propanediol Ketal)

The company’s momentum is evident:

• To offer a range of multifunctional levulinic acid derivatives, available worldwide, to enable businesses spanning from home & personal care to paint & coatings, industrial cleaning and agrochemicals to develop safe and sustainable everyday products.
• In 2025 GFBiochemicals was awarded an EcoVadis Silver sustainability rating, a clear validation of its environmental and governance standards.
• The same year, GFBiochemicals won the ICIS Innovation Award in the category Best Product Innovation, a powerful recognition of its proprietary technology RE:CHEMISTRY®.
• Ongoing investment and R&D scale-up are backed by a €15 million Series A funding round while global reach is strengthened by its earlier acquisition of Segetis in the US.

Strategic Appointments with Listgrove

To sustain its rapid growth GFBiochemicals recognised the importance of investing in leadership talent across commercial, operational and technical functions. Over an 18-month period marked by market turbulence and shifting challenges, Listgrove maintained a clear search focus and delivered hires against some of the most demanding briefs. Working in close partnership, Listgrove drew upon its international networks and forensic-search approach to secure three senior professionals, a Procurement & Supply Chain Director, a Plant Project Director and a Business Development Manager, whose expertise will underpin the next phase of the company’s development.

Strengthening operations, a new Procurement & Supply Chain Director provides the expertise to manage GFBiochemicals’ expanding global supplier base and safeguard supply continuity. With raw material availability, tariffs and global logistics posing constant challenges this role is central to ensuring GFBiochemicals can scale without disruption.

The addition of a Plant Project Director gives GFBiochemicals the leadership required to move confidently from pilot production into full-scale industrial manufacturing. By leading capital projects and scale-up activity this appointment ensures GFBiochemicals’ innovation pipeline can be delivered at the volumes and reliability demanded by global customers.

At the commercial front, the appointment of a Business Development Manager ensures GFBiochemicals’ breakthrough RE:CHEMISTRY portfolio is converted into real market traction. By bridging innovation with customer needs this role is focused on accelerating adoption across plastics, packaging and specialty chemicals, embedding bio-based alternatives into mainstream applications.

Together these roles represent a deliberate strategy: combining world-class science with leadership strength to industrialise, commercialise and globalise GFBiochemicals’ sustainable chemistry solutions.

Looking Ahead: Growth and Visibility

GFBiochemicals strengthened leadership team arrives at a pivotal time for the industry. Global demand for safer bio-based materials is rising with customers increasingly requiring sustainable alternatives that deliver on both performance and regulatory compliance.

Building the Future of Sustainable Chemistry

GFBiochemicals’ collaboration with Listgrove shows how targeted recruitment can accelerate industry transformation. By committing to a detailed and sustained search effort Listgrove demonstrated the persistence and sector knowledge required to deliver against some of the most challenging multi-discipline appointments in the market.

For Listgrove the partnership reinforces its role as a trusted recruitment advisor to global businesses driving innovation, sustainability and growth.

If your business is seeking to strengthen its talent capability in plastics, packaging or sustainable chemistry, contact Listgrove. Our specialist knowledge and proven international search expertise ensure you find the people who can deliver growth and resilience.

Ryan Kirby - Global Sales Director: ryan.kirby@listgrove.com