Charlotte Gallois has been a business developer at Carbon Waters since 2018. Her background is not what you’d expect. As a chemical PhD, Charlotte feels that working with a startup allows her to take an active role in multiple projects.
How would you summarize your career path in a few words?
Charlotte Gallois: After receiving my engineering degree at Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie in Rennes, I defended a thesis on aqueous dispersions of aluminum oxide. During my doctoral studies, I had an opportunity to do research at IFP Energies Nouvelles. It was my first experience working on something other than pure academic research.
Before immersing myself in the work world, I wanted to take a step back. So I went backpacking in Asia for six months; specifically, in Chiro, Cambodia, a little village along the Mekong.
While I was there, 10,000 km from my life and my culture, I got involved with a local association. That association was operating a project to recycle plastic waste into building blocks.
This “immersive” experience, working side-by-side with the villagers in their daily lives, offered a heavy dose of ecology, economy, and innovation—the three pillars that have since been the basis of my job search.
Why Did You Decide to Join Carbon Waters?
CG: Carbon Waters is a dynamic, adaptable, proactive startup that is committed to innovative and durable projects.
Working as part of a startup team allows me to interact quickly, take part in many projects, and understand how a company works at every level. We have no work silos here. The various levels interact and the management gets involved.
What Are Your Main Missions?
CG: My main mission is to develop the projects portfolio, from assessing needs to meeting contract specifications. We currently have about 60 ongoing or upcoming projects, in areas as varied as chemistry, aeronautics, aerospace, maritime, paint formulators, and more.
I enjoy the eclectic nature of it, because each sector has its own issues, and it’s important to correctly identify their challenges and their expectations.
In addition to this double expertise in science and business, I also help to prepare multiple trade shows and events for showcasing our latest technological advances.
What Are Your Plans for 2021?
CG: The end of 2020 is looking promising. We will be participating for the first time in the Euronaval Show, October 20 to 23, at Paris Le Bourget.
Then in 2021, we will be launching our first product intended for paint formulators. It’s an anticorrosion masterbatch, with a resin and graphene base.
It’s very easy to use, and it’s compatible with traditional anticorrosion agents. This product is the first success for the Carbon Waters research unit, and we are expecting many more.