Walter Ramírez Ramirez

Connecting Companies to Technologies, Engineering, and Business Value, in Polymers, Advanced Materials and Chemicals, worldwide.

Madrid, ES

About

Walter is the co-founder of Innventik, a Technology-Market-Innovation Consulting and Engineering firm, that connects customers worldwide with solutions and Process Sustainability: (1) Business Opportunity Discovery; (2) Market/Technology Intelligence; (3) Technical Consulting (Plastics, Elastomers, Nanotechnology, applications); (4) Engineering (Basic, Detail, Process Improvements). Walter is an expert in Polymers, Elastomers, Materials Science and its applications. He trains teams around the world on how to accelerate Innovation and Commercialization based on a Technology-Market approach, based on his experience in multinational companies. He has lead complex R&D projects from basic science through to successful new products and multiple new business launch. Specialties: Identification of attractive opportunities, market segments, customer's unmet needs, and challenges, to align with R&D and New Products Design, or performance improvement. Innovation and Technology strategy for sustainable company growth.

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Work experience

  1. February 2016 – present

    Innventik S.L.

    Chief Innovation Officer, Founder
    Innventik S.L. is a Consulting and Engineering Firm, that assists customers worldwide, to accelerate Commercialization & Innovation: • Business Opportunity Discovery: Matching Markets-Applications-Customers with Solutions WW • Technology-Market Intelligence Studies: Competitive Landscape and Trends • Technical Consulting: Polymers, Elastomers, Nanotech, Bio-Materials, Applications (Coatings, Medical & Healthcare, Alimentary, Adhesives & Sealants, Plastics Mod., Tires, Lubricants, Asphalts) • Innventik Engineering Firm: Process Improvements, Basic & Detail Engineering, Construction
  2. January 2016 – present

    Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME)

    European Commission Expert Innovation & Business Development
    Expert Coach in Innovation and Business Development for the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME). Has supported companies that received funding from the European Commission under H2020 Program. Has been selected to coach innovative companies in Switzerland, UK, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Israel.
  3. March 2020 – March 2021

    Bio Air Society

    Founder / Vicepresident
    Distribution and Installation of the most advanced indoor air purification systems (Biokker) for the elimination of environmental pathogens (viruses -COVID19, bacteria, mould), odours and VOC´s. The technology used is based on an advanced and safe oxidative photocatalysis (PCO) using UV energy.
  4. January 2007 – December 2015

    Dynasol Elastomers

    Global R&D Technology Director
    • Developed technology platforms for specialty Non-hydrogenated SBCs (SBS, SIS), Hydrogenated SBCs (SEBS) and SSBR. Specialty applications focus: Adhesives, Sealants, Lubricants, Coatings, Polymer Modification, Healthcare, Asphalts, High Performance Tires. • Major role to drive a commodity mentality culture, towards global-specialty company, focusing on customer's unmet needs in high end applications, with a price per value approach. • Founded Dynasol Innovation Center (2013), reduced 30% corporate R&D costs. • Global organization transformation to boost innovation, improving market development and profitability: (a) Strategy alignment/Roadmapping; (b) Stage-gate implementation; (c) Culture change from Researchers to Business Developers; (d) Patenting (IP). • Coordination of International R&D/Technology Networks: Internal, Corporate, Outsourced (USA, France, China, Spain, Mexico). • Activated higher margin commercial new products' (NP) pipeline: Sales of NP from <1% to +20% • Global Tech. Service & Applications Development Centers (Europe, America, Asia). Established Multi-functional teams, built strong relationships with customers. Implemented a Customer Focus /Price per Value approach, repositioned products towards Specialties. • Negotiated Technology License & Service Agreements with Chinese companies to establish JV (China). Managed Transfer, Training, Commissioning, Start-up processes. • Operations Director Altamira Plant ad-interim (2010-2011): Accelerated new products scale-up. • Global Representative Total Quality: Normativity for FDA/FCH, USP Class VI and Alimentary. • I.P. Management (patents, brands, agreements) maintaining awareness, and initiating invention records, drafting patent apps. (from 5 to +250 patents).
  5. January 2004 – July 2007

    DESC-KUO Corporate

    Corporate R&D Director
    • Management overall R&D programs for existing divisions: Polymer, Chemicals, Food, Autoparts. • Transformed subsidized Corporate R&D & Eng. (CIDDESC) in a profitable operation, establishing new contracts, business practices, expanding portfolio from polymers to chemicals & automotive. • Corporate R&D & Engineering Group was distinguished as one of Latin America’s most emblematic R&D groups, with an established track record of 12x’s ROI innovations. • Established Innovante LLC (USA) to provide worldwide “Innovative, streamlined, client-focused, profitable contract research services”, specialized on combinatorial chemistry evaluation of catalysts for Polyolefins. • Incubated and launched new Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology spin-off businesses: Macro-m focused on custom designed polymer additives for Nanocomposites and high-performance polymer blends & alloys.
  6. January 2002 – December 2003

    DESC-KUO Corporate

    Strategic Planning Corporate Manager
    • Developed and implemented strategic planning, technology forecasting, project portfolio, to identify the holding’s core businesses: Recommended divestitures of Real Estate & Automotive Businesses. • Launched innovation systems & culture change (Market Driven Innovation) programs at the corporate level.
  7. January 1994 – December 2001

    DESC-KUO Corporate

    Chief Scientist Corporate R&D
    • Accelerated discovery justifying multimillion project for world class Combinatorial Chemistry Discovery Laboratory (ref. Symyx). • Increased effectiveness via R&D network collaborations with Universities and Public R&D centers. • Developed +15 new commercial products and processes for different SBUs (i.e. Latex base emulsion resins for coatings and for special paints, ABS, High Heat grades, SAN, Acrylic NBR alloys, polyphosphates) accounting +US$150 million annual revenues.

Education

  1. 1993 – 1994

    INSA Lyon - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon

    Post Doctoral Stage, Polymers Structure-Properties-Modeling
  2. 1992 – 1993

    C2P2/LCPP-CNRS (France)

    Post-Doctoral Stage, Polymers Synthesis-Structure-Property-Simulation
  3. 1984 – 1987

    Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1

    Doctorate, Polymers & Materials Science
  4. 1978 – 1982

    Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México

    BSc, Chemical Engineer