Purpose of the position:
The Head of New Business Development AP will lead venture building and incubation for the assigned Business Hub by defining and aligning at Executive level the strategic framework and by driving new business models, applications, markets, technologies and C-level partnership / joint development agreements that generate exponential, profitable and sustainable revenue streams.
Key Responsibilities:
- Defines and owns the strategic framework for venture building and incubation in the assigned tesa Business Hub, scanning emerging technologies, markets and business models and translating them into prioritized opportunity areas and portfolio direction for a venture portfolio with planned revenue potential of >100 m€ and an annual innovation / venture investment budget of up to 50 m€.
- Steers the end-to-end venture lifecycle using the tesa venture development process and takes clear go / hold / stop decisions based on strategic fit, feasibility, risk-return and value creation potential.
- Leads and scales business development and venture teams (up to 50 people) across regions/functions, setting strategic direction, governance and resource allocation to ensure disciplined execution across discovery, validation, incubation and scaling phases.
- Drives Executive-level stakeholder engagement (Venture Board) , securing investments and critical resources, and steering Executive decision-making on new business domains and growth platforms.
- Ensures cross-functional alignment and operational readiness by partnering with TBD, PD/TD, Operations, Marketing, Sales and corporate functions, guiding business cases, investment scenarios and commercialization plans.
- Builds and expands high-value partnerships with industry leaders, strategic customers, start-ups and innovation ecosystems, establishing frameworks for co-development, long-term collaboration and joint venture creation.
- Leads the growth of ventures in incubation by onboarding and developing entrepreneurial talent, fostering a start-up mindset and speed, and installing governance and structures for scale.
- Assumes scaling responsibility and is accountable for the P&L impact of selected ventures once market-ready, driving profitable growth until transfer to a core business unit or carve-out into a new business entity as decided by the Executive Board.
Education / Work Experience
- Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Engineering, Chemistry); additional qualifications in business, strategy or innovation (e.g., MBA, Design Thinking, Venture Building) are a plus.
- Minimum 8–10 years experience in technical, commercial or strategic roles in the chemical or related process industries, with substantial leadership responsibility in business development, innovation or venture building and a strong track record in portfolio steering and Board- / Executive-level decision preparation.
Must have:
- Deep understanding of market dynamics, emerging technologies and customer needs, translating them into strategic solutions, growth strategies and venture portfolios.
- Demonstrated leadership of senior professionals and cross-functional teams in international, matrixed environments, with 5+ years experience driving innovation pipelines and incubation initiatives.
- Strong experience in portfolio steering, investment recommendations and preparation of Board- / Executive-level decision papers for high-impact strategic and business development projects.
- Proven ability to build strategic partnerships and influence senior stakeholders across corporate and external ecosystems, ensuring disciplined execution from opportunity identification to scaling.
Ability to:
- Act as a visionary storyteller who aligns and influences Executive Management and senior stakeholders around strategic opportunities, emerging business concepts and new venture directions.
- Drive long-term growth agendas under high ambiguity, balancing clear strategic direction with disciplined operational execution and high-impact portfolio and investment decisions.
- Lead entrepreneurial, cross-functional teams with resilience, assertiveness and a proactive mindset, fostering a high-performance, start-up-oriented culture focused on speed, learning and measurable results.
Language:
- English proficient, German intermediate is a plus
