On the road, from F1 tracks to the suburbs, cars
are powder-coated by AkzoNobel, while on the water,
when not adding the colourful sparkle to yachts,
the company is applying revolutionary antifouling
technology to their hulls. “Fouling growing on the
hull causes boats to lose speed and fuel,” he explains.
Paint is largely taken for granted; we see it,
appreciate it, but don’t spend a lot of time thinking
about it. AkzoNobel is built on nearly 50 brands,
household names including Dulux, Sikkens,
International, Nautical and Polyfilla, having evolved
from a long history of mergers and divestments.
It’s headquartered in Amsterdam, not far from where
AkzoNobel rejuvenated the Rijksmuseum, and was
founded in 1792 as a paint factory further north in
Groningen, by Wiert Sikkens. “We come from a lot
of different heritages; even I’m a dinosaur by now
with the company,” Oscar laughs. “But it’s a fantastic
product and I’ve had the good fortune to be able to
move around within the company, exploring different
businesses and disciplines, so it’s always exciting to me.”
Oscar moved to Singapore with his wife and
two children five years ago, having served in multiple
senior roles in AkzoNobel offices in Spain, Sweden and
Amsterdam, and collecting numerous qualifications
in business, management and accounting along the
way to add to his degree in industrial engineering.
“My wife was also an industrial engineer, but
more inclined to enter into consultancy, whereas
I always wanted to work for a company where
I could touch the product, identify with something
tangible, go into the factory,” he explains. “I did my
internship with AkzoNobel and got a job with them
after finishing my national service. I looked forward
to being able to stretch my wings, get to know
different cultures, travel the world and deal with all
the many interesting challenges and new technologies
the industry provided. It was the perfect fit for me.”
Reflecting over his years at AkzoNobel, Oscar
says it was also the company’s culture which attracted
him to the business, an incentive which has kept him
there since. “It was inclusive – your opinion mattered,
even when I was an intern,” he remembers. “We
still have those core values. People take pride in the
product, making sure a lot is invested in research and
development, so we can give a quality solution to
customers who want a different paint, a different
colour or different properties. We take that to heart.”