Pioneers don’t just follow the map. They draw it. That is exactly what we do at Haltermann Carless. That is exactly what our new brand identity shows: Pioneers in hydrocarbons. We want to bring this attitude to life and make it visible. That is why we conducted an interview on the topic of pioneering spirit with all six members of the Executive Board. They shed light on the topic of pioneering spirit in their respective areas of the company – authentically, approachably and inspiringly. Today with Dr Arne Hoppe, Chief Commercial Officer.
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Dr. Arne Hoppe – Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Dr Arne Hoppe has been Chief Commercial Officer since 1 February 2025 and, as a member of the Executive Board, is responsible for all sales and marketing activities. What particularly fascinates him about his role is the opportunity to shape real transformation – with a clear entrepreneurial focus. It is not just about further developing existing business models, but also about boldly breaking new ground: from establishing strategic partnerships to developing sustainable speciality products together with customers. What makes the task even more exciting for him is the working environment: as part of the ICI Group, Haltermann Carless benefits from a lean setup and short decision-making processes. For Arne Hoppe, this is the perfect environment for not only thinking up strategies, but also implementing them in practice. |
For me, pioneering spirit means identifying problems, exploring the unknown and initiating things that no one has tackled before.
The best solutions often arise where the pressure is greatest. It sounds paradoxical, but it's true. As soon as things get serious – for example, when economic pressure comes into play – everyone senses that now is the moment of truth. That motivates people.
Personally, I've always been drawn to situations where things were difficult. I've never taken on a job where everything ran smoothly. I've always liked going where the rubber meets the road – because that's where you can really make a difference.
Above all, it requires diversity. Sure, there are people who thrive when they are challenged. They enjoy setting things up. But just as important are those who structure, stabilise and consider things carefully. And that's exactly why diversity is so crucial – but not in a simplistic way. I've often seen diversity reduced to quotas. That can even be counterproductive.
What really counts is diversity of thought. Different approaches, different educational backgrounds, experiences and cultural perspectives – that's what drives innovation. I've seen teams that were formally diverse but completely identical in their thinking. That's no good. On our board, for example, we benefit from a mix of new people like me and colleagues who have been with the company for a long time.
Part of my team works on customer-focused solutions – for example, in the field of pentanes, which are propellants for insulation materials, but also in the field of racing fuels. We often co-develop tailor-made products with our customers. For me, that's pioneering spirit: we don't just offer what is expected of us, we go one step further. Often even two. We ask ourselves: can we make the product more sustainable? The answer is usually yes, we can.
The problem is rather that not all customers are willing to pay for it yet – or their customers are not. Nevertheless, we are equipped to respond. We already have a pipeline that enables us to offer almost every product in a sustainable alternative.
Another example is GTL – Gas-to-Liquid. This takes us away from oil and towards gas as a feedstock. It's not green yet, but it's greener. A feasible intermediate step. And yes, of course we need a bold vision of a climate-neutral industry. But we can only get there by taking realistic steps.
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By developing new ideas for adding value, for example. In the past, we built a plant, manufactured a product and sold it. Today, we might ask ourselves: Can we work with partners who already have the necessary capacities? I can well imagine that in the future we will also make use of existing infrastructure – for example, production facilities that have been left empty due to industrial change. Why build something new when you can use something that already exists?
I can't get this idea out of my head right now. There are many ways in which we can position ourselves better in the value chain. This is not only efficient, but also sustainable. And that's exactly what ‘Value x2’ means to me: creating more value with fewer resources.
Yes, for example our new fuel for classic and historic cars. The scene is growing, and owners are willing to pay a premium for high-quality and sustainable fuel – especially if it is good for the engine and on top sustainable. That's exactly what we offer with our Carless® Classic Fuel. We currently supply mainly classic car rallies, but our target is the end user.
The challenge is that we no longer have our own petrol stations. But we have some very good ideas about how to get into the retail market. The product is there – now it's time to work on the distribution strategy. That's also part of the pioneering spirit.
I want to encourage pioneers. I believe that good leadership recognises talent and puts it in the right position. It's also very important to create opportunities for a good work-life balance. I speak from experience. I have a six-year-old child, my wife works full-time and is in another city three days a week. During that time, I take care of our child – with everything that entails.
I think work-life balance is a key topic. Not just for the People & Culture department, but also for leaders. We are role models. And if we don't make that visible, who will?
Stay tuned: In our series of interviews, all six members of the Haltermann Carless Executive Board have their say. It becomes clear that pioneering spirit has many faces. Every perspective is different - and it is precisely this diversity in the management team that makes our pioneering spirit possible.
Do you have any questions? We look forward to hearing from you.