Amsterdam, the Netherlands – May 29, 2015: Avantium announced the appointment of Gabrielle Reijnen to its Supervisory Board. Ms. Reijnen is Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal in Amsterdam.
She has over 20 years of experience in corporate and investment banking with an extensive background in corporate finance / M&A advisory, debt and equity capital markets, capital structuring, financing and risk management situations for clients in a variety of industries. Prior to joining Alvarez & Marsal, Ms. Reijnen was Head of Corporate Coverage and a member of the management team with Royal Bank of Scotland in the Netherlands. Before that, she spent thirteen years at ABN AMRO in various roles in corporate finance, M&A and equity capital markets. Ms. Reijnen holds a masters degree in business economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and also graduated from Harvard Business School (AMP 182).
Gabrielle Reijnen said on her appointment:”I am delighted to join Avantium, whose YXY technology offers exciting opportunities in the creation of 100% bio-based plastics and chemicals such as a new PEF bottle. I look forward to working with the Management and the rest of the Supervisory Board to contribute to the ongoing process of partnering and commercializing this innovative technology platform.”
“We are very proud that Gabrielle Reijnen has been appointed by our shareholders to our Supervisory Board”, says Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium. “Gabrielle brings a wealth of experience in financing and insight in capital markets that will be of great value to us. As we are in the process of commercializing our YXY technology and securing the financing to build the first FDCA and PEF plants, we look forward to her contribution to Avantium, its business and financial strategy.”
About Avantium
Avantium is a leading technology company specialized in the area of advanced catalytic research, with groundbreaking innovations as the primary goal. Avantium has two business units: Catalysis and YXY. At business unit Catalysis, it is the mission to make customers successful by providing smart and fast solutions, based on Avantium’s unique technology, knowledge and expertise. Over the last 15 years Avantium (co)invented multiple new catalysts, new chemical processes and realized significant cost savings allowing our customers to achieve their business objectives much faster than previously possible.
Based on this expertise Avantium developed a novel process for the creation of commercial PEF. YXY is the brand name for this cost competitive technology platform to catalytically convert plant based materials into biobased chemicals and bioplastics like PEF. PEF is a novel 100% biobased polyester with enhanced barrier, thermal and mechanical properties over existing packaging materials. Together with partners The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, ALPLA and Swire Pacific, Avantium aims to make PEF bottles a commercial success. Our proprietary YXY process to make PEF has been proven at pilot plant scale as we are now moving to commercial deployment. Avantium’s headquarters are based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Avantium is running an YXY pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands.
