Introducing Geert Olbrechts, CTO and Umicore EVP Recycling.
Some people discover science in a classroom but for Geert Olbrechts, it started much earlier. "My father was a chemist, which certainly influenced me,” Geert says. “But more than anything, I was fascinated by how things worked. At home, there was always something being built, repaired or experimented with."
That curiosity eventually led him to obtain his PhD in chemistry and, more than 25 years ago, to join Umicore. Starting as a researcher he then moved through roles in industrial operations, innovation management, business leadership and R&D. Today, as Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President Recycling, he combines the responsibility for one of Umicore's foundation businesses with a company-wide view on technology and innovation.
As CTO, Geert believes innovation delivers most impact when guided by a clear strategic direction, which sharpens innovation efforts around areas where the company can build on its strengths, including recycling, advanced materials and technologies that support the transition to a low-carbon economy.
At the heart of the energy transition
For Geert, Umicore's role in society is closely linked to one of the defining challenges of our time. “The energy transition is fundamentally a materials transition,” he says. "To replace fossil fuels, the world needs batteries, fuel cells, wind turbines, solar panels and many other technologies. All of them rely on non-ferrous metals and advanced materials.”
At the same time, those resources are limited and increasingly strategic. This creates significant opportunities but also a responsibility to use and secure those resources wisely. That's where Umicore plays an important role.
Through its materials technologies and recycling activities, we help keep critical metals in circulation and support a more resource-efficient economy. That’s why our circular business model is more relevant than ever.
Building on decades of expertise
That mission is clearly visible in Umicore's recycling activities. Umicore’s Precious Metals Refining activity in Hoboken, Belgium, demonstrates how innovation, metallurgy and operational excellence work hand in hand. Built on decades of expertise, the site continuously evolves to recover valuable materials from increasingly complex input streams.
“Our integrated process can treat more than 200 complex material streams and recover 17 valuable metals within a single system. Its flexibility allows teams to maximize value recovery while adapting to changing customer and market needs,” explains Geert. “Continuous improvement of our processes is essential to our recycling solutions.”
This business is also closely connected to his own career. One of his proudest achievements was the development of the Precious Metals Concentration plant in Hoboken. It gave him the rare opportunity to follow an innovation journey from the first concept all the way to industrial implementation. "What makes me proud is not one invention. It's how we combined technologies, expertise and decades of experience into one integrated solution. It showed what can happen when talented people work towards a common goal."
Innovation through courage and collaboration
Having worked across research, operations, business leadership and technology, Geert has seen firsthand that innovation is rarely the work of one team or one discipline and that progress rarely follows a straight line. "In research and innovation, you're often trying to achieve something that has never been done before. You don't know exactly how the journey will unfold or whether every idea will succeed. It requires people who are willing to experiment, challenge established thinking and persevere when outcomes are uncertain.”
For Geert, the real challenge is not only generating ideas but turning them into industrial reality.
"The most valuable innovations happen when expertise from different disciplines come together. Research, engineering, operations and business teams all have a role to play. That's how ideas become solutions that create value for customers and for Umicore."
When you choose courage over comfort, you see opportunities where others see risks. That's where innovation starts.
Adapting to a changing world
After more than two decades at Umicore, Geert believes the company is entering another important phase in its evolution. "We are adapting to evolving markets, geopolitical shifts and changing global realities," he says. "That creates challenges, but also opportunities." One phrase captures his outlook: "To protect what we have built, we have to keep adapting to a changing world. Standing still is often the biggest risk. The companies that thrive are those that adapt."
Adaptation does not mean losing sight of what makes Umicore unique. On the contrary. The company's deep expertise in metallurgy, chemistry and materials science, combined with the commitment of its people, provides a strong foundation for the future. Through Umicore’s CORE 2028 strategy, Umicore is focusing its resources on areas where it can create the greatest value and build on long-standing strengths. That focus provides the clarity needed to adapt to a rapidly changing world while continuing to innovate.
Adaptation is ultimately driven by people. What has always impressed Geert is the mindset of Umicore's teams. "They embrace complex challenges, continuously look for ways to improve and want to contribute to something bigger than themselves.”
The combination of Umicore's unique closed-loop business model, a clear focus through its strategy and the expertise, curiosity and determination of its people gives Geert confidence about what lies ahead. "We have strengths that have been built over generations. There is still enormous potential in what we do. Unlocking that potential is what makes this such an exciting time for Umicore," Geert concludes.
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