Board 2024 - 2026

Rolf Albach studied chemistry in Bonn and at the Technical University of Munich, where he received his doctorate in 1992 under WA Herrmann in U. Küsthardt's team. After a NATO scholarship in Orsay under J.-J. Girerd, he joined Bayer AG in 1994. After holding management positions in R&D, sales and post-merger integration, he is now developing projects in the field of circular economy, automotive interiors and flame retardants. This also includes supervising dissertations and a teaching position at the FH Aachen. Rolf Albach has a double MBA degree from the WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management (Vallendar) and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (Chicago).

Rolf Albach has been involved in environmental policy on a voluntary basis for 40 years, both with NGOs such as the Local Agenda and the SolarImpulse Foundation and in local and regional politics, for example in the Commission for Regional and Structural Issues of the Cologne District Government, the Administrative Board of the Cologne City Drainage Authority, the Operating Committee of the Cologne Waste Management Company and the Environmental Committee of the Cologne City Council.

For him, the VCW is about creating a community of people with a connection to the chemical industry, beyond chemists, the growth of business chemistry and the integration of chemistry, economics and business with regard to the transformation processes that lie ahead. The cooperation of Divisions, such as a current project between VCW and phosphorus chemistry , is important to him.

Rolf Albach is currently the spokesperson for all specialist group chairs on the GDCh Board and has taken over the revision of the mentoring concept.

Theresa Ludwig studied chemistry at the Technical University of Munich, where she received her doctorate from the Chair of macromolecular chemistry . Her master's and doctoral thesis in the field of additive manufacturing of heterogeneous catalysts was carried out in cooperation with Clariant. She started her professional career in 2019 at 3M Technical Ceramics as a Specialist Materials Research in the field of product and materials development. In 2021, she moved to Operations as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and obtained certification by leading improvement projects and coaching Green Belts. Since August 2023, she has been working at SCHOTT in the Electronic Packaging division as an Innovation and Business Development Manager.

Theresa Ludwig has been involved in the VCW editorial team since 2020, founded the VCW round table in Kempten, as well as the virtual themed regulars' table Opportunities for All. Outside of the VCW, she is also committed to ensuring that young people gain enthusiasm and orientation for STEM career fields and strives for diversity and equal opportunities in chemistry. With her involvement in the Board, she wants to promote exchange between the generations and understanding of the chemical-pharmaceutical industry among students and young professionals. In order to gain different perspectives on innovation topics, such as digitization, and to discuss their potential and challenges, she would like to promote exchange with other GDCh Divisions or associations in other STEM specialist areas.

Willis Muganda studied chemistry and received his PhD in the field of physical chemistry (chemistry and physics of biointerfaces) at the University of Siegen. During his studies, he joined the JCF (Young Chemistry Forum) in 2014 and was elected chairman of the regional forum in Siegen (JCF-Siegen) in 2015. In 2017, he decided to take on new challenges and was elected to the Federal Board of the JCF (Young Chemistry Forum). During his two-year term on the Federal Board, he was responsible for International Relations and Promotional Materials. Together with his fellow board members, he has achieved many milestones, including working closely with industry partners such as BASF, Bayer, Evonik, Merck, Altana, Sanofi and ISC3 to advance topics such as innovation, sustainability, digitalization and career development, and increasing financial support for the JCF's activities. In addition, he initiated the establishment of an Equal Opportunities Commission within the JCF, which today plays an important role in promoting equal opportunities within and outside the JCF.

From October 2018 to August 2022, he was Head of the finance team of the International Younger Chemists Network (IYCN). The IYCN has now become an interesting global network for chemists who are enthusiastic about the Sustainable Development Goals and other current topics in chemistry. He is also one of the initiators of the VCW round table in Siegen, which he has been leading together with two other members since 2019, and is planning to set up a new round table in Ludwigshafen due to his new job at BASF.

Since last year, he has been working at BASF as an expert in the search for renewable raw materials, technology scouting and accelerating the sustainability transformation in various chemical value chains. His first term on the VCW Board was a joint success with the entire VCW Board in planning various events and projects that attracted great interest in politics, science and the chemical industry. His goal for further work on the VCW Board is to intensify the dialogue between the chemical industry and the political class. In addition, the VCW space of expertise is to be opened up to all international representatives of chemistry and business by addressing topics that are of great importance for the transformation of the chemical industry not only in Germany but throughout Europe.

Julian Vogel studied business chemistry at the University of Ulm and was awarded the VCW Study Award Business Chemistry in 2019 for his academic achievements. He then completed his doctorate in organic chemistry in the field of “Systems Chemistry” at the University of Ulm with a research stay at Indiana University in the USA. At the same time, he gained practical experience as a working student in the Future Insights department at Merck KGaA. Since August 2023, he has been working as a Proposal Manager in Business Development at Rentschler Biopharma SE. More information on LinkedIn.

In 2016, J. Vogel founded the JuWiChem (Young economic chemists) Ulm local group and expanded it over the next six years as Chair with other students. For two years, he represented the interests of the young VCW members on the JuWiChem national board and was responsible for project management and, as project manager, for organizing the annual conference (JuWiChem Day). After actively participating in several VCW projects, he would like to further expand his involvement on the VCW Board . He is particularly interested in representing student and career-starting members. He wants to make the transition from study to work and, above all, the transition from JuWiChem to VCW easier for members.

Melanie Walther studied industrial chemistry with a focus on technology management and organic chemistry at the Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel. After research stays in Wales and Sweden and various internships in the chemical industry, she is doing her doctorate at the University of Bremen at the Chair of Organic Functional Materials on the functionalization of molecular switches. She is in the final stages of this and is planning to set up a start-up in the chemical industry with two colleagues.

During her studies, she was involved in various student initiatives - from the regional association WiChem Kiel - Business Chemists Kiel eV to the JCF (JungesChemieForum) JCF and the Young Business Chemists JuWiChem in various positions. After her time as Chair of the JuWiChem federal board, she remained with the VCW in the core team. She was committed to the concerns of the JuWiChems in the VCW and, for example, in the VCW editorial team, advocated broader communication with members and the resulting better networking. During her term of office from 2020 to 2023 as a VCW board member, she pursued these goals and organized various events as part of the team, such as the 2021 annual conference on the future of the pharmaceutical industry or events on the topic of circular economy. In the coming board term, she would like to continue to advance the topics of sustainability/circular economy and place a stronger focus on the role of startups in the chemical industry.