Executive Interview Series

In this episode, Knowde CEO & Co-founder Ali Amin-Javaheri sits down with industry veteran Frank Bergonzi to discuss the future of chemical distribution, digital transformation and the growing role of AI in the industry.

With more than 40 years of experience across companies including Dow, Shell, BASF, Azelis and Univar Solutions, Frank shares his perspective on today’s prolonged market downturn, the impact of tariffs and global supply chain shifts and why 2026 could mark the beginning of a recovery.

Deb Fronczak, former Chief Procurement Officer at 3M, joins Ali to share a practical, inside view of what it really takes to drive digital and AI transformation in complex chemical organizations. Across more than 30 years at 3M, Deb held senior roles in manufacturing operations, engineering and technology — experience that put her at the center of major enterprise-wide initiatives, from ERP changes to early digital and AI adoption. She now brings that perspective to multiple boards across the chemicals, manufacturing, and coatings sectors.

Deb joins us to discuss:

• What separates digital and AI projects that scale from those that stall in “pilot mode”

• Why successful transformation depends on aligned leadership, clear strategy, and embedded technical expertise

• How CEOs can balance near-term ROI pressures with long-term capability building

• Where digital and AI can deliver meaningful impact today — across customer interaction, workflow automation, R&D, and technical service

Florian Budde, former Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, joins Ali to break down the forces shaping the industry today. Over nearly 30 years at McKinsey, Florian helped build and lead the firm’s global chemicals and agriculture practice and guided companies through major strategic, operational, and market disruptions. Few people have had a closer or more comprehensive view of how the industry works — and where it’s heading. 

Florian joins us to discuss:

• The structural shifts that have shaped the chemical industry over the past 40 years

• How China’s move from demand driver to surplus exporter impated today’s downturn

• Why Europe is under the most pressure, and what it means for consolidation and closures

• Why digital adoption has lagged historically, and AI is accelerating now

• The use cases where AI can deliver meaningful value fastest

Miguel Mantas, former CEO of allnex, joins Ali to reflect on nearly 40 years in the chemical industry — and what the next decade of transformation will require. Having led businesses across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, Miguel brings a rare, firsthand perspective shaped by global roles, major industry shifts, and complex market cycles. Now serving on multiple boards and advising chemical companies around the world, he offers a clear-eyed view of where we’ve been, and what’s ahead.

Miguel joins us to discuss:

• The structural shifts that reshaped the chemical industry over the last 40 years,  and the ones that matter most now

• The state of the industry in Europe: what’s driving it and how the next 3–5 years may unfold

• How China’s rise and private equity’s emergence rewrote global industry dynamics

• Why digital transformation and AI will be the most defining change of the next decade

Chris Jahn, President and CEO of the American Chemistry Council, joins Ali for a conversation about the future of innovation — and why it all starts with chemistry. From the materials powering semiconductors to the breakthroughs making AI possible, chemistry drives progress across every industry. Under Chris’s leadership, ACC is championing the companies and policies that ensure the U.S. stays at the forefront of this transformation.

Chris joins us to discuss the intersection of chemistry, AI and innovation:

• The essential role of chemistry in enabling today’s most advanced technologies

• How policy and regulation impact U.S. leadership in the global chemical manufacturing and AI ecosystem 

• The role of EPA, Congress, and the administration in enabling faster innovation through smart regulation

• Examples of how ACC members are piloting AI for safety, preventative maintenance, R&D, and knowledge transfer

• Why industry-wide adoption of AI could be as transformative as the internet, and how ACC is preparing internally

Actylis Chief Strategy Officer, Lauren Seufert, joins Ali to discuss the human side of guiding an organization through a digital transformation, including creating a culture of innovation, importance of leadership, change champions and change agents, and listening to what people are communicating up.

She joins Knowde to talk about the human side of strategic transformations such as digitization projects:

• Creating a culture of innovation throughout the organization to support change

• The importance of communication in both directions, especially listening to what teams are telling management

• Identifying change champions and change agents to support internal communication

• The importance of a change-averse industry embracing digital change

• +More

Amy Callahan leads the Natural Resources and Chemicals practice at Accenture in the Americas. She joins Knowde CEO Ali Amin-Javaheri to discuss the cyclical chemicals market, what data and AI can do to address business costs and revenue, investing in technology as a transformation lever, and more.

She joins Knowde to talk about the chemicals industry and the connection point between technology, data and operations:

• The importance of investing in data platforms to find true growth opportunities

• Automation and AI in manufacturing and maintenance

• The criticality of data to best utilize technology

• Companies and CEOs taking the lead on digital for the long term

• Executives talking about digital transformation to shareholders

• +More

Sean Tilley, Co-CEO and CCO of Tilley Distribution, has experience transforming his company for the digital age. He joins Knowde CEO Ali Amin-Javaheri to talk about changes in the distribution space, revamping Tilley’s customer experience and guidance for companies going through a digital transformation. 

He joins Knowde to discuss digital data in the chemicals and ingredients industry, including:

• Distribution today versus five years ago

• The importance of properly structured master data to provide modern customer experiences

• Integrating digitally with both customers and producers for better information flow

• + More

Jason McLinn, senior partner at Bain & Company, has extensive experience consulting with chemical and ingredient companies. He joins Knowde CEO Ali Amin-Javaheri to discuss how chemical companies are modernizing their customer experiences, preparing support for sales personnel and the importance of finding specific applications for AI.

Key digital insights include:

• Evolving B2B expectations

• How you can get every sales rep to perform at the same level as your best reps

• Bringing structure to currently chaotic product information

• Enabling the customer to self-serve documents and information online

• Using an LLM to find new applications or customers for products

• +More

Jilles Eissen is leading the global digital transformation of coating resins and additive manufacturer allnex as the company’s CIO. He joins Knowde CEO Ali Amin-Javaheri to discuss where and why allnex is introducing AI, the importance of finding and supporting internal change agents to help with digitization and how he finds food metaphors to explain the importance of digital transformation.