In this next installment in our Leadership Perspectives video series, Heidrick & Struggles’ Louis Besland speaks to Nicolas Sordet, the co-founder and CEO of Afyren, a French industrial start-up company in the chemicals and biotechnology sectors. Sordet shares what motivated him to found Afyren and how the company is disrupting the chemicals industry. He discusses the challenges of moving a start-up into the public sphere, particularly from the perspectives of talent management and the journey toward net zero, as well as the board’s role in guiding the organizational strategy. Finally, he shares what purposeful leadership means to him and what skills and experiences future industrial CEOs will need in order to be successful. 

About the interviewer

Louis Besland (lbesland@heidrick.com) is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ London and Paris offices and a member of the Industrial and CEO & Board of Directors practices. He leads the chemicals sector for Africa, Europe, and the United Kingdom.