Ms. van Aaken, you’ve been leading our APAC Application Development Center in Shanghai since 2021. Do you remember the AADC’s opening?

Oh yes, that was truly exciting! Everything was going smoothly and according to plan – until shortly before the official opening, we found out the entrance area needed to be rebuilt.  

There were deviations from the construction plans. For a moment, we actually thought we might have to welcome our guests without a door. But then everything happened incredibly fast – within a few hours, the entrance was ready. That kind of speed and flexibility is typical for China. 

What impresses you most about Chinese work culture? 

The openness to new ideas. People here are incredibly motivated, fast, and solution-oriented – and always friendly. The AADC is the perfect example. I don’t think an research center of this size could have been completed within a year anywhere else – and that despite extremely strict regulations! Just think about the Cologne Opera or the Elbphilharmonie in Germany… 

What exactly does your team do at the AADC? 

We develop products for various applications – for example, additives for plastics and lubricants, or materials for protective coatings. We also work on disinfectants against mold or decay. A real highlight is our bio lab, which we added in 2022. There, we work with living microorganisms – a very special feature for an innovation center like ours. 


And what’s the advantage of conducting this research directly in China? 

Clearly: we’re closer to the market – and closer to our customers. The demands of the Asian market are often different from those in Europe. So we can’t simply offer products one-to-one; they need to be tailored. That’s our core task. 
 
The second main aspect is speed and cost. In the past, samples sometimes had to be sent to Germany. Shipping was expensive, and results took time. Now everything happens here on-site – fast, efficient, and together with our partners. This often leads to entirely new ideas. When customers walk through our labs and discover something they didn’t expect, they say, “You do this too? Could we collaborate?” That’s how many synergies emerge.  

You moved to China in the middle of the pandemic. What was that like for you? 

Honestly: it was very tough. My husband and I had just bought a house. So I had to leave my new home in Germany, my husband, and my beloved Icelandic horse behind. When I arrived in Shanghai, I went straight into two weeks of quarantine – in a basic hotel room, with no contact to the outside world. No going out. Meals were left at the door. But my team really supported me – with video calls and care packages. That gave me a lot of strength. 

Fun fact: I once posted a quarantine checklist on LinkedIn. It actually went viral. You have to see the whole thing with a bit of humor. And of course, good preparation helps too. I packed a mini fridge (my biggest fear was not having cold Coke), a hotplate, tons of ready meals, and a mattress. 


And what happened next? 

Things got better quickly after quarantine. The AADC’s inauguration was a major milestone – and an early success. That’s when I realized: I’m in the right place. 

What are you especially proud of? 

From the very beginning, I wanted to create an open culture. I asked my team: 

• How do we want to communicate? 
• How do we want to work together? 
• How do we want to move forward? 
• What’s working well? What isn’t? 

Together, we developed a new way of working – across teams, dialogue-based, transparent. 

One example is our monthly “Science Meeting.” A colleague presents a current research topic – including open questions. This leads to exciting discussions and lots of new ideas. That’s innovation in action. 

How was it received that a woman is leading the research center? 

Very positively. In China, it’s completely normal for women to work in technical fields and leadership roles. That surprised me at first – but also made me happy. In my team, the gender ratio is about 50/50. That’s different from Germany, but I think it’s great. 
 

What are your hopes for the AADC’s future? 

I hope we continue to grow – together with our customers here on the ground. Because quality and innovative strength don’t only come from Europe. Especially in China, there’s a lot of research, development, and experimentation happening. I firmly believe that if we stay innovative and customer-focused, we can create outstanding solutions together.