August 2005 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

INTERVIEW
Questions to Anne Jonkhans,
Managing Director of PURAC Asia Pacific
10leaving
By Barry Doesburg
Can you tell us shortly about
1 yourself?
Let me introduce myself: Anne Jonkhans
- a name which keeps especially the English
speaking population speculating if I am male/
female, until I show up. This has lead more than
once in very disappointed male business partners!
I have lived in Singapore now for over 12 years,
got married and was very much getting settled in
this part of the world. That was until I was asked
to transfer and take up a position for PURAC in
the USA. Although I am looking forward to my
stay in the USA (everything is bigger) we are
rather sad to leave Asia, as it has been part of
our lives for such a long period.
What kind of company is PURAC?
2 PURAC is part of CSM, a multi-national
company engaged in bakery supplies
and food ingredients, predominantly operating in
business-to-business markets. Also operating
under the name CSM Biochemicals, PURAC is one
of four divisions next to CSM Sugar, CSM Bakery
Supplies Northern Europe (including Bakemark,
Unipro & Waldkorn) and Bakery Supplies North
America (including Caravan, Brill & American
Ingredients Company). The European Confectionery
Division has been sold earlier this year to focus
on core businesses.
PURAC is a very interesting global company.
It has proven to be innovative, propelling it over
the years into a market leader (with a market
share exceeding 50 %) into formerly considered
‘niche’ markets. Its products - natural lactic
and gluconic acid and its derivatives - are
manufactured in 6 different sites and sold to a
variety of applications e.g. pharmaceutical, food,
personal care, micro-electronic, coating and
cleaning amongst others. This makes it a very
interesting marketing job and never seems to
bore anyone. PURAC has a very open culture,
where people with a no-nonsense, “can-do” and
entrepreneurial attitude prosper very well.
You are leaving Singapore. What
3 is next?
Yes, I am leaving Singapore for Chicago.
I will be heading the sales and marketing
organization in the USA next, considered being
the biggest market within PURAC. This will be an
interesting experience and quite a challenge. Its
business environment and culture may need some
adjustments from my side. However, having been
married with an American has prepared me
somewhat. No “shock and ohh” experience I think.
Lactic acid (‘melkzuur’) is
4 present in many fermented foods
like beer, bread, cheese, yoghurt
and pickles. Many people will not be
familiar with it as an ingredient. Can you
explain us what it is all about?
It is applied, as explained earlier, in very diverse
fields and we find almost daily new application
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Vol.15 • No. 6 • July/August 2005