Chief Executive Officer
This is your opportunity to lead the commercialisation of a breakthrough plastic-waste solution to global scale.
- Establish the pathway to global commercial scale - and potentially, to an IPO
- Bring your experience in capital raising, partnerships and international growth
- Validated technology addressing plastic waste and the reliance on UFH adhesives
This is your opportunity to take breakthrough technology through commercialisation and build one of the most successful waste-plastics solutions on planet earth.
NILO has the potential to create a valuable new use for one of the world’s hardest-to-recycle waste NILO has the potential to create a valuable new use for one of the world’s hardest-to-recycle waste streams – low-grade plastic waste. At full global market penetration, its technology could create demand for approximately 20 million tonnes of waste plastic every year – potentially making it the world’s largest solution to waste plastic.
And the commercial opportunity is immense. NILO turns this waste plastic into an industrial adhesive for a ~US$17 billion global market. The wood-panel industry consumes around 20 million tonnes of adhesive every year, approximately 90% of which is formaldehyde-based. NILO offers a materially lower-carbon, formaldehyde-free alternative at cost parity.
It’s the combination that makes NILO so compelling and why it has caught the attention of major global industry players. NILO is solving a huge waste problem with a product that addresses an equally significant global industrial need.
Right now, the core technology has been validated at trial scale, critical patents have been granted, and trials have been completed with major industry participants across multiple international markets. Larger-scale production trials are now underway towards commercial readiness. Beyond this, the potential for NILO extends beyond wood-panel adhesives to applications across other large industrial markets.
With much of the value still ahead, this is your opportunity to lead NILO through its next chapter as CEO.
The role
The NILO CEO role is about establishing the pathway to commercial scale, securing the capital to support growth, building NILO’s global profile and influence, and leading and growing the team.
Working closely with the Board, CTO and leadership team, your priorities will be:
This is a commercially focussed role, yet it requires close collaboration with the technical specialists. Success will come from understanding complex technology, making good decisions, negotiating sophisticated partnerships and converting technical progress into commercial outcomes.
About you
You will be a proven senior executive who has helped take complex technology from development through validation and towards commercial scale.
You understand that deep-tech commercialisation is rarely linear. You have navigated technical uncertainty, lengthy corporate decision-making, capital constraints and commercial setbacks - and developed the resilience and judgement that come from that experience.
Your background include elements of:
You will have a knack for synthesising a lot of information, identify what matters most and turn it into a clear course of action. You are commercially astute without being overly sales-driven, confident without ego, and willing to challenge while maintaining the trust of technical specialists, the team and Board.
You will bring energy, resilience, curiosity and a genuine willingness to get into the work. You know when to keep the choices open, when to push for a decision and when to say no to an opportunity that would distract the business from its core pathway.
Why this opportunity?
Few CEO roles offer the chance to join a deep-tech company at such a defining point in its journey. NILO has come through the early stages with proven technical progress, supportive shareholders, experienced governance and genuine interest from significant commercial partners.
The foundation is in place, but the pathway is not predetermined. You will have the opportunity to shape the commercial strategy, influence critical technology and market decisions, build the partnerships and team required for scale, and lead future capital raises.
Most importantly, you will be taking technology with the potential to materially change how the world values and uses waste plastic - and turn it into a commercially successful global business.
For a confidential discussion, call Fleur Clough on 021915540 or email fleur@sproutpeople.co
NILO has the potential to create a valuable new use for one of the world’s hardest-to-recycle waste NILO has the potential to create a valuable new use for one of the world’s hardest-to-recycle waste streams – low-grade plastic waste. At full global market penetration, its technology could create demand for approximately 20 million tonnes of waste plastic every year – potentially making it the world’s largest solution to waste plastic.
And the commercial opportunity is immense. NILO turns this waste plastic into an industrial adhesive for a ~US$17 billion global market. The wood-panel industry consumes around 20 million tonnes of adhesive every year, approximately 90% of which is formaldehyde-based. NILO offers a materially lower-carbon, formaldehyde-free alternative at cost parity.
It’s the combination that makes NILO so compelling and why it has caught the attention of major global industry players. NILO is solving a huge waste problem with a product that addresses an equally significant global industrial need.
Right now, the core technology has been validated at trial scale, critical patents have been granted, and trials have been completed with major industry participants across multiple international markets. Larger-scale production trials are now underway towards commercial readiness. Beyond this, the potential for NILO extends beyond wood-panel adhesives to applications across other large industrial markets.
With much of the value still ahead, this is your opportunity to lead NILO through its next chapter as CEO.
The role
The NILO CEO role is about establishing the pathway to commercial scale, securing the capital to support growth, building NILO’s global profile and influence, and leading and growing the team.
Working closely with the Board, CTO and leadership team, your priorities will be:
- Drive the capital raising efforts required for scale. With plants to be built and additional trials and partnerships to secure, you will look ahead to the Series B or pre-IPO capital raise, building a compelling investment narrative and maintaining confidence with existing and prospective investors.
- Support the execution of the final technical hurdles. You will keep the technical team focused on the highest-value priorities, ensuring R&D moves at pace and is aligned to the commercial pathway.
- Build and execute the pathway to market. You will build the blueprint for global scale. You will turn market insight and partner interest into a focused commercialisation strategy, prioritising the highest-value opportunities and converting trials and MOUs into binding agreements, revenue and long-term commercial partnerships.
- Build NILO’s brand, awareness and policy influence. You will position NILO as a recognised and trusted voice in sustainable materials, building credibility across industry, government and global markets to accelerate adoption, attract capital and create the right environment for growth.
This is a commercially focussed role, yet it requires close collaboration with the technical specialists. Success will come from understanding complex technology, making good decisions, negotiating sophisticated partnerships and converting technical progress into commercial outcomes.
About you
You will be a proven senior executive who has helped take complex technology from development through validation and towards commercial scale.
You understand that deep-tech commercialisation is rarely linear. You have navigated technical uncertainty, lengthy corporate decision-making, capital constraints and commercial setbacks - and developed the resilience and judgement that come from that experience.
Your background include elements of:
- Senior executive or CEO-level experience within deep tech, cleantech, industrial technology or another technically complex business.
- Demonstrated experience scaling a business from R&D towards commercialisation, market adoption and revenue.
- A successful track record in raising external capital and communicating credibly with sophisticated investors.
- Experience developing commercial pathways for emerging technology, including strategic partnerships, licensing, joint ventures, supply agreements or offtakes.
- Strong commercial negotiation skills and experience working with large corporate organisations.
- The ability to understand complex science and technology and translate it into clear business strategy, investor narratives and commercial priorities.
- Strong financial and operational judgement, with the discipline to connect resources and activity to agreed milestones.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication, including concise Board reporting and compelling investor presentations.
- Experience building and leading capable, accountable teams.
You will have a knack for synthesising a lot of information, identify what matters most and turn it into a clear course of action. You are commercially astute without being overly sales-driven, confident without ego, and willing to challenge while maintaining the trust of technical specialists, the team and Board.
You will bring energy, resilience, curiosity and a genuine willingness to get into the work. You know when to keep the choices open, when to push for a decision and when to say no to an opportunity that would distract the business from its core pathway.
Why this opportunity?
Few CEO roles offer the chance to join a deep-tech company at such a defining point in its journey. NILO has come through the early stages with proven technical progress, supportive shareholders, experienced governance and genuine interest from significant commercial partners.
The foundation is in place, but the pathway is not predetermined. You will have the opportunity to shape the commercial strategy, influence critical technology and market decisions, build the partnerships and team required for scale, and lead future capital raises.
Most importantly, you will be taking technology with the potential to materially change how the world values and uses waste plastic - and turn it into a commercially successful global business.
For a confidential discussion, call Fleur Clough on 021915540 or email fleur@sproutpeople.co