A Key Body for Strategy and Governance

The Supervisory Board serves as the central oversight and governance body of CTC gGmbH. It supports the strategic development of the research center, advises and supervises the management team, and addresses all major matters relating to research policy, personnel, infrastructure, and finance. To ensure a broad range of perspectives and expertise, the board brings together distinguished representatives from academia, government, and industry. In doing so, it lays the foundation for the CTC’s stable and sustainable long-term development.

The Supervisory Board is chaired by Prof. Dr. Veronika von Messling, Director-General at the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space: “With this inaugural meeting, we are establishing an important framework for the continued development of the CTC. The Supervisory Board brings together perspectives from the federal and state governments, academia, and industry, thereby creating the conditions for the research center’s focused and sustainable growth.”

Scientific Mission and Regional Impact

The CTC’s mission is to fundamentally transform the chemical industry toward a sustainable circular economy. At the same time, the center serves as an important driver of structural transformation in Central Germany’s former lignite mining region and will help shape the future of this historically significant chemical industry hub.

The Free State of Saxony is represented on the board by Prof. Dr. Heike Graßmann, State Secretary for Science, and Sebastian Hecht, State Secretary for Finance.Prof. Graßmann commented: “The CTC is a research center that will shape the entire Central German region, both in terms of scientific excellence and economic development. This is structural transformation at its very best. The Supervisory Board will help ensure that the center continues to develop strategically and to the highest standards of quality.”

Representing the State of Saxony-Anhalt are Thomas Wünsch, State Secretary at the Ministry for Science, Energy, Climate Protection and the Environment, and Rüdiger Malter, State Secretary for Finance. Thomas Wünsch stated: “Holding the first Supervisory Board meeting in Merseburg underscores the importance of this location for the CTC. Here, scientific excellence, education, and industrial heritage come together to create a strong vision for the future of the region and far beyond.”

Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Peter Seeberger, Scientific Director of the CTC, added: “With the Supervisory Board, we are gaining a distinguished body that will provide strategic guidance for our scientific mission. Through the CTC, we aim to break new ground in chemistry by combining excellent research with a clear focus on practical applications and societal impact.”

Christian Harringa, Administrative Director of the CTC, emphasized: “The establishment of the Supervisory Board is an important step in the institutional development of the CTC and creates reliable governance and decision-making structures.”

Rethinking Chemistry: The Center for the Transformation of Chemistry (CTC) is Germany’s first large-scale research center dedicated to advancing a circular economy in the chemical industry. Its mission is to drive the transformation of the chemical sector toward a more sustainable future. Founded in 2025 as a non-profit limited liability company (gGmbH), the CTC is expected to grow to up to 1,000 employees by 2038. Together, its team will pursue two visionary moonshots for the future of chemistry: the fully recyclable car and the autonomous laboratory. With permanent locations in Delitzsch (Saxony) and Merseburg (Saxony-Anhalt), the CTC will play a key role in advancing structural transformation and innovation across Central Germany. The CTC is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, the Free State of Saxony, and the State of Saxony-Anhalt.