Sven Harmsen left his position as investment director at M Ventures, the corporate venturing vehicle for Germany-based pharmaceutical firm Merck Group formerly known as Merck Ventures, last month.
Harmsen joined Merck in 2016 to help set up and lead M Ventures. He oversaw the unit’s performance materials portfolio, including metallisation technology provider Aveni, reflective display technology producer Clearink and sensor technology developer Peratech.
Nova, France-based glass maker Saint-Gobain’s strategic investment arm, has hired Harmsen as director of external ventures, and the role will entail him partnering and financing emerging companies on behalf of the corporate.
Harmsen told Global Corporate Venturing: “I am excited to join one of the world’s most innovative companies that is driving cutting-edge solutions to the manufacturing and construction industry.
“The breadth of markets Saint-Gobain is covering is quite phenomenal and besides construction, Saint-Gobain actively sells products into industries as diverse as automotive, health or defence.
“In my role with Nova, we need to find the right balance between investing in pioneering startups and partnering with promising technology developers to prepare Saint-Gobain for the next wave of innovative products improving everyone’s well-being.”
Photo courtesy of Sven Harmsen.
