Personality In those days they were controlling small company (at that time) called Novamont. I was deeply fascinated about what they do and their tremendous enthusiasm, Catia Bastioli is a very dear friend and she was an inspiration. I successfully organized the buyout, went back to the US with some rights in my hands and started to develop bioplastics in America. Quite quickly we came to the point that we had to create an organization, this is how the BPI was formed. bM: What do you consider more important: ‘biobased’ or ‘biodegradable’? Frederic Scheer FS: I think biobased is more important. Compostability and biodegradability are alright as long as you have a composting infrastructure and, of course, where it is useful. I personally believe that in the United States, in 2030 all organic waste will composted - but what are we going to do in the meantime? So particularly with regard to durable applications, you don’t want them to be biodegradable but you want them to be biobased. bM: What was your biggest achievement (in terms of bioplastics) so far? FS: On top of all, it is of course the creation of Cereplast, which is now a NASDAQ company. For another, I have to mention the constitution of the BPI, the Biodegradable Products Institute. bM: What are your biggest challenges for the future? bM: Dear Mr. Scheer, when and where were you born? FS: I was born in Paris in 1954. bM: Where do you live today and since when? FS: I grew up in France and went to university in France, too. Today, I live in Hermosa Beach in the vicinity of Los Angeles, USA where I came to in 1985 and settled down there with my family in 1987. bM: What is your education? FS: I passed two Doctorates in law (international and private) and I am MBA of Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP Paris) which is a very famous and well recognized university in France. bM: What is your professional function today? FS: After I was active as university professor approximately for seven years, I became an investment banker working all over Europe. Through this route by being active in investment banking, I ‘came to’ Cereplast and this was - as founder - and is - as CEO - my professional function today. bM: How did you ‘come to’ bioplastics? FS: During my investment banker’s time, we were entrusted with the restructuring of a large Italian group: Montedison. FS: The growth resulting from these progresses, the capability of being able to manage this successful and advanced growth of a company - or an organization - is a very important challenge to me. bM: What is your family status? FS: I have been married twice and I have six children, four from my first marriage and two whom my widowed wife brought with her. And I have four grandchildren soon to be five. bM: What is your favourite movie? FS: I love Pirates of the Caribbean, very funny to see. bM: What is your favourite book? FS: Written by Michel Foucault, it is Histoire de la folie à l’âge classique ( History of madness during classic age). bM: What is your favourite (or your next) vacation location? FS: My favourite vacation activity is sailing in the Pacific Ocean. bM: What do you eat for breakfast on a Sunday? FS: Absolutely traditionally french: Croissant and Café. bM: What is your ‘slogan’? FS: Let’s go forward and do better! bM: Thank you, Mr. Scheer! 58 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/10] Vol. 5
Event Calendar Event Calendar Feb. 01-03, 2011 Bioplastics - Reshaping an Industry Cesar‘s Palace, Las Vegas; USA www.reshapinganindustry.com March 22 – 24, 2011 World Biofuels Markets Rotterdam, The Netherlands www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com Feb. 9.-11, 2011 Chancen und Perspektiven biobasierter Werkstoffe Ostbayerisches Technologie-Trasfer-Institut (OTTI) Regensburg, Germany www.otti.de Feb. 10, 2011 Seminar - Biopolymere und ihre Anwendungen Hochschule für Technik Rapperswil, Switzerland www.hsr.ch Feb. 16-17, 2011 Nachhaltige Verpackung, Grüne Logistik, Biokunststoffe deuschsprachiges Seminar BUTTING-Akademie, Burg Knesebeck, Germany www.wertstoffberatung.de March 15-16, 2011 4 th International Congress on Bio-based Plastics and Composites & Industrial Biotechnology Cologne, Germany www.biowerkstoffkongress.de March 22–23, 2011 Bio-based Chemicals Rotterdam, The Netherlands www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com/biochem March 29–30, 2011 Bioplastics Compounding and Processing 2011 International industry conference on the profitable use of bioplastics The Hilton Miami Downtown, Miami, Florida, USA www2.amiplastics.com April 12 - 13, 2011 4. BioKunststoffe 2011 Hannover, Germany www.hanser-tagungen.de March 29-30, 2011 Bioplastics Compounding and Processing 2011 International conference on the profitable use of bioplastics Hilton Downtown Miami, Miami, Florida www2.amiplastics.com May 1-5, 2011 ANTEC ® 2011 Sponsor: Society of Plastics Engineers Boston Marriott Copley Place and Hynes Convention Center Boston, MA USA www.antec.ws May 12-18, 2011 interpack 2011 Düsseldorf, Germany interpack.com June 1-2, 2011 STOP Ocean Plastics 1st Global Conference Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Los Angeles, California, USA http://live.stopoceanplastics.org Oct. 17-19, 2011 GPEC 2011 (SPE‘s Global Plastics Environmental Conference) The Atlanta Peachtree Westin Hotel, Atlanta, GA, USA www.4spe.org You can meet us! Please contact us in advance by e-mail. Editorial Planner 2011 Month Publ.-Date Edit/Ad/Deadl. Editorial Focus (1) Editorial Focus (2) Basics Fair Specials Jan/Feb 14.02.2011 21.01.2011 Automotive Foams Lignin Mar/Apr 04.04.2011 11.03.2011 Rigid Packaging / Trays Catering Products Bioplastics in Packaging interpack Preview interpack May/Jun 06.06.2011 13.05.2011 Beauty & Healthcare Thermoset PHA (update) Preview Jul/Aug 01.08.2011 08.07.2011 Bottles / Blow Moulding End-of-Life Options Stretch Blow Moulding Sep/Oct 04.10.2011 09.09.2011 Fibers / Textiles / Nonwovens Paper Coating Algae Nov/Dec 05.12.2011 11.11.2011 Films / Flexibles / Bags Consumer Electronics Film-Blowing bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/10] Vol. 5 59
