Dr. Christian Küchenthal

	GGL member from 2007 to 2010 Carl ROTH GmbH & Co. KG, Germany   Portrait from January 23, 2026

Christian Küchenthal received his doctorate in chemistry in 2012 and also obtained a degree as Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the international Collège des Ingénieurs. In 2012 he joined the science and technology company Merck in Darmstadt and was subsequently promoted to Director and Member of the Executive Team of a business unit. Today, he is working at Carl ROTH GmbH & Co. KG as leader of the global sales organisation.

You did your doctoral research on "Synthesis of novel cancer-specific carboxypeptidase ligands". How would you explain what this was about?

Certain molecules recognize specific cancer cells and can be used to detect or combat cancer cells at an early stage. This works like a particular key that fits only a specific lock. Without the right key, the door cannot be opened. The molecules I developed ("carboxypeptidase ligands") could be used in the diagnosis of prostate cancer cells.

Which of your skills and knowledge you aquired during your doctoral studies are you still using today?

Although I am not working anymore in research, I benefit from the learnings during my studies every day. It is mainly the analytical skillset to understand the current issue, then deriving hypothesis about it and planning how to proof that hypothesis in the most effective and efficient way. Finally, to execute that plan, but staying open for new insights which might come out of this exercise. The skill of facing setbacks and not giving up too early is also important, but as well to always lookout for others who can support with their knowledge and experience to get the challenge solved quicker.

Towards the end of your doctoral project, you also obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Could you please explain why you decided for this unusual career move (at least among our alumni) and what it changed for your later positions?

Already in my studies, it became clear that I am not only interested in science, but also economics. Therefore, I chose courses in this subject in parallel to my studies and the PhD time. I had figured out that the chemical companies would not easily offer me a position outside of R&D without a more business-oriented degree. At that time, it was still clear that a chemist with a PhD degree will have to start as a team lead in the industrial lab. The MBA offered me the chance to benefit from the combination of chemistry and economics and made it possible to directly move into a position in innovation management. Especially the “language” of talking business and the basics in finance and controlling were important to derive business plans for the new innovative research areas, I proposed to the management. The MBA was career booster as I got quickly promoted into a director position after my start in industry.

In 2012, you started working for Merck in Darmstadt. How did you find the position and what was the application process?

Over the course of my studies, I had to learn that it is important to build networks. I was very involved in the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (German Chemical Society) and in the JungesChemieForum (Younger Chemists Network), their student sub-organization - first locally in Gießen, later as national chair representative. Therefore, I met many top managers of the chemical industry, including my first supervisor at Merck. When I approached him looking for a project as part of my MBA studies, I convinced him to do this project at Merck. So, I could directly prove what I am capable of in addition to the very good grades. In the end, I got the employment contract - despite difficult hiring times. Thus, it was not a normal application process, but all the more successful. I can only recommend to everyone, to engage privately, to expand their own network and to broaden their horizons.

After leaving Merck in 2021 it seems that you moved away from research towards sales, and also gained more responsibility as authorised signatory. How did you adapt to this new field of work?

For me it was always important to make a difference in the world through my skills, my know-how and my commitment. I looked for opportunities to get into a position that would offer me the best chances for it. The positions as business unit leader at Berthold Technologies, as well as the position as Chief Sales Officer at Carl ROTH included the responsibility for the revenue generation of the company. This offered me the freedom to shape the future, run the business, and grow our product and service portfolio so that we can better support customers  in making the world a better place.

How I adapted to the new field of work? Of course, it helped a lot to have the theoretical background of a scientist and a business economist. In previous roles, that were focused on R&D and innovation management, I also handled business‑development tasks: turning an initial idea into a development project, moving it to market, and locating the paying customers for the solution we offer. The key is to put yourself in your potential customers’ shoes, understand the challenges they face in their workflows and daily lives.

You are also active as a Business Angel Investor, i.e. you support start-ups to get their business started with advice and your own money. Could you tell us a little bit more about this, e.g. how did that start for you?

In my roles at Merck, I frequently met entrepreneurs eager to bring their business ideas to life or already successful with their own start-up. It is a fascinating world of hard, but fully committed work that seems like a roller-coaster ride with a lot ups and downs. I saw that I was able to support them with the knowledge and the network I had built up over time. Even today, I love to deep-dive into business plans and discuss perspectives when somebody seeks advice.

My first investment was based on a start-up conference in Gießen, where I met the emerging founders over coffee. We discussed their idea and its scientific foundation and I immediately saw that it was a hidden gem. After years of development and difficulty finding the right customers in Germany, we moved to the US, where it took off right away.

Not every start‑up achieves this success. Some of my other investments failed, mainly because the founders were unwilling to abandon their original concepts. For me, it’s not just the idea or scientific brilliance that matters—it's primarily the founding team and the trust I gain from them.

Your most recent career move led you to the Carl Roth GmbH, working as Chief Sales Officer and member of the management circle. Could you please describe what you do in this position?

Sure! On one hand me and my teams continuously optimize our sales organization, i.e. determine strategies and goals, establish key performance indicators to measure our progress and streamline the business processes to improve our efficiency. On the other hand, I spend a lot of time with our customers and distribution partners to better understand their markets, challenges and demands. Based on these insights we collaborate with our colleagues from product development, procurement, production, quality management and logistics in order to support these customes and partners even better.

During the last years you seem to have developed skills in the area of transformational change. Could you give us some examples of what kind of changes that might be?

Change is omnipresent! Everything around us changes constantly. For instance, the traditional supply‑chain network we had built collapsed during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The war in Ukraine instantly resurrected Cold‑War‑style competition, driving up energy costs nearly overnight. US-president Trump shocked the Western partners with high tariffs. These changes and more have impacted the German and EU economies, as well as the markets in chemistry, life sciences, and pharmaceuticals. Companies in these sectors must adapt to these changes to survive, or can even grow, if they can find new opportunities in the changes.

People usually generally resist change because we love to be in control. When we can’t control a situation, we are first shocked and fearful, then deny the change, and may become stubborn or angry. As a leader, it is important to help your team members get through these phases of change quickly and without losing your committed, high-performing team members. After these difficult phases, team members will not only accept the new situation, but also experiment with the new opportunities that the change offers them, unlocking potential successes that were previously impossible. As the leader of this organizational transformation, you must explain why change is necessary, what the future might look like, set timelines, and provide a roadmap for navigating the transitions.

Do you have some advice to our current doctoral candidates who are about to start their careers?

There are currently only a few vacancies in the traditional job descriptions for scientists (research in university and industry) in Germany. Successful applicants, should have not only very good grades, but should also stand out from the crowd by other things. For this, it is important to know your own interests. One's own horizon needs to be expanded early on and new experiences to be made. If possible, doctoral candidates should go abroad for a certain period of time, do an internship in those areas that they don’t know yet, engage in social work, push themselves to their own limits. This will then deliver not only a certain amount of self-awareness, but also makes it possible to meet new and exciting people who sooner or later point out new directions or bring you back to reality when the world is turning too quickly around you.