Testimonial by Arnaud

After eight years as a research engineer and then project manager at Saint-Gobain Recherche, Arnaud joins the CRDC as leader of the Thin Film Products Group.  Today he is Head of the Mineral Coatings Department.

A look back at his career path...

"I arrived at Saint-Gobain Recherche at the end of my PhD in materials science in September 2001 as a research engineer. I was dealing with different topics in the sol-gel layer field. In January 2007, I changed department to deal with a new project," recalls Arnaud.

In 2009, his project was halted. "Technically the project was a success but it had to be stopped because of a market failure.   With Catherine Langlais, Director of Saint-Gobain Recherche*, we came up with a career plan. I was interested in getting more involved in development. I had done a bit in my early days at Saint-Gobain Recherche and it was something I had enjoyed."

He then met the Director of the CRDC* as well as the Human Resources Director of Saint-Gobain Glass France. "The post was not completely defined and it was worked out in the course of the various interviews. It took four months for my career plan to be finalised," he explains.

Arnaud joins the CRDC as leader of the Thin Film Products Group. "The eight-year period spent at Saint-Gobain Recherche is a great help to me on an everyday basis in my new position. It has made me aware of all of the activities of the Saint-Gobain Group and I have acquired extensive technical expertise in the field of glass. In fact, glass as a field in itself is very rarely taught in schools," he says. Thanks to the various training he has received, he has learned how to manage a project and a team.

"After eight years, it's interesting to discover new horizons and to face other realities. Of course, the closer you get to the production plants, the more the pressure rises. But participating in the materialisation of a project is really motivating." A good choice, because today, Arnaud became Head of the Mineral Coatings Department.

* from 2000 to 2011

* Chantereine R&D Centre