A profile of Orion Wu

The market may have changed a lot since Orion Wu first joined Clariant in 2007 as a lab technician, but Orion believes Archroma is continuing to adapt effectively. He is now Head of Business Development in China, and the business he oversees has shifted its strategy profoundly in recent years.

Before the company became Archroma, Orion explains that ”our regional business development followed the global product portfolio and strategy.” But today, the focus has moved towards an emphasis on local market and customer focus: local solutions to local challenges. He cites the Lanasyn® M-CFL and Foron® Black RD-GWF dyestuff ranges, and the upgrade of the Umidol® chemical range as examples of products carefully tailored into system solutions to increase productivity or create value for local markets.

Archroma is well suited to this kind of flexibility, Orion suggests: “Archroma is more open and efficient” than a larger organization. It also has a culture that nutures “a strong sense of ownership.” He describes the company culture in six powerful words

Orion’s strategic mindset is nourished by the ancient games of chess and mahjong. Chess makes you think about what will happen next, while mahjong reminds you not to forget about your rivals. Both are important lessons in sustainable growth, which, as Orion explains, “comes through either innovation or competition.”

Competition may be crucial, but for Orion, Archroma is like a family. Working together is fundamental to its success, as the best and most original ideas stem from great teamwork. That sense of ownership at Archroma is key: it “encourages us to keep improving ourselves – and Archroma as well.”