Why the circular economy is the business opportunity of our time
How can we decouple our growth from the consumption of the Earth’s resources by shifting from a linear “take, make, waste” economy to a circular economy?
Jan Jenisch is the Chief Executive Officer of Holcim Ltd since 2017. With 70,000 employees globally and revenues of over CHF 23 billion in 2020, Jan Jenisch led the company to a new level of financial performance and growth and established Holcim as a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions. Under Jan’s leadership, Holcim committed to become a net zero company, working in partnership with the Science-Based Targets initiative, and set itself the most ambitious climate objectives in its industry.
Prior to that, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Sika AG, which develops and manufactures systems and products for the building materials and automotive sector. Under his leadership, Sika expanded into new markets and set new standards of performance in sales and profitability.
Jan Jenisch is Chief Executive Officer of Holcim. Since joining in 2017, Jan has led Holcim to a new
level of strength, with record profitability levels, revenues of over CHF 26.8 billion in 2021, 70,000
people worldwide and industry-leading ESG ratings.
Building on his track record of driving superior performance, Jan is leading Holcim’s next era of growth
to become the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions. Diversifying Holcim’s
portfolio, he is expanding the Company’s Solutions & Products Business, with milestone acquisitions
like Firestone Building Products and Malarkey Roofing Products, becoming a global leader in roofing
systems. Driving circular construction, Holcim recycled 54 million tons of materials across its business
in 2021 on its way to 100 million tons by 2030, and launched the world’s first green cement with 20%
recycled construction demolition waste inside. Putting sustainability at the core of Holcim’s strategy,
Jan drove the launch of the industry’s first global ranges of ECOPact green concrete and ECOPlanet
green cement, making low-carbon construction possible worldwide. Taking a science-driven approach
to climate action, Holcim became the first company in its sector with a full net-zero pathway endorsed
by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Prior to Holcim, Jan served as Chief Executive Officer of Sika AG, a global leader in innovative
systems and products for the building and automotive sectors. Under his leadership, Sika expanded its
reach in high value markets, setting new standards of performance in sales and profitability, becoming
a member of the Swiss Market Index, which includes the 20 largest listed Swiss companies.
In 2021, Jan was elected to the Board of Directors of Holcim, in addition to his role as CEO. He is
currently the elected President of the Global Cement and Concrete Association and is a member of the
Executive Committee of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). In
addition, he is an active member of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT) and a Board
member of the Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce (SJCC). In addition, he serves as a Non-
Executive Director of the privately held Glas Troesch Holding AG.
Born in Germany in 1966, Jan Jenisch studied in Switzerland and the US, and graduated from the
University of Fribourg, Switzerland, with a Master of Business Administration. In 2021 he received a
Dr. h.c. from the University of Fribourg for his accomplishments as CEO of two SMI companies.
How can we decouple our growth from the consumption of the Earth’s resources by shifting from a linear “take, make, waste” economy to a circular economy?
Industrial decarbonization requires cross-sector collaboration to strengthen demand for low-carbon solutions such as carbon capture, use and storage.
The construction sector's emissions account for about 40% of global GHG emissions. These industry innovations show how construction can be made circular.