Thorsten Knappe, Head of R&D Styling at Henkel joins the ADF Innovation Awards jury

Tell us a bit about yourself:

I was born 53 years ago in Hamburg, have a wife, two children and a small dog. I love my family, sports, and good food and even after more than 25 years in the cosmetics industry, I am still enthusiastic and passionate when I talk about our products.

Why did you decide to join the Paris Packaging Week jury?

I love innovation, creativity, and boldness – as a jury member I hope to see surprising and inspiring ideas.

What are you most excited about the event in January 2024?

Meeting people as well as looking for inspiration for the future of our business.

What trends do you think will be highlighted in the aerosol industry in the next 12 months?

I anticipate further ideas and implementations for more sustainable products. 

The profile of your customers is constantly changing. How do you think the customer profile will evolve over time? And how important is it to assess your current client?

The profile of our customers has always changed. Trends come and go – consumer behaviour changes due to various influences. If I knew the future, that would be nice.. as this is not the case, it remains essential to communicate with consumers and develop an understanding in order to make the best possible assumptions about the evolvement.

What do you see as the key challenges for your sector?