De.mem: Reinforcement with international expertise

Interview with our latest executive: Andreas Hendrik (Harry) De Wit

Since the second quarter of 2023, the Australian company De.mem has had reinforcements. With Andreas Hendrik (Harry) De Wit, a high-ranking executive joins the company's supervisory board. De Wit has worked in various locations around the world; until 2021, he was a member of the Management Board of Fresenius Medical Care. He will now support De.mem in strategic development, sales and marketing, operations and financial performance targets. In this interview, he explains what appeals to him about his new position and about the potential and opportunities of Dem.em.

Mr. De Wit, what experience from your previous professional life can you now bring to De.mem?
I know what it takes to grow a relatively small company to a few hundred million in sales. In my previous roles, I was responsible for a large number of small business acquisitions that we built and then integrated into the larger organization. I am convinced that thanks to this experience I will be able to support the De.mem management team in many ways.

What appeals to you most about your new role?
What excites me most is the space and growth opportunity of De.mem and the fact that I can contribute to the success of De.mem. The "circular economy" and the water sector in particular is a growing industry. Clean water is a global challenge that is rightly given a lot of attention. It also feels good to contribute to a better environment.

What are the first goals and ideas that you would like to implement at De.mem in the medium term?
I look forward to working closely with CEO Andreas Kroell and the management to continue the success of De.mem. In addition to coordinating the future strategy, I believe that I can support with many contacts.

What are the first goals and ideas that you would like to implement at De.mem in the medium term?
I look forward to working closely with CEO Andreas Kroell and the management to continue the success of De.mem. In addition to coordinating the future strategy, I believe that I can support with many contacts.

Where are the starting points for further improvements?
De.mem has already built up a large regular customer base among large industrial companies and companies operating in several locations. This serves as a fantastic reference for further expansion and brings strong growth opportunities to the existing customer base.

Could De.mem also become more active in the healthcare sector in the future? And if so, where do you see the opportunities?

The healthcare sector is a huge and attractive market as regulations on wastewater and water reuse become stricter around the world. Clinics and hospitals produce large amounts of wastewater that must be treated before discharge. At present, we are not yet focusing on this segment as we successfully strengthen our base in other areas such as mining, food and flavors, leisure and hotels, and other industries. However, our technologies – especially our membranes – are well suited for many applications in the healthcare sector.

Are there any new ideas for cooperation with other companies?
De.mem is already working with a Canadian partner, a group called Purafy, through whom we plan to introduce our membrane technology to the North American domestic water treatment market. Further collaborations could relate to specific countries or regions, such as Asia, where a strong local partner is often needed to gain access to customers, or specific applications and markets, such as healthcare applications.

To what extent is De.mem's ESG focus helpful for the further development of the company?
The ESG focus is extremely important to De.mem, as we have the expertise to help many clients comply with ESG improvements. Regulatory pressures are increasing around the world, which in turn opens up new business opportunities.For investors, De.mem is an interesting opportunity, as the company meets all ESG criteria. Our membranes enable an environmentally friendly water purification method with low energy and chemical consumption; the filters for water treatment in households help to reduce plastic waste from bottled water.