Sasol and Topsoe have announced the appointment of Jan Toschka as the CEO of the joint venture established to develop, build, own and operate SAF ventures and to market the products.

During June 2023, Sasol, a renowned global chemicals and energy company, together with Topsoe, a global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, announced their intent to form a new joint venture.

The aviation industry alone accounts for 2% of global carbon emissions, and the joint venture aims to combine and utilize the two parent companies’ unique innovative technologies, capabilities, and industry experience to support the aviation industry in meeting its decarbonization ambitions.

As President of Global Aviation for Shell, Jan was responsible for Shell's global network of operations, joint ventures and sales of fuels, lubricants and sustainable solutions to the aviation industry. During his tenure at Shell, he has led teams across sales, mergers and acquisitions, trading, and retail businesses globally, spanning various industries including Marine and Retail.

Jan will assume his new role as CEO on 1 March 2024 and the joint venture will be launched during the same month. The new company will be headquartered in The Netherlands.

Fleetwood Grobler, Sasol President and CEO said: “Jan, a distinguished leader in the global aviation fuel industry, enriches our new joint venture with his extensive experience and industry expertise. His strong customer-centric approach reflects a deep understanding of the industry and both the challenges and opportunities faced by the market. I am delighted he is joining us and eagerly anticipate witnessing the venture flourish under his leadership, as we seek to contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of the aviation industry.” 

Roeland Baan, CEO at Topsoe, said: “I’m excited, that Jan Toschka has accepted the position as CEO for the joint venture. Jan holds unique competencies from having already been working with the aviation industry, and he has a highly entrepreneurial mindset, which is what we need to get the joint venture off to a great start. There’s no time to waste in boosting production of SAF to decarbonize the aviation industry, and with Jan joining, I am confident that the joint venture will deliver a remarkable contribution to the world’s global ambition of reaching Net Zero.”

Jan Toschka, new CEO of the joint venture, said: “The joint venture is formed by two industry leaders, and their ambition to take on one of society’s biggest challenges, to help reduce carbon footprint of the aviation industry. This industry is close to my heart, and I am very excited to lead the new company.”