VTU Group – The VTU Group, an internationally active technology and engineering services provider, has appointed Anne-Sophie Amiot as Vice President of Process and Chemicals Development and Marcel Papenhove as Vice President of Sales & Business Development. Amiot has been with VTU since mid-June 2026 and is supporting growth in the Process & Chemicals division. Papenhove has been responsible for group-wide sales and business development since July 2026.
With these two appointments, VTU is further expanding its expertise in business development and sales. Amiot brings extensive experience from the energy and petrochemical industries. Papenhove has more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, fine chemicals, and energy sectors.
“With Anne-Sophie Amiot and Marcel Papenhove, we are gaining two experienced leaders who will provide important momentum for our growth,” says Liam O’Neil, CEO of the VTU Group. “Their industry knowledge and experience in business development and building customer relationships will strengthen our position in the Process & Chemicals sector and support the continued growth of the VTU Group.”
Strategy and Technology for Process & Chemicals
Anne-Sophie Amiot has more than 18 years of experience in the energy and petrochemical industries. She combines process engineering know-how with expertise in consulting, growth strategy, sales, and international key account management.
She began her career at Axens in Paris. There, she progressed from Process Design Engineer to Technology Manager and Head of the Gasoline Technology Team. In these roles, she developed technology solutions for more than 60 clients and multinational projects.
In 2017, Amiot joined Wood in the United Kingdom. As Refining & Chemicals Consultancy Manager, she led a consulting team and was responsible for the financial results of the technical downstream consulting business. The team worked on consulting and pre-FEED projects and prepared approximately 60 proposals annually. Amiot subsequently took on leadership roles in growth planning, sales, and business development. She contributed to the development of a global business with more than one billion U.S. dollars in revenue and 6,500 employees in over 15 countries.
Most recently, as Global Key Account Manager, she was responsible for client relationships with the OMV Group and TotalEnergies and managed a global portfolio. She also expanded business relationships with companies such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Aramco, and ADNOC. Amiot holds a Master of Engineering from École Polytechnique in France and a Master of Science from ETH Zurich.
“As Vice President of Process and Chemicals Development, I look forward to helping shape VTU’s growth in this area. Together with our teams, I want to further develop customer relationships and bring our technical expertise to new markets and projects,” says Amiot.
Combining Engineering and Sales Experience
Marcel Papenhove brings more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, fine chemicals, and energy industries. As a mechanical engineer, he began his career at John Brown and Kvaerner in the project business. He later took on leadership roles in project management and business development. He also co-founded Miniplants and built up the Dutch engineering company specializing in pharmaceutical skid solutions.
At Jacobs Engineering, Papenhove was responsible for sales and managing key accounts in the pharmaceutical industry, including Johnson & Johnson and MSD. Later, at Bilfinger, he headed global sales in the Life Sciences division and established a company-wide key account management structure.
Most recently, Papenhove served as Commercial Director for Northwestern Europe at Bilfinger Engineering. There, he led a 15-person team comprising sales, business development, back-office staff, and marketing in the Benelux countries, Germany, and Scandinavia. He also oversaw energy and transformation projects, including the Circtec facility in Delfzijl, which is considered Europe’s largest tire pyrolysis plant. Papenhove holds a degree in mechanical engineering.
“VTU combines strong technical expertise with a clear understanding of customer needs. I look forward to working with the teams to drive business growth across markets and industries and to build long-term partnerships,” says Papenhove.
Caption/Photo credits: Anne-Sophie Amiot, Vice President of Process and Chemicals Development, and Marcel Papenhove, Vice President of Sales & Business Development. © VTU Group