Fuelling the future

WHEN one thinks of reasons to join oil firms, "creating a healthier planet for the next generation" does not instantly come to mind - although that is Neste president and chief executive officer Peter Vanacker's answer.

But then, Neste is no ordinary oil firm. Founded in 1948 as Finland's national oil company, it is now ranked the third most sustainable company in the world on the Global 100 index, thanks to its move towards "renewable diesel", which is refined from waste and residues such as used cooking oil. Neste may not be able to save the world alone, but its clean fuel can help global efforts, says Mr Vanacker. "We do the contribution that we believe we can do."

Born in Belgium, the chemicals industry veteran joined Neste only recently, in November 2018. But his drive to do his part for the world has deeper roots. It lay, for instance, behind his choice to study chemical engineering: "I liked the fact that you can solve quite a lot of problems in…