Martha Crawford Heitzmann

Vice president for research and development, Air Liquide, France[16]

What is Martha Crawford Heitzmann known for?

Martha Crawford Heitzmann, born on September 30, 1967, in Tucson, AZ, is a distinguished environmental engineer and business executive who is now based in Paris, France. She attended University High School in Tucson, a public school known for supporting academically gifted students. Her intellectual journey took her from studying ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona to pursuing a Master's degree and Ph.D. in environmental engineering at Harvard University. Her academic prowess was recognized with an Arizona Board of Regents academic scholarship and a fellowship from the E. Blois du Bois Foundation of Phoenix, Arizona.

Heitzmann built an impressive career in the field of environmental policy and engineering. Early in her career, she served as an environmental policy intern in the office of Senator Al Gore in Washington, D.C. and was an advisor to the head of the Environmental Protection Authority in the Marshall Islands, Micronesia.

Heitzmann took her first steps into the French business arena with the French multinational company Suez S.A. She later worked in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development where she led reviews of environmental performance of member and non-member countries.

Her career took another major leap when she joined Air Liquide, a significant private-sector company in France, in 2007 as the vice president of research and development. At Air Liquide, she led the company's global R&D activities and managed an impressive innovation budget of over €230 million per year. She oversaw work in diverse fields, including energy efficiency, industrial process optimization, renewable energy forms, and carbon capture and storage.

Heitzmann later served Areva, the French state-owned nuclear power conglomerate, as the head of research and innovation. She managed the group's R&D activities, its intellectual property portfolio, and technological communications and expertise. She also increased the emphasis on the development of alternative energy.

Adding another feather to her cap, L'Oréal announced in March 2014 that Heitzmann would join them as senior vice president in charge of advanced research and the Scientific Directorate.

Overall, Heitzmann's journey from a student at University High School to a leading figure in French business is truly notable. Her contributions to environmental policy and engineering have had a significant impact on sustainable industrial practices internationally.