Engineer raised in Wigan named in world top 30 entrepreneurs

An engineer raised in Wigan has been named alongside world-famous activists and celebrities in a list of the most influential young people on the continent.
Thaddeus at Wembley for the 2013 FA Cup finalThaddeus at Wembley for the 2013 FA Cup final
Thaddeus at Wembley for the 2013 FA Cup final

An engineer raised in Wigan has been named alongside world-famous activists and celebrities in a list of the most influential young people on the continent.

Chemical engineer Thaddeus Anim-Somuah made it onto the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list for 2020, which the business magazine compiles to rank “the world’s most impactful community of young entrepreneurs and game-changers.”

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Thaddeus, who works for Croda International in The Netherlands, was raised in Wigan and has many fond memories of his time in the town, including visits to Warriors and Latics matches, as well as regular visits to Haigh Hall.

Thaddeus, 29, said of being included on the list: “It’s an incredible honour, I’m next to the likes of Greta Thunberg, Tom Daley and Cara Delavigne.

“It’s thanks to the people who believed in me and mentored me.

“Hopefully this will help make a greater impact, particularly with GreenDeal4Youth where I need to continuously open doors to decision makers in politics.”

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Thaddeus called Wigan home between 1996 and 2001, attending Woodfield Primary School and living in Wigan Lane, in the NHS Staff accommodation next to Wigan Infirmary, where his parents Dr Millie and Dr Kwashie Anim-Somuah worked. Prior to living in Wigan, the family lived predominantly in Ghana.

They later moved to St Helens when both doctors transferred to Whiston Hospital.

Thaddeus continued to live in St Helens up until finishing his Masters Degree in chemical engineering at the University of Manchester.

After a brief spell in Spain, he now lives in Rotterdam, where he works as a chemical engineer for Croda International.

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“I chose chemical engineering after being inspired by a family friend about what chemical engineers do and the impact they can make,” he said.

“During my study I was sponsored at Procter & Gamble, working for them as a process engineer helping improve production facilities that make essential consumer goods such as nappies.

“After graduation, I joined Croda, one of my first projects was energy balance calculations and design as process engineer in the Quarterback project - a project which reduced Croda’s Dutch CO2 emissions by 25 per cent.

“I’m now working as Engineering Projects Manager, working on strategy and strategic projects.

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“My focus is helping Croda achieve its 2030 goals of being climate, land and people positive.”

Outside of Croda, Thaddeus also working on making a sustainability impact, using his role as board member of the Dutch Society of Process Technologists to promote and connect sustainable innovators.

He also works with GreenDeal4Youth, where he is bringing young climate leaders across Europe, the EU commission and national governments together to work on the Green Deal.

He went on: “I work on my other passion - community, by giving weekly integration coaching to refugees; volunteering as a Red Cross Emergency First Aider, improving diversity and inclusion in the UK engineering profession through my work as a board member of AFBE-UK.”

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And despite having left Wigan a ling time ago, Thaddeus still has “so many memories” of his former home.

He said: “My mum would take my little brother and I to Haigh Hall every weekend.

“The walk up from Wigan Lane, seemed like a mountain when we were kids; loved it, now we are both hiking enthusiasts.

“Wigan Warriors of course, I kept supporting them when I went to St Helens, so I wasn’t the most popular kid in class.

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“Wigan Athletic matches are the most memorable, I started watching as a kid.

“Latics stayed close to my heart after I left. I even converted two of my friends from St Helens to go watching the matches with me.

“I had the incredible privilege of seeing them play in the Premier League, cheering them on in Cardiff in the Carling Cup Final and seeing them win the FA Cup in Wembley, moments I will never forget.”