Episode 22: Conversation with Eric Holthusen, chief technology officer, Petronas Lubricants International

Eric G. Holthusen, group chief technology officer at Petronas Lubricants International Sdn. Bhd. (PLI), has a wealth of experience in the lubricants industry and has forged a distinguished career since joining Shell in Hamburg, Germany, in 1989.

During his time at Shell, Eric held a variety of roles in lubricants and fuels technology, testing, and marketing. In 2001, he took up the role of managing director of Shell Research Eastern in Singapore and as fuels technology manager for the region. In 2004, Eric moved to Shell’s Asia Pacific Service Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to lead the regional fuel technology group with responsibility for managing the technical implementation of retail fuels globally from 2010. 

In 2011, he joined Saudi Aramco as an advisor to their R&D organisation, developing their downstream technology strategy and implementing a global R&D network with laboratories in Europe, America and Asia. In 2013, he moved to Petronas Lubricants International where he was chief operating officer until August 2018. 

As group chief technology officer, Eric oversees business technology, R&D, innovation and technology commercialisation at the Malaysian company. In this episode, Eric provides his insights on the global lubricants market and the changes that electrification will bring.