In an interview with us, our Technical Lead Manager at Taranis, Benoit Morelle, shared some insights about what it’s like working to support our portfolio companies in their mission to scale carbon circularity.
Demonstrating Taranis’ strong commitment to supporting its portfolio companies and driving long-term value through deep technical engagement, Benoît Morelle—Technical Lead Manager—was recently appointed interim CEO of Pryme, following the unexpected departure of the previous CEO. Based in the Netherlands, Pryme is pioneering clean tech by converting plastic waste into high-quality hydrocarbon products, a key opportunity to advance carbon circularity.
Q- What led to your appointment as CEO of Pryme?
Benoit: Taranis backs technologies with transformative potential—and we believe impact is delivered by embedding expertise where it matters. I was initially brought in to perform a technical audit of Pryme’s process, but as we uncovered key opportunities and challenges, it became clear that a more active role could accelerate results. Stepping in as CEO gave us the ability to fast-track technical solutions and prepare the plant for its next phase.
Q – What has been your main focus since taking the reins, and can you walk us through some of the key initiatives you’ve led?
Benoît: Our focus has been on developing and executing a comprehensive test plan to optimise and validate the plant’s production capacity. We raised the reactor temperature to its maximum, optimised the feeding strategy, conducted sensitivity tests to fine-tune process parameters, and commissioned new equipment.
At the same time, we worked to improve operational reliability through better downtime tracking, mechanical upgrades such as emissions contol, or improved feedstock selection.
Q- What does it mean for Taranis to leverage our technical know-how and engineering expertise across our portfolio?
Benoit: At Taranis, leveraging our technical expertise means finding engineering, procurement, and environmental safety solutions to support our portfolio. By sharing knowledge and providing resources, we drive innovation and help companies like Pryme maximize their impact.
We have a clear and defined mission of backing proven technologies that drive forward carbon circularity. Our expertise and background helps us evaluate our prospective investments, but also to actively support our portfolio companies .
Q – For Pryme, what are the next steps?
Benoit: From now until July, we’ll execute an extensive test campaign to define the plant’s capacity and optimise oil output quality. Once validated, we’ll gradually ramp up our production to the plant capacity and prepare to start engineering for next-generation plants. We’re also in the process of identifying a full-time CEO to lead the next chapter.
