Author: sHq_LoGiNz

At Henkel, our pioneers are driven by an unwavering spirit to explore, create, and transform possibilities into progress and improve life for generations to come. Learn their stories.

In this story, you will discover:

• Leading with Curiosity and Connection: How Belma’s curiosity and STEM background shapes her leadership approach. 
• Shared Value of Mentorship: Belma helps future STEM leaders recognize their potential while gaining new perspectives that inspire her.
• Carrying Knowledge Forward: Belma’s future-ready mindset is rooted in continuous learning and using her experience to create opportunities for the next generations.

Introducing Belma

For Belma, curiosity has always been a starting point.

As a child, Belma was constantly asking “why,” taking things apart and trying to understand how they worked. Chemistry fascinated her because it could explain the world around her. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry from Georgia Tech and an MBA from MIT Sloan, combining science with a desire to understand how business and innovation can create broader impact. Over time, that curiosity expanded beyond how things work to how ideas move forward and how people come together to make progress.

Today, Belma leads global application engineering and digital transformation for Henkel Adhesive Technologies industrials business, using her curiosity to shape how she approaches leadership and mentorship.

BELMA SHARES WHAT INSPIRES HER TO BE A PIONEER FOR GOOD

Leading With Curiosity and Connection

Belma has spent her career working with materials that most people rarely notice, but that help make everyday technologies possible. Through that work, she has learned that bringing complex ideas to life requires more than technical expertise, it often means navigating change, building trust, and connecting people around a common goal.

Belma helped bring together the women’s employee resource groups operating at multiple sites across the company under the Henkel Women’s Network, creating a more unified voice and a stronger network of support.

The Shared Value of Mentorship

Belma knows firsthand how meaningful it can be when someone sees potential in you. Early in her career, as a woman, immigrant, and scientist, she did not always see people like her represented in leadership roles. Mentors encouraged her and opened doors to help shape her path, inspiring her to do the same for others.

Today, Belma speaks with students about STEM, careers and leadership. She reminds them that careers are rarely linear and encourages them to stay curious, explore a variety of topics, and recognize the value of the experiences that make them different. To Belma, mentorship is a shared exchange—helping mentees recognize their potential while exposing mentors to fresh perspectives and ways of thinking.

She believes the most meaningful part is watching her mentees’ confidence grow and seeing them recognize how much is in their reach.

“Whether through mentoring, guest lecturing, or creating opportunities for students and faculty to connect with industry, I enjoy helping the next generation discover possibilities they may not have imagined for themselves.”

Belma Haug, Head of Global Application Engineering and Digital Transformation, Henkel North America

Earlier this year, Belma helped organize a visit for 25 University of Massachusetts Amherst  students to Henkel’s Rocky Hill site, where they toured labs, met researchers, networked and presented their work to nearly 100 Henkel employees.

The experience gave students firsthand exposure to industry experts while giving Henkel employees insight into emerging research and a chance to connect with future talent. Following its success, the team plans to make the visit an annual event.

Belma received the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award from Georgia Tech’s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, recognizing her support of the university through student mentorship, guest lectures, service on the College of Sciences Advisory Board, and efforts to strengthen connections between academia and industry.

Carrying Knowledge Forward

Belma’s commitment to mentorship reflects her broader philosophy: what we do with our knowledge matters just as much as what we learn. She encourages others to put their own knowledge and experience to use beyond their day-to-day work, whether through mentoring, educational outreach or volunteering with an organization they care about. Even a small investment of time, she believes, can help someone recognize new possibilities for their future.

A quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that she often shares captures her belief: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”