Manfred Wirth has a PhD in physical-organic chemistry from the ETH Zurich. He spent almost 30 years with The Dow Chemical Co., first in the USA and later in Dow Europe in R&D and business management positions in different European countries. In 1991 he was named director of Environmental Programmes of Dow Europe.

In 1997 Manfred Wirth started his own business, developed the Innovation-Process and specialises now in the area of innovation consulting and knowledge management.