StartLife (www.startlife.nl) is Europe’s longest running and leading agrifoodtech accelerator. Its mission is to accelerate food and agtech startups shaping a sustainable food system. As a startup mentor I add as much value to the startups as possible to maximize their chances of success.

Developing and executing the worldwide product and process innovation strategy for Griffith Foods, through Creating Better Together™ with customers around the world in ways that respect and sustain the planet. Health & Nutrition is a strategic driver in the development of our key categories Seasonings, Coatings and Sauces & Dressings.Aligning skills and resources to business priorities by leading and developing product technologists at 6 locations across Europe following the latest… Show more Developing and executing the worldwide product and process innovation strategy for Griffith Foods, through Creating Better Together™ with customers around the world in ways that respect and sustain the planet. Health & Nutrition is a strategic driver in the development of our key categories Seasonings, Coatings and Sauces & Dressings.Aligning skills and resources to business priorities by leading and developing product technologists at 6 locations across Europe following the latest trends in the food industry. Driving continuous culture change to build new capabilities to enable sustainably profitable growth in partnership with customers and suppliers and in collaboration with third parties across the food industry and beyond. Show less

Advising companies on setting up food innovation platforms and coaching entrepreneurs on organising and implementing product innovation. Laid the foundation of a new innovation program in the area of alternative proteins for a global food ingredient company.

Defined the R&D strategy together with CEO/founder and implemented the entire technical part of the business: commissioned the food chemistry laboratory and application kitchen, recruited and trained over 20 biochemists, food scientists and chefs, set up third party manufacturing/supply chain to produce Hampton Creek’s first product Just Mayo, an egg-free mayonnaise which is available in major retail chain stores across the US. Hampton Creek has evolved into Eat JUST Inc.

Executive member of a global cross-functional team responsible for the Dressings, Mayonnaise, Spreads and Creams-product categories. Defined global innovation strategies and technology roadmaps and executed these worldwide supervising over 60 functional reports.

Head of R&D for the newly established business unit Lipid Nutrition of Loders Croklaan, a former subsidiary of Unilever. Defining and executing a new R&D programme to develop and manufacture health-promoting ingredients for oil-based spreads and dressings in partnership with Unilever and for use in dietary supplement and healthy food products offered by other customers. Lipid Nutrition is now part of Stepan (with its headquarters in Northbrook, IL, USA).