Executive Profile
Strategic and commercially-minded R&D Director with over 25 years of global experience in the flavour and ingredients industry. Proven track record of bridging the gap between technical innovation and commercial success, delivering a 25% win rate increase for new flavour briefs.
Expert in leading complex M&A technical integrations across Spain, UK, and Argentina, harmonizing R&D protocols and operational footprints for multi-national groups. Specialized in greenfield projects, having established and scaled high-performance laboratories and factories in the UK, India, China, and the USA.
Core Competencies
Professional Experience
Led a diverse technical division of 30+ staff (flavourists, food scientists, regulatory, analytical). Played a pivotal role during the strategic acquisition of Iberchem by Croda International (2020).
- M&A Integration (Spain): Led the technical harmonization of R&D protocols and portfolios post-acquisition of flavour companies, ensuring seamless integration of safety standards and innovation pipelines.
- Commercial Impact: Redefined the R&D-Sales interface, increasing the win rate for new flavour briefs from 10% to 25%.
- Global Expansion: Led the technical expansion into Asia, establishing and integrating new R&D teams in Malaysia and China.
- Strategic Transformation: Transformed a basic applications lab into a full-service Food Science Centre, enabling proactive customer co-development.
- Digital Innovation: Introduced AI-driven systems for documentation and regulatory compliance, significantly reducing administrative lead times.
Transitioned from pure creation to strategic technical management, overseeing global manufacturing footprints during FDL’s acquisition by Highlander Partners (2016).
- M&A Integration (UK): Managed technical due diligence and operational alignment during the acquisition by Highlander Partners, streamlining R&D reporting structures to meet PE investment criteria.
- Global Infrastructure: Directed the setup and commissioning of new factories and laboratories in Cambridge (UK), New Delhi (India), Shanghai (China), and Seattle (USA).
- Product Innovation: Led the development of proprietary vanilla extracts and designed industrial percolators, creating a high-margin product line.
- Working Capital Reduction: Automated the Material Requirements Planning (MRP) system, optimizing inventory levels and reducing working capital requirements.
Foundational training in one of the world’s top flavour houses, gaining deep expertise in chromatography, formulation, and regional market adaptations.
- M&A Integration (Argentina): Supported technical integration projects during the IFF acquisition of Bush Boake Allen (2000), harmonizing flavour libraries and production standards across Latin American operations.
- Technical Foundation: Mastered analytical services and sample lab operations before progressing to creative flavourist roles.
Education & Languages
Spanish (Native), English (Fluent)
Right to Work
UK, EU, Argentina, Brazil