Industry Movers: Firmenich, BASF Health, Beneo & NutriLeads

Industry-Movers-Firmenich-BASF-Health-Beneo-NutriLeads.jpg

June 2021 and with much of Europe still in the recovery phase post-pandemic, many have an eye on fresh pastures and new challenges. NutraIngredients rounds up those who have taken the plunge in May.

News of changes at the top over at Firmenich with Sarah Reisinger appointed Chief Research Officer (CRO) from July 1, 2021, replacing Geneviève Berger, the Swiss fragrance and flavours firm’s CRO for six years.

“I am excited to have this opportunity to build on our amazing legacy of scientific excellence by leading Research into fast-evolving scientific domains and embracing new technology for our changing world,” said Dr Reisinger.

“Our team’s multidisciplinary and global approach to innovation in perfume, taste and ingredients are immense assets to deliver breakthrough solutions for our clients.”

Dr Reisinger, who joined the firm in 2018 as VP Biotechnology and Process Engineering, will report to the Group CEO, Gilbert Ghostine.

Dr Reisinger’s predecessor Geneviève Berger is staying on as a Strategic Advisor to the CEO, before her retirement from the Group at the end of the year.

BASF Health

Personnel changes aplenty at BASF Nutrition & Health with the news that Thilo Bischoff is the firm’s new Senior Vice President Human Nutrition.

With plans to eventually be based out of Singapore, Bischoff will head up the Human Nutrition business unit and represent the Nutrition & Health division in the Asia Pacific region.

“BASF Human Nutrition is a leading and trusted food and health ingredients supplier,” he comments.

“I’m excited and feel privileged to advance nutrition and health for consumers across the globe in my new role.

“I look forward to building sustainable growth for the business and working closely with our customers to bring our high-quality ingredients to consumers.”

Bischoff, who previously served as Vice President for Product Management, Europe in the Performance Materials business division, succeeds Francois Scheffler who will leave BASF.

Beneo comms promotion

Meanwhile, over at Beneo, Inga Heinemann has been promoted to Head of Corporate Communication in a role that reflects her 12 years at the Mannheim-based functional ingredients firm.

Heinemann will lead the company’s external and internal communications from BENEO’s headquarters taking over the role from her predecessor, Claudia Meissner, who has recently joined BENEO’s mother company, the Südzucker AG, as Director Corporate Internal Communication.

“Having worked for BENEO for quite some time I believe that I can reflect well on the level of information our employees and partners are looking for and are interested in,” says Heinemann.

“In this role, my ambition is to create an environment and organizational set up that allows the communication team within the company to work in a smart and convenient way, enabling us to reach our various stakeholder more effectively.”

Nutrileads’ new CEO

Dutch health ingredients innovator, NutriLeads, has announced that Erik Dam is the new CEO with the remit to transform the firm into a science-led commercial health ingredients company.

Dam, who co-founded the firm in 2014, said, “The last 7 years at NutriLeads have been an exciting journey and we have accomplished a lot with the team under the leadership of Ruud (Albers).

“I’m thrilled to lead the next phase during which we will establish NutriLeads as a commercial health ingredient company with leading ingredient brands starting with BeniCaros for immune health.”

Effective from 1 June, Dam’s ascent to CEO follows a career starting at Andersen Consulting before entering the life sciences industry in 1993 at Baxter where he held marketing and management roles.

In 2005, Erik joined the Medical Nutrition division of Numico/Danone where he held global VP roles in strategy and general management.