Golde's Key Milestones and Experience
Exposure to multiple projects in different regions of the world as well as leading diverse teams, have shown me to adopt an adaptive leadership style. Business and customer needs are changing and we not only need to be adapting to new requirements, but also every member on the team has different needs throughout their career and during a project. Being open to change, different perspectives and finding new solutions have worked well for me and allowed continued growth throughout my career. I also have been fortunate to have had many mentors both from a technical and commercial background that have shared their experiences and perspectives. Every experience and stretch assignments, - especially during my first 10 years in the industry, have prepared me to not only be prepared for my current role, but also to help create the next generation of leaders.
Approach to the Commercialization of New Products
The first step is to gather all the facts about the project: what is this new product going to deliver for the customer? What customer need will this product solve? Once both questions are answered, the cross functional project outline needs to occur and collaboration becomes crucial. I believe in utilizing a commercialization check list with a timeline covering production, finance, supply chain, marketing, regulatory, food safety, product development, packaging, engineering and a project manager. Listening and valuing the input from all functions is vital to ensure a successful start-up for a new product. Great communication, navigational and leadership skills working across all functions will then deliver a successful commercialization.
Identifying White Space Opportunities in the Market and Turning Insights into Viable Products
Being a consumer first and product developer second encourages my creative mindset. Seeing challenges, receiving feedback from customers and reviewing market trends all lead to identifying the white space. For example, ready-to-mix protein beverage blends, rely on many ingredients to deliver a creamy texture. As a consumer, I want a smooth, creamy texture and short ingredient declaration and as a product developer, I understand the need for certain ingredients to accomplish this. During a brainstorming and reviewing of an existing ingredient, Roquette’s R&D team suggested a processing change to the pea protein to deliver this functionality. A few months later we reviewed the initial prototypes, made some more adjustments and now have launched a creamy pea protein.
Trends That Will Shape the Future of the Food and Protein Industry
As the world population continues to increase, we will have to find ways to ensure a safe food supply is available to everyone. Plant-based protein and other ingredients will continue to become more important. It will be our job to make plant-based food tasty, desirable to (all) consumers and healthy. Creating food that nourishes and contributes to a healthy lifestyle, especially around sugar management. We also continue taking on the responsibility to be sustainable- from farming practices, processing and all the way to packaging.
Advice for Senior Leaders Aiming to Drive Operational Success in the Industry
Focus on the big picture and always lead by example. Emphasize open and transparent communication, ensuring that everyone on the team clearly understands and is aligned to the objectives. Be open and flexible in adapting to change and build trust with your team. Value the input and different perspectives from others. Create processes that aid in getting the work done. Be passionate and purposeful about what you do and how you act.
