Dr. Michael Leonard Appointed as Senior Vice President, Chief Innovation Officer, and Head of Protein Fortification at Ingredion

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Ingredion Incorporated, a global leader in providing ingredient solutions to the food and beverage industry, has made a significant addition to its leadership team with the appointment of Dr. Michael Leonard as Senior Vice President, Chief Innovation Officer, and Head of Protein Fortification, effective May 13, 2024. In his new role, Leonard will join the company’s executive leadership team and report directly to Jim Zallie, President, and Chief Executive Officer.

With over two decades of experience in the food and beverage sector, Leonard brings a wealth of expertise in product development and commercialization across various categories and markets worldwide, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. His track record includes driving growth and productivity through leadership roles in global research and development, process technology, and business development.

Jim Zallie expressed his excitement about Leonard’s appointment, highlighting his extensive industry experience, technical knowledge, and successful track record in innovation. Zallie emphasized Leonard’s leadership in developed and emerging markets, spanning both multinational corporations and high-growth startup ventures, as a valuable asset for Ingredion and its customers.

Prior to joining Ingredion, Leonard served as the Chief Executive Officer of MycoTechnology, where he led the company’s transformation and global expansion efforts in developing new protein and bioactive technology platforms for the specialty food ingredient industry. Before that, he held leadership positions at Motif FoodWorks, Kraft Heinz, PepsiCo, DuPont Nutrition and Health, and International Flavors & Fragrances, focusing on new product discovery, development, and commercialization.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Leonard highlighted the importance of innovation in driving growth in the food and beverage industry. He expressed gratitude for his time at MycoTechnology and his previous roles, emphasizing the opportunity to contribute his experience from both startup ventures and multinational corporations to accelerate innovation at Ingredion.

Leonard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Roanoke College, a Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. His diverse educational background and extensive industry experience position him well to drive innovation and growth at Ingredion in the evolving landscape of the food and beverage industry.