Dr. Ad Juriaanse did a PhD in
Biochemistry. He worked for 14 years for Unilever in the Netherlands and the
United Kingdom in different positions in both R&D and operating
companies. Since 1995 he is managing
director of NIZO food research.
Dr. Liz Kamei obtained her PhD in biochemistry in the UK and
then went to work as a research scientist for Kirin Breweries, a Japanese
beverage company. She transferred to Gunma University where she worked as
associate professor in the Faculty of Engineering before returning to a
business position in the UK. Liz has worked in business development and open
innovation roles, mainly focusing on the Asian-Pacific food & beverage
markets.
She is fluent in Japanese and is currently learning Korean
with the aim of creating good working relationships with our friends in the
Korean food & beverage industry. At NIZO, she is the Vice President of
business development for Asia Pacific.
Ad: It is a
pleasure to speak about NIZO and our aspirations for developing our business
within Korea. It is my role to oversee NIZO’s activities on a global basis, and
Liz is leading our business activities in Asia-Pacific. I am inviting Liz to
comment in this interview as it is our hope that our friends in Korea will see
her as the point of contact for NIZO and will reach out to her to discuss their
innovation ambitions and objectives.
What are the key
objectives of NIZO this year, in terms of expanding operations?
Ad: Our overall
objective is to carry on being relevant to the global food industry by
maintaining our cutting edge capabilities and evolving as an organization so
that we are always a key part of food innovation networks. Liz, what do you
have to say about our activities in Asia-Pacific?
Liz: Our ambition
for Asia Pacific is to really understand the innovation needs of our current
and potential partners and provide the best match of NIZO expertise to meet
those needs. That expertise might be flavour, texture, gut health food safety
or process optimization – it depends on the needs of the client. My personal
aim is to act as an initiator of relationships that lead to co-creation and
breakthrough innovations.
What are the competitive advantages that NIZO
offers?
Ad: NIZO is an
independent research company that assists the food industry with their
innovations and optimizations on a project basis giving maximum flexibility to
the client. We are convinced that good food needs good science and that can be
achieved by working together intimately with our clients on those things that
are relevant to their business. As a hub
of food science expertise, working with NIZO gives our clients access to the
latest science and technology. We believe it is important to stress that IP
generated during projects belongs to the client.
Our experts have a variety of backgrounds - both academic
and industrial – and they understand the needs of industry. In addition, our
understanding and expertise has grown as a result of the many successful
projects carried out for food and ingredient companies over our 65 year
history. Thus, NIZO also serves as an
excellent gateway to the European markets.
Liz: I would
emphasize the fact that our scientists have a broad range of experiences gained
from different organizations. As you may know, innovation happens when a
diverse set of skills and experiences are brought together to create something
new. In addition, our scientists all have their own personal networks into
industry and academia – they span the boundaries of our organization – and that
also amplifies the opportunities to innovate. This really illustrates the
importance of being part of diverse networks –and it is something that is not
easy to replicate in other organizations.
What are your plans
for operation in Korea?
Ad: Liz has the
overview of our ideas for Korea, so I will let her answer.
Liz: We realize
the importance of building the business relationship and understanding our
client’s needs and ways of working. We welcome the opportunity to learn how to
best work with you.
We are considering opportunities in the near future
(2014) to take NIZO experts to Korea and
to run one of the well-respected NIZO technical courses. This will be a
learning opportunity for NIZO, and a chance for potential clients to interact
with our experts and learn about NIZO. Our experts are of course available for consultancies,
depending on the needs of Foodpolis in general and specific companies in
particular. We welcome the chance to discuss potential opportunities with our
friends in Korea.
Any thoughts on
FOODPOLIS, the Korean government initiative to develop the food industry in
Northeast Asia?
Liz: The
incredible progress made by Korea in other technical fields is well known and
we expect that this initiative will be backed by the same dedication and
energy. We are excited by the future of Foodpolis.
Ad: All I can add
is that we are delighted to be invited to attend the 3rd International Food
Cluster Forum and have the chance to visit the site of Foodpolis.
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