NutriLeads appoints new CEO for new growth phase

23-Aug-2022 - Last updated on 15-Nov-2022 at 11:43 GMT

NutriLeads key ingredient BeniCaros is upcycled from carrot pomace, a waste product from the manufacture of carrot juice. Image © Martina Rigoli / Getty Images

Netherlands-based NutriLeads BV has announced the appointment of Joana Carneiro as its new Chief Executive Officer to lead the next stage in the company’s growth.

Dr. Carneiro joined NutriLeads in April 2022 as Chief Commercial Officer with responsibilities for sales, marketing and business development, and is now moving up to CEO as co-founder and former CEO Erik Dam steps down from the company.

“I’m thrilled to lead our company to the next level,” said Dr. Carneiro. “We have an innovative technology platform with numerous health applications and a natural immune health ingredient (BeniCaros) with a unique dual mechanism of action that is unlike any other in the natural products industry.

“Equally important, we have great team that is passionate about partnering with manufacturers to bring our bioactive ingredients to the market so people everywhere can live happier and healthier lives.”

BeniCaros

NutriLeads was founded in 2014. The company’s BeniCaros immune support ingredient, pectin-derived RG-I polysaccharides upcycled from carrot pomace, is supported by pre-clinical and clinical data, including a controlled, randomized, double-blind dose-response study, which was published in 2021 in Nutrients.

The science behind the ingredient was recognized by NutraIngredients-USA this summer when the company was announced as a winner of its Nutrition Research Project Award.

Stem & Root, a brand from Bayer in the US, picked BeniCaros as the central ingredients for its Daily Immunity product, which was launched earlier this year. The product won the NutraIngredients-USA Award for Immune Support Product of the Year category.

Transitioning from R&D to global commercial business

Commenting on Dr Carneiro’s appointment, Sanne Melles, Chairman of the NutriLeads Supervisory Board, said: “Joana is ideally suited to lead the company as it transitions from its research and development stage to a global commercial business marketing innovative functional ingredients to manufacturers and formulators worldwide.

“The combination of her scientific expertise and real-world success leading and growing B2B ingredient businesses will help us realize the tremendous potential of BeniCaros and NutriLeads’ patented RG-I technology platform.”

Prior to NutriLeads, Dr Carneiro held several leadership positions in both research and development and commercial operations during a decade at DSM. Dr. Carneiro has a doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the Delft University of Technology.

Melles also thanked former CEO Dam for laying the foundations for the business to move into its next phase.

“After co-founding NutriLeads in 2014 it has been an exciting journey together with the excellent and passioned team,” said Dam. “The launch late 2021 of our immune ingredient BeniCaros in the US market and the transition to a commercial health ingredient company are just a couple of highlights. As we now reach the next phase of our growth strategy it is a good time to handover my position as CEO to Joana Carneiro.”