Experienced R&D
leadership,
I help organisations make R&D a true growth partner
Dr. Andreas Menzel
I’ll help your organisation turn R&D into a strategically aligned, execution-focused, market-aware function that accelerates growth, reduces risk and strengthens competitive advantage.
My approach starts with a deep understanding of the business strategy, followed by a clear analysis of existing R&D activities and capabilities. From there, I guide targeted changes and support teams on a daily basis, from laboratory development through to industrial scale-up.
A very important part of the analysis is the current project portfolio. Some key questions are: How much future value does it represent? How realistic is the planned value and timeline? Can the team deliver all projects according to the plan? Is the priority setting aligned with business?
Some of my key skills
Management
I have been part of different management teams and used that role to ensure that the voice of R&D is heard and the value for future growth is clearly understood.
Leadership
In my career I had many teams reporting to me with small sizes and up to 80 people. This enabled me to learn how to guide and support the experts so that they can bring their great value and have the teams pulling the same strings to come to the best outcomes in an engaging way.
Strategy
This is about the fine balance to serve the current needs of a company with short term project portfolios and looking ahead and ensure the future of a company through developing the next generation techniques and solutions in parallel.
Organizational Skills
An R&D organization needs to have the right capabilities and internal structure to be able to deliver the agreed results. In addition it needs to be fully connected to the other departments from regulatory affairs to engineering and commercial, etc, in order to ensure all R&D facets are aligned, to ensure the highest success rate of R&D developments.
Food industry
My broad spectrum of food industry experience has enabled me to learn a lot about developing very different food ingredients while having food safety and regulatory in mind.
Applied Chemical expertise
Through my PhD in organic chemistry and my more than 25 years in industry, I have dealt with many different types of molecules and processes. I apply this knowledge to help supporting and guiding the experts and team leads in the right direction.
Facing R&D complexity, scale-up pressure or portfolio challenges?
Let’s work together!
Kinds of roles:
- Interim
- Project
Typical engagements:
- Strategic R&D advisor to leadership teams
- Transformation & portfolio reset
- Interim Head of R&D
- Scale-up and capability building
Open for roles in:
- The Netherlands,
- Belgium,
- Germany,
- EU (remote)
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Years of R&D Experience
25+
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Publications
7
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Patents
2
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Reporting Staff
80+
About me
My name is Dr. Andreas Menzel. I am a Germany-born R&D professional with extensive international experience in bridging innovation and business strategy. Based in the Netherlands, I work as a freelance partner with organizations that aim to leverage R&D as a structural driver of growth and competitive advantage.
I am a senior R&D professional who supports organizations in positioning R&D as a true growth partner to the business. On a freelance basis, I work closely with management and R&D teams to directly link innovation to both short- and long-term objectives.
Languages:
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German (mother language),
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English (fluent),
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Dutch (fluent),
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French (good)
Hobbies:
Mountain biking, Horses, Nature photography, Hiking
R&D-Xpert
since 2026
ADM
2021 - 2025
Meatable
2020 - 2021
Cargill
2011 - 2020
Kerry Ingredients
2007 - 2011
Kemin Food Ingredients
2005 - 2007
IOI Loders Croklaan Lipid Nutrition
1999 - 2005
Unilever Loders Croklaan
1999 - 2005
PHD at University of Stuttgart
1996 - 2000
Chemistry at University of Stuttgart
1989 - 1995
As independent R&D Advisor, I focus on helping my clients aligning R&D initiatives with business strategies while enhancing team capabilities.
I provide expert evaluations of project portfolios and offer strategic advice to improve R&D performance. My leadership ensures that teams remain focused on achieving business objectives in a dynamic environment.
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is one of the world’s leading processors of agricultural products and providers of food, animal feed, and biobased solutions, transforming crops directly from the field into products for everyday use.
ROLES:
Vice President Research & Development for AG Services & Oilseeds and for 1ADM Portfolio Management, Germany.
KEY ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
- The role encompassed leading and modernising the R&D function, which included building new teams (up to 83 people in Germany, US and France), restructuring processes, and enhancing data safety and accessibility across international locations.
- Key achievements involved establishing a robust project pipeline with significant value, implementing advanced analytical tools to meet evolving legislative requirements, and fostering strategic partnerships with major industry players such as Nestlé and Unilever.
- The introduction of professional software for project development and automated data management further streamlined operations, ensuring alignment between R&D, production, regulatory, and commercial functions.
Meatable was a Dutch biotechnology startup aimed at cultured meat, particularly pork.
ROLE:
Vice President R&D, The Netherlands.
KEY ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Oversaw strategic management and led the development of a robust cultivated meat R&D plan, focusing on affordability, product diversity, and team capability.
- Guided long-term portfolio planning, built and expanded a high-performing research team, and coordinated a staff of 28.
Pivoting product focus for market fit, launching a strategic roadmap for future products, and initiated key operational expansions such as a pilot plant and hiring plan. These efforts drove successful investor engagement and positioned the business for sustainable growth and innovation.
Meatable shut down end of 2025, after failing to secure new funding.
Cargill is one of the world’s largest privately held agribusiness companies, serving as a key player in global food supply by processing and distributing grains, food ingredients, and animal feed.
ROLES:
Global Category R&D Lead for Specialized Nutrition, R&D Director Refined Oils Europe, EMEA Leader and Process Technology / Novel Ingredients Leader, Global Food Research.
KEY ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Oversaw a diverse international team, acting as a board member for a key industry association, and drove strategic research alignment with commercial objectives.
- Built robust project pipelines, established cross-functional and scientific advisory teams, developed innovative ingredients and solutions for specialised nutrition, and ensuring regulatory compliance in oil production.
- The role also involved impactful industry lobbying and fostering academic collaborations through sponsored research and supervision. These efforts collectively contributed to advancing both organisational and industry goals, enhancing innovation, and strengthening strategic relationships.
Kerry Ingredients is a global food company specializing in taste and nutrition solutions for the food and beverage industry.
ROLE:
R&D Director Emulsifiers, The Netherlands.
KEY ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Provided leadership in research and development across sites, focusing on aligning product development and R&D plans with business objectives. Lead customer-driven and innovative projects from concept to production scale, securing critical raw material supplies and establishing quality assurance for ISO certification.
- Expanded Dutch R&D site with pilot plant, set up a new R&D location at Malaysian production site and introduced structured product development processes.
- The efforts collectively enhanced operational efficiency, strengthened cross-functional alignment, and delivered tangible business impact through innovation and strategic partnerships.
Kemin Food Ingredients is an international market leader in the development of ingredients, flavors, antioxidants, antimicrobials, and functional nutritional solutions serving the human and animal health and nutrition sectors.
ROLE:
Global R&D Director, Belgium.
KEY ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
- At a high level, the role encompassed setting strategic direction for product development, overseeing international teams (Belgium, US, Singapore, India), and leading the commercialisation of innovative solutions.
- Key achievements included establishing structured global R&D and customer support centres, expanding and reformulating product portfolios to meet diverse customer needs, and developing close collaborations with major organisations such as the United Nations World Food Programme.
- Notable innovations involved improvements in food safety and preservation, while the successful management of cross-functional teams and implementation of robust processes contributed significantly to operational excellence and industry impact.
IOI Loders Croklaan Lipid Nutrition (since 2018 part of Bunge)
is a worldwide producer and supplier of premium quality oils and fats.
ROLES:
R&D Manager, Regulatory Affairs Manager, Product Development Manager, Head of Analytical Method Development Group.
KEY ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Setting and executing R&D strategy, leading regulatory approvals, and overseeing a staff of 15. Key achievements included the innovation of dietary supplement products such as Pinnothin and fish oil omega-3 concentrates, as well as successfully securing US FDA GRAS Notices for high 2-palmitic vegetable oil and omega-3 fish oil concentrates. Overall, the responsibilities and accomplishments reflect strategic leadership in product development, regulatory compliance, and driving innovation within the nutrition and dietary supplements sector.
Unilever Loders Croklaan was the fully integrated part of Unilever, a global food market leader, owning many iconic consumer brands, for developing and producing specialized oils and fats for a broad range of high value applications in food, specialized nutrition and dietary supplements
ROLES:
R&D Manager, Regulatory Affairs Manager, Product Development Manager, Head of Analytical Method Development Group.
KEY ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Setting and executing R&D strategy, leading regulatory approvals, and overseeing a staff of 15. Key achievements included the innovation of dietary supplement products such as Pinnothin and fish oil omega-3 concentrates, as well as successfully securing US FDA GRAS Notices for high 2-palmitic vegetable oil and omega-3 fish oil concentrates. Overall, the responsibilities and accomplishments reflect strategic leadership in product development, regulatory compliance, and driving innovation within the nutrition and dietary supplements sector.
PhD thesis at University of Stuttgart, Germany, Institute for Organic Chemistry.
Title: "Stereoselektive CC-Verknüpfung mit Nitronaten und Nitronen – Synthese von Acosamin und Iminopolyolen" (Stereoselective CC-bond formation using nitronates and nitrones – synthesis of acosamine and imino polyols).
Diploma thesis at the Institute for Organic Chemistry:
Synthese von L-Acosamin und LRistosamin via Nitroaldol-Reaction als Schlüsselschritt (Synthesis of L-acosamine and Lristosamine via nitroaldol reaction as key step).
Result: M.Sc.