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Fermentation specialist Lesaffre has appointed Rania Abou Samra as its new chief research, development and innovation (RD&I) officer.

Abou Samra joins Lesaffre's executive committee with more than 20 years of international experience in food, nutrition and consumer health research and development.

She joins from Nestlé, where she held a series of senior R&D leadership positions over an 18-year career. Most recently, she served as vice president and head of innovation and R&D for Nestlé Middle East and North Africa, based in Dubai. Her previous roles included VP and global head of technology and product development, head of R&D US for Nestlé Health Science, and VP of R&D for Vital Proteins.

At Lesaffre, Abou Samra will lead the teams at the Lesaffre Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), overseeing research into fermentation and microorganisms while supporting innovation across the group's global operations.

The company said her expertise spans translating scientific research into commercially viable innovations, leveraging artificial intelligence-driven technologies and fostering cross-functional collaboration to accelerate product development.

Commenting on her appointment, Abou Samra said: "I share Lesaffre's conviction that fermentation is a key technology for sustainable innovation. RD&I is a driving force that enables us to support our customers, anticipate food and environmental transitions, and transform scientific knowledge into concrete, sustainable solutions."

She added: "I am delighted to bring my 20 years of experience in the food and healthcare industries to Lesaffre, and I look forward to working alongside the Group's experts, customers and partners to continue bringing safer and more sustainable solutions to market."

Lesaffre CEO Brice-Audren Riché said: "For us, investing in science has always been a deliberate choice, as we firmly believe that today's research lays the foundation for tomorrow's products and services, harnessing the unlimited potential of fermentation."

Riché aded: "Our capacity for innovation enables us to support our clients by closely addressing their needs and to offer solutions to the societal and environmental challenges we all face. Rania's expertise provides our RD&I teams with new keys to accelerate innovation in our strategic sectors – food, health and biotech."

A nutritionist by training, Abou Samra holds a PhD in appetite regulation and nutrition from the University of Toronto. Throughout her career, she has led the development of science-based innovations across nutrition and consumer health, with experience spanning clinical research, product development and technology strategy.