Dr. Christo Stamboulides is currently a Director of Research & Development Strategy at IFF and has over 12 years of experience in the CPG and Ingredients industries. He leads strategic customer collaborations and partnerships driving mutually beneficial R&D initiatives while providing commercial support to IFF's key accounts. He also oversees cross-enterprise, cross-capability front-end innovation programs supporting the company's growth initiatives.

Joining IFF in 2019, Christo led the Technology Scouting team, expanding IFF's startup ecosystem and evaluating technologies to enhance the R&D and Innovation portfolio. Following the IFF-N&B merger, Christo played a pivotal role in managing internal capabilities and external partnerships to build CPG innovation capabilities for the new organization.

Prior to joining IFF he spent six years at Mondelēz International, progressing from fundamental research to global productivity platform leadership.

Christo holds master's and PhD degrees in chemical engineering from the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) with expertise in rheology and physical sciences. Upon graduation he led the R&D team at a biopolymers startup and co-founded an antimicrobial technology company in Vancouver.