Katrien Van Laere

Chief Medical & Scientific Officer at Danone

Food scientist Dr Katrien van Laere is currently Senior Vice President Medical & Nutritional Science at the French food and beverage company Danone. The Belgian has worked for more than twenty-five years in the nutrition and health industry and has fulfilled various managerial positions focused on research and the innovation of new products. Amongst other things, Katrien van Laere's responsibilities include the development of science-based innovations for the brands of Danone including nutritional products that are aimed at specific groups such as babies, sick people or the elderly. Improving health through nutrition and sustainable innovation are two important priorities in her work.

Van Laere started her career in 1997 as a prebiotics and dietary fibre researcher at Numico (the former research centre of Nutricia), which was taken over by Danone in 2007. In 2004 she became innovation program leader for diabetes and later as well for oral medical nutrition. Katrien joined Danone in 2008 with the acquisition of Numico, as Medical Director in the Dutch CBU. In 2013, she became Global Medical Director Specialty Milks and in 2015 she was appointed VP, Research & Global Programs. In 2017, she became VP, Research and Innovation Early Life Nutrition. Since July 2019, Katrien was VP, Medical & Scientific Affairs, Market Access SN, leading the science strategy and driving the medical activation for SN global brands such as Aptamil, Neocate & Fortimel.

Before her career in industry, she gained her doctorate in food science and technology at Wageningen University. Van Laere completed her master’s degree at Ghent University and Wageningen University.