Professional services
10 chief innovation officers
These ten chief innovation officers hold the title at companies including Mastercard, Experian, Diageo, Beyond Meat, AkzoNobel and Owens Corning. Readers can learn how a chief innovation officer sets an innovation agenda, links research and development to the business and moves new products toward launch.
Professionals to explore
01—10Dariush Ajami
LinkedInExperience: Chief Innovation Officer · Beyond Meat
Chief Innovation Officer at Beyond Meat since July 2018, a role his profile describes as executive leadership accountability for global R&D, innovation strategy and platform science across North America, Europe and Asia. His other Beyond Meat rows are Vice President Research And Development (2017–2018), Director of Research Development (2016–2017) and Director of Chemistry (2015–2016); he was also Assistant Professor of Molecular Assembly at Scripps Research (2008–2015).
David Williams
LinkedInExperience: Chief Innovation Officer · AkzoNobel
Chief Innovation Officer at AkzoNobel since July 2022. He was R&D Director Marine & Protective Coatings at AkzoNobel (2018–2022), R&D Director Marine Coatings at International Paint Ltd., AkzoNobel (2015–2017) and Manager - M&PC Technology Centre at International Paint Ltd. (2012–2014). The profile describes AkzoNobel as a chemical manufacturing company.
Francois Lacombe
LinkedInExperience: Chief Innovation Officer · Mauna Kea Technologies
Chief Innovation Officer at Mauna Kea Technologies since January 2014 and its Chief Scientific Officer from 2005 to 2014. His listing also shows Astrophysicist at Observatoire de Paris | PSL (1988–2005). The profile describes Mauna Kea Technologies as a medical equipment manufacturing company.
James McLaughlin
LinkedInExperience: Chief Innovation Officer · BigBear.ai
Chief Innovation Officer at BigBear.ai since May 2026. His other BigBear.ai rows are Interim Chief Technology Officer (2025–2026) and SVP Technology Solutions (2024–2026); he was also Chief Technology Officer at PANGIAM, a BigBear.ai Company (2022–2024) and CBP Deputy CIO, Chief Software Officer (SES) at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (2021–2022).
Jose Luis Mendez-Andino
LinkedInExperience: Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer · Owens Corning
Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Owens Corning since December 2025. His other Owens Corning rows include Executive Vice President and Chief Research & Development Officer (2021–2026), Vice President Research and Development, Insulation and Roofing (2019–2021), Vice President Research and Development, Insulation (2015–2019) and R&D Director, Insulation (2014–2015).
Kathleen Peters
LinkedInExperience: Chief Innovation Officer · Experian
Chief Innovation Officer at Experian since July 2020. Her other Experian rows include SVP, Head of Fraud and Identity Business (2018–2020) and SVP Product Management, Global Fraud & ID (2015–2018). She was also GM, North America and VP of Business Development at Cellcrypt, Inc. (2009–2013).
Ken Moore
LinkedInExperience: Chief Innovation Officer · Mastercard
Chief Innovation Officer at Mastercard since 2016; his profile says he is a member of the company's management committee and leads the Mastercard Foundry organization, responsible for the company's innovation agenda including incubating and bringing new products and services to market. He was Head of Citi Innovation Labs at Citi (2008–2016), and since 2022 he has been Expert in Residence at Harvard Innovation Labs and an Advisory Board Member at WIPO.
Mark Sandys
LinkedInExperience: Chief Innovation Officer · Diageo
Chief Innovation Officer at Diageo since July 2022. His other Diageo rows include Global Head of Beer, Baileys & Smirnoff (2016–2022), Global Head of Beer & Baileys (2014–2016), Category Director, Whisky & Reserve, Asia Pacific (2011–2014) and Marketing & Innovation Director, Russia & Eastern Europe (2008–2011). The profile describes Diageo as a global leader in beverage alcohol with over 200 brands.
Olivia Ronghong Qiu
LinkedInExperience: Chief Innovation Officer - Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) · Signify
Chief Innovation Officer - Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) at Signify since 2013; her profile describes Signify as a world leader in lighting. She was also Chief Innovation Officer, Philips Lighting at Philips (2013–2018), and her listing shows Chief Innovation Officer, Head of Global System Business at Philips Lighting (2017) and Chief Innovation Officer, Market Group Leader - Greater China at Philips Lighting (2014).
William Leo
LinkedInExperience: Chief Innovation Officer · Osotspa Public Company Limited
Chief Innovation Officer at Osotspa Public Company Limited since February 2023; his profile says he is responsible for leading a team delivering R&D (formulation, processing and packaging), Quality and Innovation program management. He was Head of R&D (2020–2023) and Supply Chain Technical Head (2020) at Osotspa, and Global R&D Director - Supply Chain Transformation, Foods & Refreshment at Unilever (2018–2019).
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's industry and the kind of innovation their role covers, such as research and development, new products or new business models, to the decision you face. Someone who came up through R&D will see the job differently from someone who came from product or business development, so read their listed roles before you reach out.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How do you decide which innovation bets to fund, and when do you stop the ones that are not working?
- 02Where should an innovation team sit relative to R&D, product and the business units, and why?
- 03Which measures have you used to show leadership that innovation spending is paying off?
Reaching chief innovation officers
How can I contact one of these chief innovation officers?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 10 companies, including Beyond Meat, AkzoNobel and Mauna Kea Technologies, based on profile data retrieved on September 29, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach chief innovation officers?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. It includes Instant Expert's 20% fee, so an offer that pays the person $100 costs you $125. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot and may describe past or present roles. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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