VIVEK GNANASEKHARAN

SENIOR CONSULTANT

Vivek Gnanasekharan recently retired as Director of Global Innovation at Nestlé Nutrition North America (Gerber) after a 11 year career with the company with focus on providing leadership in Research and Development, as well as, strategic leadership for products, process and packaging development and brand maintenance. Vivek has extensive cross-functional experience with marketing, finance, operations, sales, consumer insights, product supply, procurement and contract manufacturing.   Prior to joining Gerber Products Company, he had a thirteen year career with Frito Lay in Plano, Texas in a variety of roles including new business propositions, process development, and team leadership.  His technology expertise includes baking, extrusion (low and high pressure), freeze drying, thermal processing (hot fill, retort, and asecptic), compression popping and pellet expansion, HPP, sheeting and molding, and frying. Vivek has a Ph.D, in Food Engineering from Purdue University, a Masters Degree from the University of Georgia in Food Science and Technology, and a Bachelors Degree in Chemical Engineering from Annamalai University.