Technical depth meets business fluency
A Master's in Flavours and a degree in Biochemistry, plus a Micro MBA from Nestlé Rive Reine and a Columbia Business School certificate in Digital Strategy. I speak both languages, and translate between them.
About · Amandine Devergies
Innovation coach, scientist by training, and relentlessly curious person. I've spent 20+ years figuring out how to turn ideas into food products that actually reach consumers.
Scientist. Strategist. Coach.
My story
I didn't start in business school. I started in a biochemistry lab in Paris, then trained as a flavorist, learning how food actually works at a molecular level. That scientific foundation shapes everything I do: I'm trained to ask "why does this work?" before accepting that it does.
Over 20 years, I moved from regulatory affairs and R&D into product innovation, then into global strategy and coaching, deliberately building business fluency alongside technical depth. I worked on frozen food in Ohio, chilled dairy in France and coffee strategy at Nestlé in Switzerland. Today I'm Senior Global Innovation Coach at Cereal Partners Worldwide. Each role added a dimension: consumer insight, cross-functional leadership, digital transformation, AI.
I've coached teams through it all, not as a consultant parachuted in with a framework, but as someone who has lived these challenges from the inside.
What's unusual about my profile is the combination. I understand the regulatory constraints that stop ideas cold. I know what R&D can and cannot prototype quickly. I've navigated the politics of a global joint venture. That's what lets me help teams move faster without cutting corners.
The method is not only for global groups. I used it on a very small budget for my own venture, Cap Clarté, and it works the same way for an SME or a start-up: the budget and the pace change, the logic does not. Depending on the need, that means running a whole innovation journey or one focused step: a workshop, a consumer diagnostic, a quick test, a repositioning, or a clear go-or-stop decision.
What I bring
A Master's in Flavours and a degree in Biochemistry, plus a Micro MBA from Nestlé Rive Reine and a Columbia Business School certificate in Digital Strategy. I speak both languages, and translate between them.
I've worked inside regulatory affairs, R&D, product design, global strategy and team coaching, in the same industry, for 20 years. I know where the obstacles are, and how to work around them.
I brought AI into my innovation practice years before it became a trend: faster insight generation, faster prototypes, 1–2 hours saved per day. I teach teams to use it without becoming dependent on it.
Career
Cereal Partners Worldwide (Nestlé & General Mills) · Vevey, Switzerland
Coaching global innovation teams with Lean Startup methods and AI-accelerated tools, to move ideas to validated concepts faster.
Nestlé · Orbe, Switzerland
Identified 10+ consumer concepts aligned with a new Nespresso business strategy. Integrated generative AI into daily innovation workflows.
10+ concepts1–2 h saved per day with GenAI
Nestlé · Konolfingen, Switzerland · Dairy, plant-based, cocoa & malt, healthy cereals, culinary
Led a team designing consumer-validated innovation concepts at speed, and built AI-enabled tools for insight mining. Half of my direct reports earned promotions or permanent contracts.
50+ concepts in 2–3 months−30% data-mining time50% of team promoted
Nestlé · Lisieux, France
Designed a yogurt concept that beat the market leader in consumer tests, and sped up project conversion through better methods and joint-venture stakeholder management.
+20% vs. market leader50–66% faster conversion
Nestlé · Solon, Ohio, USA
From our Ohio base, designed a frozen pizza concept for the European market, with 7 years of consistent sales growth. Introduced a "freedom within the frame" ideation approach.
7 years of growth4.7/5 Amazon rating10+ breakthrough ideas in 6 months
Jenny Craig · Carlsbad, California, USA
Revitalised 50% of the portfolio and launched weight-loss food products across 500+ US locations.
Nestlé Nutrition · Lausanne, Switzerland
Cross-category regulatory expertise (sports nutrition, weight management, infant nutrition), then R&D project management, bridging scientific rigour and commercial timelines.
IDACE / SNIAA · Paris, France
Regulatory affairs at industry-association level across infant, medical and sports nutrition and food flavouring.
Symrise · Heritage Novandie · France
The sensory and formulation foundation of my consumer-centred approach to innovation.
Education
What I believe
Innovation is not a department. It's a practice, and like any practice, it gets better with repetition, honest feedback and the courage to test what you believe.
The best ideas rarely come from the loudest person in the room. They come from the team that feels safe enough to say "I don't know", and curious enough to find out.
AI is the most powerful tool I've added to my practice. But a tool is only as good as the judgment behind it.
What colleagues say
“One of Amandine's standout qualities is her ability to lead innovation workshops with strong drive and a positive mindset. She consistently challenges the team at just the right moments, fostering a creative and consumer-centric approach to problem-solving.”
LLaurence Donato-Capel“Regardless of the challenges — tight deadlines, market complexities, stakeholder management — Amandine always found a pragmatic solution. She is passionate, incredibly organised and knows how to get the best out of people.”
NNeil Patel“Amandine's ability to build cohesive, trusting teams and foster a positive workplace culture is admirable. She transforms every environment she touches with her innovative mindset and inspiring leadership.”
ZZsuzsanna Toth“Amandine's dedication to excellence, drive in positive engagement with teams and stakeholders — with a remarkable energy — is a key asset to drive business innovation and foster a collaborative working environment.”
FFrançois-Pierre MartinOrganisations where I built my expertise
The best way to reach me is on LinkedIn, or by email. I also write Notes on Reinvention, a newsletter on testing before investing.
