Innovation and Strategy

Nestle

Lydia Lawless, Ph.D., is the Senior Manager of Innovation & Strategy at Nestlé's R&D North America regional center. Since joining the team, Lydia has driven insights, design, retail test strategies, and capability building for both product and digital innovation. With a strong background in commercial and R&D roles, Lydia has contributed to the growth of an array of brands such as Coffee-mate, Starbucks, Nescafe, Maggi, and Nestlé Toll House. Prior to Nestlé, Lydia was a corporate strategist and R&D Scientist at The Hershey Company and also served as a sensory science consultant at Sensory Spectrum. Her leadership has significantly shaped R&D North America, fostering excellence in testing and evaluating growth opportunities for Nestlé.