INNOVATION: How IFF is Accelerating Bioscience Transformation with Leticia Gonçalves - Ep. 288

Leticia Gonçalves, President of Health and Biosciences at IFF, joins Victoria Meyer to share her journey from her early days as a chemical engineer in Brazil to leading global businesses at Monsanto, Bayer, ADM, and now IFF. The conversation focused on biosciences as a growth engine for IFF and the broader chemical industry, tackling complex challenges, and the importance of turning science into scalable, commercial solutions. 

Leticia discusses portfolio transformation at IFF, the shift toward health and biosciences, and the essential role of ecosystem partnerships. She offers practical insights on making tough strategic choices, driving innovation with purpose, and leading organizational transformation through clarity, trust, and learning agility. 

Victoria and Leticia discuss the following: 

Career journey: From chemical engineering to global biotech leadership. How a “no one thought possible” GMO project became a Harvard Business Case. Reshaping IFF: Why health and biosciences matter now. The core requirements for science commercialization: performance, cost, and sustainability. Building innovation at scale, inside and outside the company, with partners and patient capital. Culture change and leadership through transformation: making big bets, failing fast, and learning as a team. What’s next for industrial biotech and advice for rising leaders in the chemical industry. 

Killer Quote: “The number one trait of a good leader is learning agility… Surround yourself with good leaders, apply a humble, hungry, and curious approach to everything you do. Humble to keep learning, hungry to achieve big things, and curious to always find new opportunities.” - Leticia Gonçalves