Nigel Hughes

Nigel Hughes was the Senior Vice President, Global R&D and Innovation at the Kellogg Company from 2017 until 2023 and is known for merging technical insights with business model and commercial opportunities to lead teams in creating delicious, accessible foods for billions of people around the world. He was a member of Kellogg Company’s executive committee leadership team.

Prior to this role, Dr. Hughes was Chief Research and Development Officer for SC Johnson. Previously, Dr. Hughes spent ten years with Danone, first serving as VP and head of R&D for the company’s global dairy business, and then as CEO of Danone’s Nutricia business, which specializes in baby food and clinical nutrition.

Dr. Hughes expanded into commercial and innovation after starting his career on the technical side. Prior to Danone, Dr. Hughes spent 14 years at Unilever first as a research scientist and then as Head of the Oral Care Global Innovation Center.

Dr. Hughes earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Durham, United Kingdom and a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry from the University of Oxford. Post his corporate career Dr Hughes spends his time guiding and mentoring startup companies in the consumer space and has set up a tour guiding company in Washington DC.