BOSTON — Motif FoodWorks continues expanding its leadership team with the appointment of two new executives. Michael Leonard has been named chief technology officer at the ingredients innovation company, and Elizabeth King has been named vice-president of people and culture.
As chief technology officer and senior vice-president of research and development, Mr. Leonard will be responsible for overseeing Motif’s technical strategy and building the company’s R.&D. capabilities. He also will oversee the company’s industry and academic partnerships.
He brings more than 16 years of industrial science and technology experience to his new role. Previously, he was vice-president and head of R.&D. for white space innovation and commercialization at Kraft Heinz. Before that, he was vice-president of process technology for global snacks R.&D. at PepsiCo, Inc.
Ms. King has more than 12 years of experience leading human resources for both past-faced start-ups and small-to mid-sized companies, including Capsule8, Nuance Communications, BMC Software and RSA. She will be tasked with building a talent pipeline to attract and develop top food scientist and enthusiasts, the company said.
The new hires build on Motif’s recent momentum. In August, the company announced an additional $27.5 million in funding to bolster ongoing R.&D. and partnerships efforts. The company also deepened its leadership bench by bringing on Janet Collins as head of regulatory, government and industry affairs. Other recent hires include Julie Post-Smith, director of business development, and Morgan Keim, business development manager.