Food ingredient research and production company Corbion has announced that it has appointed three new strategic innovation directors to its leadership staff, including one for its Bakery business.

Kathy Sargent will oversee the Bakery segment’s innovation efforts for future business strategies. She joins Saurabh Kumar, who will guide strategic innovation for the Meat & Poultry segment, and Willy van Arkel, who will lead innovation for the Sweet & Savory segment.

“It's our job to act as the bridge between the business and R&D,” says Sargent. “To do that well, it's important for us to understand the science and technical side as well as the strategies driving our respective businesses.”

The three positions were created earlier this year to help Corbion generate new ideas for technologies, applications, and synergistic opportunities. As Sargent states, the roles will help maintain the linkage between business and innovation. The three come together to share new insights and explore how these multiple industries can be affected by R&D initiatives.