I’m a senior R&D manager/executive and an ambitious individual that thrives on challenging assignments, grows into any role and gets the best out of the people, organisations and external partners I work with. I am action and results driven while having a strong sense for strategic direction. I pride myself in being able to lead a multi-cultural organisation with different skill sets and points of view, and distill that into a project and business direction, while further developing organisational efficiency. Over the past years in P&G and Avery Dennison, I have been thriving at the intersection of in-depth technical expertise and the Commercial go-to-market capability. Although I have been in R&D positions, I have broad business building and commercial knowledge. On top, I bring extensive innovation skills that enable discontinuous growth, while being recognised as a global, cross-cultural Open Innovation expert with 6 years experience working across Asia.

Founder @ Budding Innovations Pte. Ltd. is a renewed concept of Innovation & Technology Management Consultancy (ITMC). We take a hands-on approach in catalysing the potential of our clients. We achieve this through bespoke, customised collaborations for their specific and unique technology and business needs – no two situations or companies are ever the same. We join them as a Mentor, embed ourselves in their organization, or put real “skin in the game” by taking a stake in the available IP and structure a Start-up company around it. From September 2015 to Present (2 months) SingaporeCEO & Co-Founder @ From August 2015 to Present (3 months) SingaporeGlobal Technical Director - Durables @ Managing a Global organisation and portfolio of new product innovations. This includes delivery of short term bankable innovations and developing a mid- to long-term innovation strategy to drive ambitious business growth in Automotive, Consumer Electronics (Mobile devices, IT & Peripherals, ...), Household appliances, industrial & medical applications, and others segments. Deliver internal organisational and capability growth, while implementing tailored best in class approaches to Open Innovation. * Been the architect behind the first ever Avery Dennison Durables long term technology strategy, delivering against the business growth needs, customer trends and technology evolution across key Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Tire and adhesive platform businesses. Delivered and aligned across the broad technical and commercial organisation the strategy and action plan to link technology developments with product commercialisation opportunities. * Delivered a significant technology pipeline value growth across the multiple stages of technology readiness, enabling sustainable long term growth in segment focus areas. * Identified and led the partnering opportunities with start-ups to allow entry into New to Avery Dennison adjacency businesses. Recognised and translated technical and business opportunities into an action plan for the broader Avery Dennison and partner organisation. Developments have reached commercial sampling stage rapidly by following minimal viable product prototyping, and developing pipeline thinking. From November 2013 to March 2015 (1 year 5 months) Hong KongDirector Open Innovation Asia-Pacific @ Head of Connect & Develop Program Asia-Pacific. Taken on responsibility to define the Open Innovation strategy to align internal company needs with external Asian scalable opportunities across P&G business units. Primarily focusing on the Life Sciences, but having responsibility across technical platforms including particle science, sustainable & new materials, modeling & simulations and more. Having additional responsibility as P&G portfolio manager with A*STAR and owner to establish a new global capability on Innovation Service Providers. * Build a network of collaborating partners across Asia to complement the internal R&D capability needs across Homecare, Beauty & Hair Care and Healthcare businesses. Been leading the partner identification and collaboration framework, while setting up internal capability to allow R&D project owners to translate their technical needs into a collaboration charter. • During my initial months in the role, the relationship with A*STAR has deepened with several multi-generation and platform programs in place. Relationship insights have been translated into project agreement enhancements. Delivered new Innovation Center capabilities across R&D functions, while driving a site community fostering an Open Innovation mindset. Identified critical new technologies and successfully drove Business Unit adoption into Product innovation programs while broading regional collaboration networks to enable wider future collaborations. Defined a vision for cross partner collaboration in Singapore as well as cross regional to leverage Best in Class research and develop new capability platforms. Developed a novel global approach for an external Innovation Service Provider portfolio and adoption program for the full R&D organisation. This program is reviewed by P&Gs global leadership and implemented across across 2013. From January 2013 to November 2013 (11 months) SingaporeSection Head R&D PR Personal Health Care Asia @ R&D Products Research Section Head for Personal Health Care Asia, managing a section of 6 direct reports, including 2 senior managers. • R&D Products Research Franchise and Innovation leader. Taken responsibility for the PGT Healthcare Asia regional Innovation program, managing current Vicks business, geographical and Brand portfolio expansion. Drive scale and innovation potential through the global organization, and the PGT Healthcare Joint Venture. Taken added responsibility as the OneAsia Digital tools leader, identifying a framework of knowledge management and digital research tools. • Build the consumer and technical knowledge infrastructure and capability to build a 5 year innovation pipeline, while designing and implementing core initiative base plans for critical shorter term growth plans. Fully leverage the capabilities of the P&G Health Care organization and integrate this with the added opportunities through the TEVA Joint Venture, to define Launch and Leverage plans enabling the ambitious JV expansion and Business Building objectives. Build capabilities through external partner network with companies like Affinova, FocusVision and Advancy, while championing within my organization to include external capabilities in their program work. From April 2011 to January 2013 (1 year 10 months) SingaporeR&D Product Research Section Head for F&HC LIMS & Global LIMS Liquid Detergent platform @ • R&D Products Research Wet Platform leader. Added the responsibility for the Global LIMS liquids business innovation pipeline and vision development. Define global solutions enabling the Expanding Markets to deliver against their business visions and consumer innovation needs. Drive scale and simplification through global initiative leadership • Established the initial cross-functional 5 year vision statement and identifying leading ideas to drive global cost, technology and consumer insight innovation. Drive strong global team interdependence with platform members located across all LIMS regions. From June 2010 to April 2011 (11 months) Beijing, ChinaR&D Product Research Section Head for Fabric & Home Care Low Income Markets (LIMS) @ • R&D Greater China Ariel Franchise owner. Definition of the multi-year Ariel Franchise innovation master plan. Seamless partnership with business team and broad network of technical functions in defining, qualifying and delivering the initiative programs. Drive organizational growth & capabilities – develop the future leaders. • To date, Ariel is fastest growing Brand in our multi-category portfolio with a strong multi-generation idea pipeline defined. Multiple new programs have been implemented driving up Research and QA capability, employee retention and satisfaction numbers are up and we enhanced operational excellence. From October 2008 to April 2011 (2 years 7 months) Beijing, ChinaSpecial assignment - R&D Formula Design Senior Scientist for Fabric & Home Care Low Income Markets @ • Formula design ownership for Automatic Machine detergent formulation platform for Middle East & Africa – Deliver next generation lifeblood formulations (Ariel, Tide, Bonux), define low cost formulation strategy, design formulation simplification approach for future expansion markets. • Delivered winning formulation approach and multi-million dollar cost optimizations, future formulation strategy/simplifications defined and right to win measured in in-market consumer testing. From April 2008 to September 2008 (6 months) Brussels Area, BelgiumR&D Products Research Senior Scientist (Group Head) for Fabric & Home Care Low Income Markets (LIMS) @ • Identify Brand portfolio expansion opportunities and develop initiative master plans for Sub-Sahara Africa and Near East. Lead consumer understanding and qualification programs and partner seamlessly with Business team to define holistic commercial proposition. Owner of a site-wide organizational growth enabling program for Research and Senior Researcher community. • Pipeline for expansion opportunities identified and commercial propositions mapped out, both in established markets and whitespaces – initial launches have been successfully executed based on the outcome. Highly rated Site program up and running for researcher/Senior researcher community – being expanded now to other levels in the company. From 2007 to 2008 (1 year) Brussels Area, BelgiumR&D Products Research Senior Scientist (Group Head) for Fabric & Home Care Low Income Markets (LIMS) @ • Owner of Tide current business support for Middle East and Africa. Deliver a winning LIMS global Tide lifeblood initiative including benefit supporting technology bricks. Ensure overall initiative readiness supporting the Brand growth glidepath – seamless partnership with business team. • Delivered a set of Tide initiatives (Mother Brand innovation & line extensions) supporting double digit regional volume growth and implemented multi-million dollar cost innovation programs. From 2005 to 2007 (2 years) Brussels Area, BelgiumR&D Products Research Scientist for P&G Professional, @ True Professional Kitchen & Housekeeping Initiative (Global Accounts Manager), Global. • R&D responsible and Technical Brand manager role for development and delivery of total cleaning solution. Design the proposition to fit the needs of a major global food catering provider. Leader of external connect & development work. Technical relationship owner with global client and support of commercial contract negotiation. • Holistic proposition developed and consumer/customer right to win defined. Proposition preferred over competitive offerings – elements of total proposition reapplied for additional global and regional clients. From 2003 to 2005 (2 years) Brussels Area, BelgiumR&D Products Research Scientist for P&G Professional @ Professional Housekeeping and Kitchen Hygiene, Western Europe. • Technical Brand manager role and R&D responsible for Professional customer Housekeeping and Kitchen hygiene solution development. Safety coordinator role – drive departmental safety compliance and identify/implement system improvements. • Professional Housekeeping and Kitchen hygiene proposition qualified, successfully trialed with a major UK care-home chain and ready for national roll-out. Global equipment platform set-up driving maximal scale and driving applications for regional markets. Significant safety incident reduction, maximum safety training and compliance rate in department – Recognition for best safety system on site. From 2002 to 2003 (1 year) Brussels Area, Belgium

PhD, Biochemistry @ University of Antwerp From 1996 to 2002 PhD Biochemistry (Lifesciences), Lifescience, Understanding of invasive mechanisms on Malignant Glioblastomas @ University of Antwerp From 1994 to 2002 Bert Grobben is skilled in: FMCG, Consumer Behaviour, Management, Consumer Products, Customer Insight, Product Innovation, Personal Care, Brand Equity, R&D, Open Innovation, Product Development, Shopper Marketing, Market Research, Cross-functional Team..., Business Strategy, Leadership, Trade Marketing, Competitive Analysis, Strategic Thinking, Strategy, Innovation Management, Brand Management, Market Analysis, Consumer Insight, Marketing Management, Marketing Research, P&L Management, Project Management, Strategic Planning, Business Development