Olaf Gruess

Olaf Gruess serves as the Director of Partner Development at Cargill since September 2021 and holds various advisory roles, including Advisor, Mentor, and Judge at MassChallenge Switzerland since June 2020, and as a Scientific Advisory Board Member at Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik e. V. since September 2013. Olaf has extensive experience at General Mills from November 1999 to August 2021, where key positions included Open Innovation Head, Technology Manager, and various roles in product development, leading to significant cost savings and successful product launches. Olaf has also contributed to multiple organizations as a mentor and judge in European food innovation forums. Education includes a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from The University of Bonn and a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Science from Ghent University.