Lester Donato

Lester Donato has an extensive work experience in finance and accounting. Lester started their career at IFF in 2005, where they held the positions of Staff Accountant and Cost Accountant. In these roles, they were responsible for coordinating billing and inventory control, facilitating costing of goods, and reviewing cost fluctuations.

In 2010, Lester joined Firmenich as a Plant Controller and later moved up to become the Director of Finance for various divisions, including Supply Chain Americas, Latin America Perfumery, and the Global Fine Fragrance division. In these roles, they provided strategic finance business partnership and played a key role in influencing strategic and operational decisions. Lester developed commercial proposals, evaluated capital investments, and managed global financial metrics across multiple regions. Lester consistently provided valuable insights and financial analysis to the executive team.

In 2023, Lester joined DSM-Firmenich as the Finance Lead for Global Fine Fragrance & Personal Care, where they continue to utilize their financial expertise and business acumen.

Lester Donato's education history includes a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Management from Monmouth University, which was obtained from 2000 to 2005. More recently, they earned an Executive Education Certificate in Strategic Thinking from IMD, which was completed in 2021. Additionally, Lester has obtained various certifications from LinkedIn, including Managing Projects with Microsoft Teams, Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers, Creative Thinking, Decision-Making in High-Stress Situations, Improving Your Thinking, Leading Remote Projects and Virtual Teams, Leading without Formal Authority, Mergers & Acquisitions, Unconscious Bias, Identify Sales Growth Opportunities, and Sales Forecasting.