On the evening of 4th June, a select group of consumer innovation leaders will gather in London NW1 to celebrate the teams actively driving the future of consumer R&D. Hosted to mark the launch of Untapping Innovation – a new R&D playbook from three former Procter & Gamble experts – the event is dedicated to the cross-functional teams behind the next wave of consumer products. The evening brings together expert speakers from across FMCG categories, thought-provoking panel discussions, and the chance to connect with cross-industry peers over food and drinks.
Whether attendees work directly in R&D or across the multi-functional innovation teams that surround it, the night is shaped as a recognition of the energy, creativity and expertise that goes into bringing new products to life, and the perspectives that will shape what comes next.
Speakers include Florence Adepoju, founder of MDMFlow and cosmetic scientist advisor; Tamar Kasriel, strategic foresight consultant and author of Could; and Michael Hughes, strategic advisor and chairman of Nelsons.
They will be joined on the expert panel by John Metselaar (innovation and leadership expert, ex-P&G VP), Murat Demiral (formerly insights leader at P&G, Coke and Ipsos Strategy), Margaret Bates (circular economy, packaging and policy expert) and Tim Ingmire (VP Global Innovation and New Technology, pladis Global). Together they bring perspectives spanning beauty, food, packaging, foresight and global brand-building. The event is hosted by the authors of Untapping Innovation – Deirdre Walters, Sally Kemkers and Suzanne Allers – who will introduce the book and lead conversations on the practical realities of consumer R&D today.
The partners met at Procter & Gamble and are now founding partners of Untapped Innovation, a global agency that has worked with R&D teams at PepsiCo, P&G, Unilever and Reckitt, alongside extensive work across the beauty sector. Untapping Innovation arrives at a moment when R&D teams face a sobering reality: 75-85% of consumer product launches fail. The book sets out to address that gap, offering practical, flexible tools that help teams make better decisions earlier – unearthing deep user insights, translating them into products that resonate, and telling the stories that connect them with the people they are designed for. Grounded in decades of hands-on experience inside global consumer goods companies, it positions itself as a capability handbook for R&D professionals working in an era that is more demanding than ever.
For the beauty industry in particular, where product cycles are shortening, sustainability and regulatory demands are growing, and consumer expectations shift faster than ever, the conversations that night promise to be especially timely.
All attendees will receive a copy of the playbook, and there will be plenty of space across the evening to swap notes, share challenges and celebrate the work going on behind the scenes in R&D and innovation teams across the industry.
CEW is proud to offer members a complimentary ticket: Reserve your place HERE
