Dr. Hamed Faridi, Ph.D. is the founder of Faridi Strategy Group LLC and serves as the Executive Director of the McCormick Science Institute (https://www.mccormickscienceinstitute.com/).
Hamed is renowned as an innovative food industry leader, business executive, strategist, and board director. He is a visionary leader who conceives and implements innovative approaches – often using technology – to create and sustain business growth in the highly competitive food manufacturing industry. Hamed is known as someone who creates “momentum” and superior customer intimacy.
Hamed is a sought-after consultant and frequent industry speaker with valuable perspectives on the food industry and the “future of food”. He has a reputation for developing strong and trusting relationships with CEOs, executive leaders, industry peers, and board directors. He is considered an effective communicator, a good listener, and a team-mate whose insights are valued. He has significant experience in the technology, health care, and food / flavor industries.
Hamed has served on boards of directors of several organizations including Maryland University of Integrative Health, St. Joseph Medical Center, and the International Association of Cereal Chemists. He has been a director and president of both the Flavor & Extract Manufacturers Association and the American Association of Cereal Chemists. He has served on the partnership committee of a McCormick joint venture and on the advisory boards of the food science departments of four different universities.
Hamed retired in 2020 as the Chief Science Officer at McCormick & Company (https://www.mccormick.com/) – a $5.5B global manufacturer and marketer of flavors, spices, seasoning and condiments to the entire food industry – since 2011. Reporting to the CEO, Hamed led a global team of over 500 scientists and flavorists with responsibility for thought leadership, scientific research, product development, sustainability as well as the company’s health and wellness initiative.
Since joining McCormick in 1997, Hamed has built, transformed, and led a research and development program that is regarded by investors as well as by customers as one of the most innovative in the food industry.
Hamed led the creation of the McCormick Science Institute – an independent organization that advances scientific understanding of the role of culinary spices and herbs on healthy eating and public health. A truly transformative initiative aligning with USDA, FDA, HHS, and the White House.
In partnership with IBM, Hamed has also created the first artificial intelligence (AI) platform for food and flavor product development. By using AI, he reduced product development time and significantly increased product success rates. This cutting-edge technology has set McCormick apart from its competitors, ushered in a new era of flavor innovation, and has the potential to change the course of the industry. He has been featured in Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Baltimore Sun and on BBC radio.
Hamed has been recognized numerous times for his lifetime of dedication to the field of food science. His awards include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, The Ohio State University Harris Award, the “Upwardly Mobile” Outstanding Leadership Award, the FEMAs Distinguished Service Award, and the Kansas State University Outstanding Alumni Award. He is a Fellow of IFT and AACC.
Prior to McCormick, Hamed held a progression of more responsible R&D roles at the Nabisco Company where he led or helped lead the development of several successful new products and technologies. He served on the six-member CEO-led team to design “Nabisco for 21st century”, in collaboration with McKinsey &Co. Earlier he spent four years on the food science faculty at Washington State University. He has published six books and dozens of papers.
Blessed with diverse experiences in his career, he wants to contribute to companies providing insights into business-relevant technology, science, and innovation, as well as Private Equity Funds for evaluating potential M&A.
Hamed earned his MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University and his PhD and MS in food science from Kansas State University.
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