Sandro Sato Tomita

Strategy · Innovation · Natural colours

Turning market insight into colourful growth

Senior commercial leader with 21+ years in the global B2B ingredients industry, at BASF, Novozymes, DSM and dsm-firmenich. Today Global Head Coloration at dsm-firmenich, and Executive Director and Board Member of NATCOL from 2021 to 2025. I help companies set strategy, open markets and lead the move to natural colours.

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Portrait of Sandro Sato Tomita
21+years in B2B ingredients
21people led as Marketing Director EMEA
+40%project funnel growth at DSM EMEA
4languages: EN, DE, ES, PT

How I can help

Three ways to work together

Open to leadership roles, advisory mandates and consulting projects.

Advisory

Strategy consulting

  • Growth roadmaps and portfolio strategy
  • M&A, JV and partnership screening
  • Market intelligence and competitor benchmarking
  • Shift from product-centric to customer-centric

Specialist

Natural colours expert

  • Carotenoids and natural colour portfolios
  • Reformulation away from synthetic and azo dyes
  • Regulatory dialogue: EFSA, FDA, ANVISA
  • Colour solutions for beverages, incl. clear shades

Commercial

Business development

  • New markets and regional expansion
  • Key accounts with major CPG companies
  • Pricing and value redesign
  • Building and coaching commercial teams

Experience

A career across food, nutrition, cosmetics and aroma

2020 – today

Global Head Coloration & Carotenoids

dsm-firmenich, Switzerland

Set the global coloration and carotenoids strategy. Led consumer and industry research, closed business gaps through partnerships, venturing and M&A shortlists, and co-developed emulsifier-based solutions for crystal-clear beverage shades.

2021 – 2025

Executive Director & Board Member

NATCOL, natural food colours association

Represented the natural colours industry with EFSA, FDA and ANVISA. Co-developed the association's long-term strategy, led its geographic expansion and built its digital communication platform.

2017 – 2020

Marketing Director EMEA

DSM, Switzerland

Led a 21-person team across marketing, market development, communications and insights. Moved the organisation to segment-centric marketing and grew the project funnel by 40%.

2015 – 2017

Senior Global Marketing Manager, Baking

Novozymes, Switzerland

Ran the global strategy for baking enzymes, defended products through patent expiry and led a value redesign targeting a 10% price improvement.

2002 – 2015

Strategy, business and product leadership

BASF, Germany and Brazil

Senior Global Strategy Manager building M&A and JV roadmaps. Head of Beverage & Premix Business Europe. Global Product Manager for carotenoids, Omega-3 and aroma chemicals. Earlier, key accounts in Brazil including P&G, Unilever and J&J.

2000 – 2002

Technical Services & Sales, Food & Pharma

Merck, Brazil

Education

Engineer by training

  • 2015Harvard Business School, Team Management
  • 2012Hult Ashridge Executive Education, Marketing
  • 2007Fundação Dom Cabral, Administration, Marketing, Logistics
  • 2001–03ESPM, MBA in Marketing
  • 1996–2000Escola de Engenharia Mauá, Food Engineering

Skills

Strategist by practice

Market developmentMarket analysisInnovationM&A screeningPricing strategyRegulatory affairsTeam leadershipCustomer orientationDigital marketing (Google)English · German · Spanish · Portuguese

Contact

Let's talk about your next growth step

Open to leadership roles, advisory boards and consulting projects. Based in the Basel region, Switzerland.