Thomas Alex completed his Master’s degree in Food Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich.

He has a great passion for food and is always up to date with the newest trends and innovations. He has a great deal of experience at national and leading multinational companies in the food and food supplier industry. He is fluent in German, English, French and Italian. Thomas is Managing Director of the Swiss Entities located in Zurich and Lausanne, and since he joined SAM in 2001, he has worked on all types of national and international projects for all kinds of products.

Stéphane Clément is a Food Engineer specialised in Food Science and Process from AgroParisTech. After 10 years in different food companies, he joined SAM and is currently a Managing Director. In this role, Stéphane manages the SAM France business across all facilities, working closely with our Site Managers and a very large team of fantastic collaborators.

“Nothing is impossible, and all problems get a solution” is his motto. He thrives on brainteasers such as logistic nightmares or complex fieldworks. Chocolate is his fuel, and his team knows it well. Fortunately, there is never lack of it our SAM facilities!

Adam is a Loughborough University graduate with more than 20 years' experience in research and insight agency roles. He is passionate about all things food & drink, but especially NPD and innovation.

Adam is the Managing Director of SAM in the UK, based out of our Reading office. His strong commercial background and innate sense of curiosity lends itself well to investigating new methods to deliver against our clients' thorny challenges.

Away from work, Adam can either be found spending time with his young family, walking the dog or training for his next Hyrox.

Peggy supports manufacturers, suppliers and distributors in the development and quality control of their products. Since achieving a MSc degree in Sensory Science in 1999, she has been supervising different teams both in fieldwork and customer service. Peggy is an expert member at AFNOR, the French Standardization Association. Lead by Peggy, her team are experienced in applying sensory science and consumer research methodologies across all industries. 

Are your products in Peggy's shopping cart? Peggy loves to discover and try the latest products on the market!

Lise holds a Master’s degree in Sensory Analysis from the University of Burgundy. She holds the Research Chair position at the ESN European Sensory Network and is leading standardization in Sensory Analysis worldwide through her positions as a Chairwoman of Sensory Analysis committees at AFNOR French Standardization Association and at ISO International Standardization Organization.

Lise has also been an Associate Professor in Sensory and Consumer Sciences for Innovation at Tours University in France since 2005.

She is a true Parisian and loves everything about her home city: the smell of rain on concrete in early spring, driving in narrow streets or shopping in busy places…

Sebastian holds a Diploma in Psychology from the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany. 

He has around 20 years of experience in market research, working alongside some of the world’s top brands in FMCG, household goods, OTC and the automotive industry. Sebastian has extensive experience in insight-based brand strategy and product development – and a strong passion for data visualisation. He is managing the SAM business in Germany, which has two facilities in Hamburg and Munich.

With three teenage children, Sebastian has grown to become an expert on Hip Hop, Billie Eilish and all kinds of anime. He loves cooking – even though he is not necessarily very good at it.

Nisha is a Computer Science Engineer and holds an MBA degree in Human Resources.

Having lived and worked in Asia, Africa and Europe, Nisha started her career in 2009 and has worked in different sectors before joining SAM. She is passionate about Talent Management, Learning and Development and Organizational Design.

She comes from the city of Chandigarh, situated on the foothills of Himalayas and designed by the French architect Le Corbusier. She loves to read, travel and explore different cultures. She would like to learn French patisserie one day!

Eva completed her MSC in International Business from LSBU, London. She has more than 20 years’ experience in market research in different international executive roles. Since 2020, she has been managing SAM. 

Born in Barcelona and based in Hamburg, Eva is forever trying to learn German. She loves travelling and dining out to explore cuisines from around the world. She keeps fit by running in airports, where she can be often spotted trying not to miss a flight!

Mark holds a degree in Economics & Geography from Portsmouth University and is a certified member of the Market Research Society. He has specialised in consumer and sensory research for over 30 years, on both the agency and client sides, and is a huge advocate of the combined use of consumer research and sensory profiling to better understand consumer responses and to help product developers improve their products. Mark joined PPL Insights in 2008, where he now manages the sensory panel team as well as one of the consumer research teams.

Outside of work, Mark is a long-suffering West Ham supporter and fills any spare time, that family life allows, by making and painting models and entering them into national and international competitions.

Joyce received her Master of Marketing Research degree from the University of Georgia.  After graduated she worked with Hallmark Cards and General Mills for 17 years across a wide range of flagship brands and retail and food service channels.  Joyce is the Managing Director for SAM’s USA business (The National Food Lab), where she has worked since 2012.   Joyce loves the variety of work, often heard saying she has “never been bored in 12 years!” and is passionate about providing the highest quality service and actionable insights to all clients. 

Outside of work, Joyce is most often found in the stadiums cheering on her three sports-minded children, or working in the garden, or quilting during the long, cold Minnesota winters.

Paolo studied Medicine and Economics at the Universities of Pisa and Parma respectively.
But his passion for food and wine have driven his interest to the sensory science world. 

Paolo is the Managing Director of SAM Italy, based in Milan, since its foundation in 2002. He has a strong background in consulting in sensory and consumer research and in client service, having built very strong relationships with the major companies in Italy.
 
The seaside village in Tuscany, where he comes from, influenced his choice to live in front of a lake: from the saltwater to the freshwater!

Laura started her career in 2010, first in FMCG companies, before joining SAM. She provides high-level consultancy to SAM clients on best approaches for successful products, as well as leading and coaching our client service teams. Holding a Master’s degree in Food Sciences and Applied Statistics, she also loves to dive deep into data analysis. 

After having to postpone her wedding twice because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Laura spends her free time taking care of her two little girls and dreaming about her upcoming honeymoon. Hopefully, in 2022, they will finally tie the knot!

Joshua graduated as an Agronomy Engineer specialised in Food Science in Montpellier. She began her career in research, first for the French Research Institute INRA and afterwards for Firmenich. If you’re curious about the Impact of Fruit Piece Structure in Yogurts on the Dynamics of Aroma Release and Sensory Perception, you should read the article she wrote! 

Joshua manages the sensory project managers team across different facilities that are continuously applying different sensory methodologies to handle panel experts’ session preparation and animation for both routine studies with dedicated panels and for ad-hoc projects. 

She would love to install a beehive on her small Parisian terrace or on SAM’s roof to make honey to give away as gifts!

Michelle brings over 20 years of experience in innovation and brand research, partnering with top Fortune 500 companies on both domestic and international projects. As Client Service Director in Plymouth, Minnesota, she delivers integrated research and development solutions that combine sensory science with strategic insights across diverse disciplines.

Before joining SAM, Michelle worked with leading research organizations specializing in innovation and brand measurement.

Outside of work, Michelle enjoys cooking and hosting gatherings, playing volleyball, traveling, and spending quality time with her family and dog.

An accomplished expert with 25 years of experience in Sensory and Consumer Science within the food industry, specializing in products, ingredients, aromas, and flavors. Skilled across multiple categories in Consumer Science, CPG, and Market Research, Matha's expertise lie in the full New Product Development cycle—from innovation through to launch.

Martha's career highlights include leadership roles at many leading brands and global companies. Martha is known for building strong, cohesive teams and designing impactful research programs that balance business results with continuous learning.

Originally from Mexico City, she's a proud parent of triplets and passionate about cooking, painting, and exploring new gastronomic experiences.

Yann holds a Master’s degree in Sensory Analysis from the University of Burgundy in Dijon. He started his career as a Sensory Scientist on the client side, working for different global companies, and joined SAM in 2008. 

He has 20 years of experience in FMCG and the automotive industry, and extensive know-how in test design conception, statistics and product optimisation. As a Research Director, he is also responsible for leading and developing the project management team. 

Physical activities are an essential part of Yann’s life. He therefore spends most of his leisure time outside (mainly in the mountains) with his family and friends. And even at home, Yann can’t just stay inactive and has become a passionate “DIYer”!

Tracey has a Food Science degree from the University of Reading which is where her interest in Sensory Science began. She is also a Registered Sensory Scientist with the IFST for which she is an active member of the Sensory Science Group. Tracey loves the variety of clients and projects that the business brings as well as our unique community of colleagues.

Outside of work, Tracey can occasionally be found with her running shoes on, on her yoga mat, playing with her grandson, or with her head in a book.

Song SHENG completed his master’s degree in Sensory science and Food engineering from University of Burgundy - AgroSup Dijon, France.

Song has designed and managed sensory and consumer insight projects across APAC & EUROPE for multinational clients. He is Managing Director of the China Entity located in Shanghai.

Patricia Silva holds a Ph.D. in Sensory Science and Consumer Behaviour by Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Since 2012, she has being working in sensory and consumer science, experiencing both academic and industrial research. 
She is an expert on measuring emotions as a tool to understand consumers food choices and consumption habits. Patricia is the Managing Director of the Spanish Entity in Barcelona, Spain. She loves traveling, hiking and discovering new places to enjoy food and a drink or two with friends.

Nicola is a Biochemist who began her career as a research scientist at the Mars Petcare Science Institute.  She then worked in claims substantiation and innovation for over 10 years at Walgreens Boots Alliance, most recently leading a team specializing in clinical and consumer testing of skincare and cosmetic products. As a Research Director, Nicola is responsible for fieldwork and consumer recruitment.

Outside of work, Nicola sings in a choir and loves to annoy her two children by practicing around the house.  A trip to the theatre followed by a meal is her ideal night out.

Pushan Tagore completed his MSc in International Management from Oxford Brookes University, UK.

He has more than 20 years of market research experience in various positions of increasing responsibility at regional & global level on both client & agency side.

Born in Germany, he has lived, studied & worked in 6 countries on 3 continents. Along with his wife, Pushan is an avid traveller with 70 countries ticked off his bucket list. When he is not exploring a new destination, he can be found either experimenting in his own kitchen or food tasting in restaurants.

Ivan was born in Milan - the “City” of Duomo Cathedral, fashion, design, Inter-Milan and “Risotto alla Milanese”!

After his graduation in Food Engineering, he started his career in the quality department and marketing teams, gaining experience across different Food companies. In 2007, he moved to SAM as Research Manager developing and honing his knowledge and skills within many sensory analysis roles. He currently leads a project management team as Research Director.

Ivan also loves visiting new places - near and far - scattered all over the world as well as writing travel itineraries for a website.