Leeds, England, United Kingdom
With over 20 years in the personal care, healthcare, and chemical industries, I founded Olalla Consulting to assist brands and startups in transforming innovative ideas into market-ready cosmetic and household products. Our services encompass concept development, custom formulation, stability and specification testing, claims substantiation, and regulatory compliance, ensuring products are effective, safe, and compliant. Leveraging experience with global brands such as Isdin, Dove, Rexona, Lynx, Oilatum, Cetraben, Zoflora, and Scrubs, we provide tailored solutions that align with your brand's vision and meet consumer expectations. Passionate about sustainable and eco-friendly formulations, we integrate green chemistry principles to develop products that are both high-performing and environmentally responsible. Whether you're a startup seeking guidance through the product development process or an established brand aiming to innovate, Olalla Consulting is your trusted partner in creating products that stand out in the market.
Overseen the technical strategy ahead of technical, production, legislation and regulatory challenges, through the deep technical knowledge and the market awareness. Building a team and an innovation laboratory from the ground up. Supervising, coordinating and coaching the team via PDP’s and appraisals. As well as coaching and developing the different members of the cross-functional team on their technical skills and knowledge. Responsible for the technical portfolio delivery of new products and technologies in detergent, biocides and cosmetic products. Developing products in line to the company strategy; in-house and in collaboration with external partners from different academic and industrial fields. Achievements: Reformulation of products with up to 30% cost reduction. Setting a harmonization of materials and products in order to reduce complexity and maximize volumes and manufacturing efficiency with a potential 1.3M cost savings for 2024. Launching the whole Household portfolio across the UK, France and Ireland in the first year.
Managing the technical teams of Development, Quality, Regulations & Engineering across UK & EU countries. Responsible for the portfolio delivery of new products and technologies, as well as the maintenance of 6500 products across the portfolio. Accountable for identifying commercial opportunities as well as potential threads from research, regulation and legislation. Setting the direction for the delivery of a technological roadmap for the division ahead of the commercial strategy for the company, thanks to the deep technical knowledge and the market awareness, Supporting Quality Management system consistent with ISO9001, ISO21469, AS9100 and other certifications. Changing ways of working so that the products and sites are following the relevant markets and products standards and setting changes ahead of time. Conducting staff appraisals, setting objectives and supervising the team in the achievement of the KPIs. Ensuring the team is motivated and engaged. Implementing individuals tailored development plans, training and mentoring the team. Delivery of Technical Strategy Road Map, based on new Sustainability and circular economy aims. Setting up a new direction for some of the business segments focusing on more proactive research. Achievements: I changed the organisation of the technical team in 4 countries from a working style of 4 siloed teams to a one collaborative technical team. I structured the team in focused and defined tasks rather than segment/product range E2E. My changes created an increased throughput potential of 50% NPD work while maintaining the overhead numbers and costs. For the delivery of a new product development process, I worked with marketing to change the established ways of working to broaden NDP scope from a unique customer to a range of customers in market research and delivering a highly technical and tailored experience to our lubricant customers. Hence, increasing the potential revenue from NPD from a 1% revenue to a 3%.
Direct line manager to 3 formulation scientists and supporting a development team of 22 members. Setting staff objectives, conducting appraisals and supervising the team in the achievement of the KPIs. Ensuring the team is motivated and engaged. Implementing individuals tailored development plans, training and mentoring the team. Design and implementation of a budgeting system and project management tools. Organising and overseeing the team in New/ Existing Project Development (NPD/EPD). Creating or improving formulations for health care, personal care and home care products. Development project liaison with other departments. Working together to deliver project pipelines for the different Brands from ideation to transfer to factory. Building product documentation package for regulatory and certifications for cosmetics, medical devices, biocidal and medicines in liaison with the Regulatory Team. Working under GMP regulations. Collaborating with the Marketing team to ensure the correct claims and brand positioning. Achievements: ● I managed all technical work related to NPD/EPD on several Brands Oilatum, Cetraben, Zero, Metanium and Home care Zoflora. ● I generated improved formulas for Cetraben, Zerocream, Hedrin, Metanium and Zoflora. For Cetraben a formulation change was required due to challenges with the emulsifier performance, several reformulations were investigated. An optimal formula with highly increased stability was created with 5% reduction in target COGs. ● Reformulation of products in Hedrin and Oilatum due to new regulatory restrictions in ingredients. One of our key products needed to be reformulated or facing discontinuation hence potential loss of 2 million a year revenue. The product was reformulated, shortening time of application, reducing hazards while still maintaining its efficacy and maintaining the patent within the product. ● Worked in the latest regulatory changes for Medical Devices with the resubmission of 23 dossiers.
Project management, design, creation, production and regulatory dossier management of technical innovations for the ingredients and cosmetic formulations portfolios. Design and implementation of project management tools and technical design of experiments. Direct line manager to 2 chemists. Training staff and customers in products and method development. Writing articles to publish in Personal Care Magazine as well as presenting in conferences. Achievements: ● I delivered the planning, the synthesis, production, testing, regulations documentation and promotion of a new range of 10 polyglycerol esters in one year. Web: ○ https://www.stephensonpersonalcare.com/products/ingredient ● I managed the design, production and testing of natural cosmetic formulations NPDs in 6 months for a range of cleansing formulations, Moisturising formulations.