Leighton Davies-Smith, PhD

Oak Ridge, NC +1(336)-298-4562 LeightonDaviesSmith@gmail.com

Global Product Development and Innovation Executive with significant contributions across strategic
product categories, cutting-edge technologies and methodologies within world-class organizations.
Leverages background in chemical and mechanical systems to design new, market-driven products
that create impactful brand distinction and deliver long-term sustainable growth. Expert in setting
innovation strategies and quickly identifying requirements to propel product solutions and technologies
forward. Cross-functional leader and change accelerator who galvanizes disparate teams, cultures and
organizations in driving game-changing initiatives while fostering an environment for collaboration
and creativity. Certified New Product Development Professional (NPDP) of the Product Development &
Management Association (PMDA) - confirming mastery of NPD principles and best practices. UK/US dual
citizenship.
Focused Leadership: Created high-performing, motivated, and empowered multinational and
multidisciplinary R&D organizations, steering complex projects, and seamlessly integrating both internal
and external resources.
Product Innovation: Led the development of both incremental and radical innovation projects driving
a 50% new product vitality improvement in business portfolio.
Change Acceleration: Implemented a "Follow-the-Sun" approach to improving development cycle
times, by establishing an Asian development team, and leveraging the global geographic footprint of
the full technical organization, resulting in a 20% improvement in speed-to-market.
Driving Growth: Developed a well-balanced portfolio of strategic and tactical new product
development activities, resulting in multimillion-dollar new product sales and reduced costs.
Core Competencies that Support Global Market Leadership
Strategy Development / Execution
Collaborative Stakeholder Relations
Transformative Change Leadership
New Product Development / Introduction
Technical and Process Management
Consumer-Driven Innovation
Technology Invention / Transfer
International R&D Leadership
Process Re-engineering / Best Practices
Next Generation / Disruptive Innovation
A Career of Driving Product Innovation and Profitability
NEWELL RUBBERMAID (www.newellrubbermaid.com) Global consumer and commercial products with a strong portfolio of
leading brands and sales of $6B and 20,000 employees worldwide.
VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, Geneva, Switzerland 2010 2013
Developed and delivered the innovation strategy, and led new product development efforts for fine writing and
luxury accessories. Managed a budget of $6M and reporting responsibilities in a matrix organization including 33
professionals based in France, UK, and China. Managed the new product development process within the
regulatory framework of a Swiss-based European Principal Company (EPC) Operating Model, acting as the key
strategic decision-maker in the European region, and for broader global R&D activities.
In the past five years 35% of the products in the portfolio were developed and introduced, with a significant
three-fold increase in patent filings and associated proprietary new products.
Inventor and champion of a New-to-the-World product which in its first year achieved almost 10% of the
brands total global sales, delivered the highest gross margin of the entire portfolio, and recruited non-users to
the category (representing up to 33% of products sold).
Pushed the limits of mechanical product construction giving high levels of aesthetic design flexibility and
minimal-cost manufacture.
VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, Paris, France and Greensboro, NC 2008 2010
Hired to be a Change Agent in the Office Products Group, including restructuring teams and increasing technical
and aesthetic design capabilities, to deliver improvements in product development cycle times. Partnered with
external corporate business development and technology suppliers to support new product pipelines.
TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION

Leighton Davies-Smith, PhD Page 2


Introduced efficient product development processes leveraging full product lifecycle management expertise
from ideation to launch, including design and engineering, and key elements of supply chain and
procurement, to deliver an overall speed-to-market improvement of 20%.
Implemented a leaner and more effective organization, leading to $35M in three-year incremental gross
margin contribution and $20M in R&D-led productivity, by streamlining and maximizing the value of the new
product development portfolio, consolidation of activities into centers of excellence, leveraging shared
services, and improving the decision-making process.
ECOLAB (www.ecolab.com) Global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies/services with sales of $12B and 41,000
employees.
VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING, Greensboro, NC 2005 2008
Recruited to drive the focus on innovation in support of domestic and international customers in the Quick Service
Restaurant and Food Retail markets. Collaborated with other Ecolab divisions and external partners in devising
strategies that delivered significant cost savings, optimized product performance and delighted customers.
Restructured 38-person strong technical team to focus on strategic programs to deliver an improved new
product development portfolio balance within the institutional and industrial cleaning arena.
Directed the development of sustainable cleaning product chemical formulations to meet company,
regulatory and customer expectations, maximizing product performance, while delivering significant company
cost savings.
Maximized leverage of division/corporate R&D groups, external technology partnerships, and academic
research, to drive creatively simple, intuitive, labor-saving solutions in the areas of surface cleaners, sanitizers
and pest elimination.
SANFORD CORPORATION a division of Newell Rubbermaid.
DIRECTOR, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, Chicago, IL 2002 2005
Led the worldwide development of writing systems for Sanfords writing instrument brands.
Delivered new metallic Sharpie markers, novel childrens coloring products, and consumer-recognized
improvements in ballpoint pen writing smoothness.
Achieved the unification of Sanford ink formulation systems dictated by regional regulatory agencies around
the world.
MANAGER, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, Chicago, IL 2001 2002
Created a completely new R&D organization including recruitment of all professional staff, the physical design
of the center of excellence, and the identification, procurement, and installation of R&D equipment and
instrumentation.
PRIOR ROLES
GROUP LEADER, The Gillette Company, Boston, MA 1997 2000
PROJECT LEADER, The Parker Pen Company, Newhaven, UK (a division of The Gillette Company) 1989 1997
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT SCIENTIST, Duracell Batteries, Crawley, UK 1987 1989
Education
PhD Electrochemistry, University of Brighton, UK
Marine Corrosion Behaviour of Certain Niobium-Containing Nickel-Based Alloys
BSc Combined Sciences, University of Brighton, UK
Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics 1st Class Honors
Patents
Inventor of 15 granted or pending patents