John Thoresen, PhD, PMP

Innovation Product Manager with expertise in Health Tech, Food Science, and Research

About Me

I am a visionary Product Manager based in Lausanne, Switzerland, with a strong track record in health tech and the food industry. Known for bringing research ideas to market, I possess an entrepreneurial mindset that is agile, flexible, and adaptable. With degrees in Economics, Management, and Applied Psychology, I combine technical expertise with a global, strategic perspective. Experience includes spearheading research at EPFL, advancing interdisciplinary collaboration, and implementing ethical research practices. I also brought digital product ideas to market during COVID, helping doctors, dentists and other professionals obtain background details on their patients/clients remotely.

Experience

Innovation Research Specialist

Nestlé Research | Sep 2022 - Jun 2024

Innovated within Food Science, focusing on nutritional solutions for brain health and development of untapped nutrients. Managed project feasibility, IP research, regulatory considerations, and consumer insights.

Pitched transformative prototypes, two of which reached final stages.
Top 5 innovator at Nestlé, with winning concepts recognized across departments.
Introduced new on-pack Communication research methods to Marketing.

Innovation Manager

Persometrics | Mar 2016 - Aug 2022

Led co-creation of transformative products within a health-tech spin-off from EPFL. Focused on consumer insights, marketing strategy, product innovation, and managing R&D activities.

Increased web traffic by 300% with new media strategies.
Developed company’s best-selling product during the COVID period.
Led biodegradable straw feasibility study.

Research Project Manager

EPFL | Mar 2012 - Feb 2016

Created a research platform to study stress in humans, managing cross-functional projects in collaboration with psychologists, economists, and neuroscientists.

Established an ethics committee, enabling streamlined research publication, and faster research projects for non-invasive studies.
Set up VR and Eye-Tracker labs, demonstrating adaptability and technical skills.
Authored and co-authored several publications.

Business Innovation Consultant

Wood Holmes | Jun 2011 - Feb 2012

Worked on business innovation and sustainability, including projects for PepsiCo and Mars. Contributed to new product feasibility studies and competitor research.

Introduced sentiment analysis to enhance market research capabilities.

Education

Project Management Institute | PMP - Project Management Professional | Dec 2016
Durham University | PhD in Psychology | Dec 2012
University of Stirling | BA in Psychology | Dec 2006
Toulouse School of Economics | BSc in Business, Management and Economics | Dec 2002

Languages

English (C2 - native)
French (C1 - full working capacity)
German (B1 - limited working capacity)
Norwegian (C2 - native)
Spanish (B1 - limited working capacity)

Contact

Email: johnthoresen@outlook.com

Phone: +41 078 228 29 20

LinkedIn: Visit my LinkedIn profile