Ahmed Hatem

Over the past 15+ years, I have led global strategy and transformation roles at Danone and Reckitt, shaping portfolio architectures, innovation roadmaps, and market expansion strategies across Europe, MENA, Southeast Asia, and North America. At Danone, I currently lead global strategy and portfolio transformation, driving innovation in new formats and packaging, while at Reckitt I spearheaded the global nutrition strategy and expansion agenda, building pipelines and entering new growth markets.

Alongside my corporate roles, I am actively engaged in the startup ecosystem. As a Startup Advisor for GoAudience, I support founders in defining their brand purpose, building strong brand strategies, and crafting go-to-market plans. As a Select Advisory Member at Infoquest, I guide early-stage businesses on scaling strategies, portfolio choices, and investment readiness. These experiences have reinforced my belief in the value of mentorship, especially in helping entrepreneurs avoid common pitfalls and accelerate their path to growth.

My areas of expertise include brand design, brand strategy, go-to-market, innovation, portfolio management, packaging transformation, and new market expansion. Through mentorship, I aim to share this expertise with entrepreneurs while also gaining from their fresh perspectives and disruptive ideas. It is an opportunity to expand my network, stay connected to new business models, and engage with the energy and creativity of early-stage companies. Mentorship also provides me with a sense of purpose — to connect, inspire, and contribute to building ventures that can make a real impact on people’s lives.

My motivation for becoming a mentor comes from a mix of giving back and growing myself. I’ve benefited from mentorship throughout my career, and now I want to share my experience to support entrepreneurs who are just starting out. At the same time, mentoring keeps me close to new industries and business models, which helps me learn and stay curious. It also allows me to explore opportunities for investment, advisory roles, or future board positions — while building meaningful connections with founders and investors.