The Startup Connection: Creating, championing & launching Next-Gen innovation

Barbara Schandl is a highly experienced Consumer & Shopper Insights professional, also calling herself a “Curiosity Champion”. Barbara has more than 20 years of experience in Mondelez and formerly Kraft Foods, across a variety of Global, Regional and Local Insight roles. From a geographic perspective, her deep expertise lies within Emerging Markets, the start of developing an agile mindset more than 10 years ago. Prior to her current position as Insights Lead SnackFutures, her experience has stretched across Consumer & Shopper Insights, Brand Marketing, Strategy and Innovation. During her time with the business, she has worked closely with most of the business units around the world, and has worked and lived in Austria and Switzerland, travelled the globe and is currently based in Zurich. In her current role @ SnackFutures, Barbara is excited to make a real impact on the future of Mondelez. She is truly passionate about what she is doing and drives her agenda with great spirit and positive energy!  

Amishi Takalkar is the Co-Founder and CEO of NAILBITER. Over the past 7 years, Amishi has proven herself as a thought leader and innovator that is pushing the market research industry ahead of the pace of today’s shopper. Since Co-Founding NAILBITER in 2014, Amishi has been most passionate about scaling behavioural sciences within market research. In the past three years, Amishi has been widely recognised and praised by top CPG brands as a key supplier of actionable insight. Outside business, Amishi is a mentor to many young women and girls, including her 2 daughters. Amishi grew up in Mumbai, India and now lives in the Washington, D.C metro.