A conversation with Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder, Board Member & Senior Advisor
Interviewed by Neil Cameron, Partner at Emerald
In this edition of Words of Wisdom, Emerald Partner Neil Cameron sits down with Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder, a seasoned board member and senior advisor whose career spans materials science, chemicals, and packaging.
From an engineer with two master’s degrees to a global business and technology leader, Lucrèce has built a career defined by courage, curiosity, and transformation. In this conversation, she shares stories from her journey — from being recruited to Silicon Valley while on crutches, to running one of Europe’s largest polymer businesses — and reflects on what it takes to lead in today’s Never-Normal world.
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence itself—it’s acting with yesterday’s logic.” – Peter Drucker
From Engineering to the Boardroom
Neil Cameron:
Can you share a bit about your journey, and how it’s shaped your approach to leadership, innovation, and sustainability?
Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder:
Sure, Neil. I never began my career thinking I’d end up in a boardroom. It wasn’t part of any grand plan. My path has really been a mosaic of experiences, each one shaped by curiosity, great colleagues, and mentors who encouraged me to take risks.
I have two engineering degrees: one in polymers and composites engineering, and one in materials science engineering. I started my career very much on the technical side, deep in the lab. Then one day, I found myself moving into sales, then marketing, and eventually general management. I became a Chief Commercial Officer, then ran a major business, and later served as both Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.
Every step pushed me out of my comfort zone, and every time, I learned something new about people and about transformation. I think the most valuable lesson is that you can’t build a career by staying still. You need to dare to step out, to learn, and to reinvent yourself continuously.
Balancing Creativity and Control
Neil Cameron:
That’s quite a range, from engineering and R&D to commercial and executive leadership. How did those experiences influence how you think about innovation and transformation?
Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder:
I’ve come to believe that transformation requires mastering both sides of the equation. What I call exploitation and exploration.
You have to be able to exploit — meaning run a business with discipline, clear KPIs, and operational rigor — but you also have to explore, which means staying creative, curious, and open to new opportunities.
When I was at my last company, I had a dual role: I was both the Executive Vice President running a large business and the Chief Technology Officer. It was the first time I truly realized how these two modes had to coexist. That’s when it “clicked” for me, that transformation only works if you master both skillfully , manage today’s operations while creating the business of tomorrow and the “day after tomorrow.”
A good friend of mine, a business author, describes it as the balance between today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow. You can’t have real reinvention without that creative tension between the two worlds.
Why Packaging Matters
Neil Cameron:
You’re on the boards of several major players — Sika, Amcor, and others. Out of all the industries you could have focused on, what made packaging such an area of interest for you?
Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder:
It’s funny. I didn’t consciously choose packaging; it kind of chose me.
I see myself first and foremost as a chemical and materials industry leader. Over the years, I’ve worked across almost every downstream sector you can imagine — food and pharma, household and beauty care, oil and gas, automotive, construction, and yes, packaging.
So when Amcor approached me about joining the board, it made perfect sense. Packaging is fascinating because it’s such an ecosystem business. You need to understand what’s happening upstream — in raw materials and chemistry — and downstream with consumers and recycling systems.
Converters like Amcor play a central role in that ecosystem. They sit at the design table — deciding which materials to use, and how to design for recyclability. That’s where sustainability and innovation come together, and that’s what excites me.
Being Courageous — Even on Crutches
Neil Cameron:
I’ve had a similar experience. I wasn’t looking for a career in venture capital; it found me. You’ve mentioned risk-taking several times. Can you share a personal story about that?
Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder:
(Laughs) Oh, I have plenty! One of my favorites goes back to the very start of my career.
I’d just graduated when I was offered a position in the Bay Area. The only problem was, I’d just had a serious car accident. My car was gone, I was on crutches for six months, and I could barely walk.
When the recruiter came around looking for young talent willing to relocate to the U.S., people looked at me and said, “You? You can’t even walk properly.” But I took the job anyway. I moved to California with a crutch in one hand and a suitcase in the other hand, and it was the most enriching way to start my career
That experience taught me something powerful: don’t let fear or circumstance stop you. Be courageous. Even if it doesn’t work out perfectly, you’ll always gain something.
As Nelson Mandela said: “I never lose. I either win or I learn.”
That’s been my guiding philosophy ever since.
Leading Through Resistance
Neil Cameron:
Let’s talk about resistance, specifically, the “not-invented-here” mindset. In open innovation, that’s something we constantly face. How do you bring people along when they resist outside ideas?
Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder:
You have to build systems that make collaboration the norm. I like to think of it as the Build–Borrow–Buy–Bridge framework.
- Build internally what strengthens your core — it’s slower but essential for resilience.
- Borrow — partner externally; it’s flexible and often more cost-effective.
- Buy — when transformation needs scale or new capability, acquisition can be the catalyst.
- Bridge — create partnerships and joint ventures that fill capability gaps and accelerate change.
During my time at my last company, we were beginning to implement all four of these modes simultaneously. It’s complex, because each approach overlaps with others, but it’s the only way to reinvent continuously.
And as a board member or leader, you need to govern that complexity: align everyone around a clear strategy, shared objectives, and KPIs. But you also have to create a safe space for experimentation, where failure is accepted, as long as it’s fast and followed by learning.
That’s where the board plays a key role: by asking different questions and by encouraging a culture of learning rather than punishment, a culture of empowerment but also accountability.
“Boards must create space for experimentation — where failure is fine, as long as it’s fast and followed by learning.”
The Never-Normal World
Neil Cameron:
You’ve mentioned turbulence and transformation. What do you see as the biggest risk for today’s boards?
Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder:
I often quote Peter Drucker, who said: “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence—it’s acting with yesterday’s logic.”
That couldn’t be more true today. I’d even expand on it — the greatest danger now is not only acting with yesterday’s logic, but also with yesterday’s “data”. We live in what one of my friends calls the Never-Normal world. It’s not about the “next normal” anymore; it’s constant change — geopolitical, technological, environmental, social.
Boards have to embrace that. They must foster continuous learning, bring diversity of thought and experience, and ensure they’re not insulated in a narrow and outdated view of the world. A good board doesn’t just guide; it embraces continuous learning alongside the company, it stimulates creativity and encourages reinvention.
Sustainability, Speed, and Simplification
Neil Cameron:
You’ve helped companies embed sustainability deeply into their business models. What have you learned about making that work in practice?
Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder:
The starting point is recognizing that building a more sustainable business inevitably introduces greater complexity. You’re managing both the legacy and what’s emerging. To navigate this effectively, we had to fundamentally rethink the operating model..
We designed our structure around customers, not functions. We delayered for speed, so informed decisions could happen faster closer to where the action was, and we worked hard to cut down internal time, especially time in internal meetings. You’d be amazed how much transformation you can unlock just by giving people back time and space to think, act and have impact.
And of course, timing is critical. The broader ecosystem — regulators, partners, investors — all play a huge role and must be aligned. Without clear commitment and alignment at both the board and executive level, execution becomes nearly impossible.
The Future of Packaging
Neil Cameron:
Last question: if you look ahead ten years, what excites you most about the packaging industry?
Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder:
I’m not one to get bogged down in everything that could go wrong. I prefer to look at what could go right.
The opportunities are enormous. Two stand out:
- Smart packaging — where digital meets materials science. It’s about traceability, product safety, and consumer interaction.
- Sustainable packaging — especially design for recycling. Packaging companies have a crucial role because they sit at the design table. They decide what materials are used, and that decision determines circularity.
If the industry gets this right, it can become a driving force of the circular economy.
Neil Cameron:
Beautifully said. Lucrèce, thank you for sharing your story, and for your wisdom.
Lucrèce Foufopoulos-De Ridder:
Thank you, Neil. It’s been a pleasure.
More from the Words of Wisdom series at Emerald:
Energy innovation at the center of many crucial transitions: an interview with Barbara Burger
A Conversation with Mitsunobu Koshiba: Innovation, Startups, and the Future of Japan
Water everywhere and nowhere: an interview with Carlos Campos & Helge Daebel