P&G is known for creating some of the world’s most iconic brands. The company has a 180-year plus track record of innovation and developing brands that are integral to our daily lives. P&G Ventures has become a core driver of this innovation.
Founded in 2015, P&G Ventures is an early-stage start-up studio within P&G that creates new fast-moving consumer goods brands and businesses in categories where P&G doesn’t currently compete. Their tagline, “We create new brands in new spaces to help people live life better,” is evident through their launches of Zevo, which provides pest prevention products. What I admire most about P&G Ventures is that they are truly powered by science and tap data to understand exactly what delights consumers. From product invention, product design and product development, it is exciting to see what P&G Ventures is up to next.
That’s why we’re especially excited to welcome Naazli Sado, VP of HR, Communications & Business Innovation Acceleration at P&G Ventures to the distinguished speaking faculty for #RICE24!
Naazli Sado is a strategic Human Resources and Communications Executive with work experience across four continents. She currently serves in a Vice President role for Procter & Gamble’s New Business Unit where she oversees Human Resources, Communications, and Innovation Acceleration. She is a problem solver with additional experiences in start-up consulting, financial sales, higher-education, and supply chain operations that drive deep understanding of both the business and organization that enable delivery of transformational results.
Learn more about Naazli’s career and background in the Q&A below! Note: Naazli will be speaking in the C-Suite Corner Track at the Retail Innovation Conference & Expo on Wednesday, June 5 to lend her expertise on the “Investing in Workplace Culture & Experience” panel discussion! See the full agenda.
Retail Innovation Conference & Expo (RICE): What do you enjoy most about your role?
Naazli Sado: Our extraordinary team is truly my most favorite part of the role – their passion and curiosity drive me each and every day. I have been able to carve out a unique multi-functional leadership role to help solve unique business challenges and enable our Ventures employees to shine, and in turn help me grow and learn as a leader.
P&G has been a force for good and a force for growth driven through leadership, innovation, and citizenship across three centuries. Within P&G, I have the immense fortune to work within our new business unit, P&G Ventures. Here, we help enter and grow new spaces for P&G, outside of the company’s existing categories. This allows us to help take care of consumers whose needs are not currently met – evolving these categories to serve them better while helping our retail partners win alongside us. I am lucky in that I get to do this with the P&G Ventures team who bring their best selves, ideas, and relentless curiosity to work every day to make the extraordinary happen.
RICE: What excites you the most about the retail industry? Is there a challenge or trend you’re most excited to tackle?
Sado: One of my favorite parts of this industry, and this work, is talking to consumers and recognizing the impact our products have. With products like Zevo, which are part of our P&G Ventures portfolio, we offer new-to-the-world pest prevention products. I recently shared one of our bug traps with a local grocery/food service retailer. The owners of this local mom and pop (literally 😊) store were both amazed at how many more flying bugs were in the space they took immense pride in, and how effortless it was to maintain a cleaner, bug-free, environment. We help consumers like these live lives better – and that is exciting.
There are spaces within the retail industry where consumers still have tensions and unmet needs – and at P&G Ventures our intent is to help find unexpected and innovative solutions to meet these needs. Every day presents an opportunity to find new ways for customers to solve their daily problems and we can’t wait to deliver on our promises.
RICE: Can you share a project or initiative that you’re particularly proud of?
Sado: We’re committed to making P&G Ventures a Place to Shine for our employees. We are working on building a growth mindset driven by an always learning culture. One example of this is our ‘Think Like a General Manager (GM)’ program. Through this, we equip employees of all levels with the cross-functional and general management skills they can apply to their specific areas of work. This better understanding of the larger business context and overall business acumen enables employees to develop their ideas, get their voices heard, and drive the business value creation in a more meaningful way.
RICE: What’s one piece of advice you’d wish you heard sooner in your career?
Sado: Your journey is just that – yours. Your path will have its unique ups and downs, your wins don’t have to look like anyone else’s. It sounds cliché but when you’re young, it is hard not to look around and compare. Looking inward to define my path and what success means to me has been incredibly liberating. It has not only allowed me to approach opportunities with a focus on growing myself vs growing my career as others define it, but it has opened doors to unique opportunities such as the one at P&G Ventures. This is something I have in common with many of my colleagues– big problems, fast-paced learning culture and a chance to make a difference drive us all!
Looking for more details on this year’s event and our incredible speakers? Be sure to check out the official Retail Innovation Conference & Expo content hub.
