Chengboey Lau built her expertise in food safety, quality systems and cross-cultural leadership through roles at Coca-Cola, Firmenich, Mondelēz and Kerry across North America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa. These experiences shaped her ability to lead diverse teams, drive operational excellence and build strong quality cultures and skills that she now brings to her role at Kellanova across the AMEA region.

My Journey: In Shaping quality and food safety

Over the past 25+ years, my journey has been defined by a deep commitment to building resilient, future-ready quality and food safety systems across diverse markets. A pivotal moment was early on in my career when I was the site quality manager for a consumer brand: During a routine visit to a retail store, I saw a consumer pick up our newly launched product, examine the content and the packaging, and then place it in her cart. It was such a simple act, but it struck me deeply: this is trust in action. That moment crystallized my purpose—what we do behind the scenes matters profoundly to people we may never meet.

At Kellanova, I’ve had the privilege of reshaping the QFS function across multiple geographies in AMEA, aligning it with our growth strategy while improving consumer feedback and significantly improving supplier risk profiles. What fuels my commitment is the belief that quality and food safety are not just compliance measures, they are strategic levers for trust, brand equity and sustainable growth.

Balancing Global Consistency: Through Cohesive Quality Culture

Leading across multiple geographies has taught me that while standards must be consistent, culture must be respected. I approach this by working with global quality leadership to establish a strong global framework—anchored in science and risk management—while empowering local teams to adapt.

What fuels my commitment is the belief that quality and food safety are not just compliance measures, they are strategic levers for trust, brand equity and sustainable growth.

In addition, I don’t prescribe the food safety action plans aside from the “big bucket items” like the non-negotiable (for example for every location market to have a local rewards/recognition program) but leave it to local markets to implement what is relevant to motivate their team in their culture.

The Power of Partnerships: Internal and External

One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is seeing how powerful partnerships can be—whether it’s with internal cross-functional teams or external stakeholders like suppliers and regulators.

I recall a project in Southeast Asia where we worked closely with a supplier to elevate their food safety standards. It wasn’t easy—there were tough conversations and growing pains—but the outcome was transformative. Not only did we reduce risk, we built a relationship rooted in mutual respect and shared accountability.

At Kellanova, our 3-year QFS strategy is built on four pillars that guide everything we do:

• Build capability

• Enable business growth

• Strengthen food safety and sanitation standards

• Trusted partner—internally and externally

This strategy helps us stay ahead of change, act with agility, and embed quality into the DNA of the business.

Words of Wisdom: The 3P’s That Guide Me

If I were to distill my learnings into advice, it would be this:

• Lead with Purpose: Quality and food safety protect lives. Let that responsibility guide your decisions and inspire your teams.

• Be a Pioneer: Embrace innovation, challenge the status quo, and lead change with empathy and clarity.

• Invest in People: Technical excellence is vital, but it’s people who drive culture. Build diverse, empowered teams and lead with authenticity.

A global career in this field is both challenging and deeply rewarding. Stay curious, stay grounded and never lose sight of the consumer at the end of the value chain.