Nestlé engages Nicola Wells in key role to drive its category ambition

In a move to reinforce its commitment to build food into the #1 most purchased category in global travel retail, Nestlé International Travel Retail (NITR) has engaged experienced industry executive and business consultant Nicola Wells as Head of Category Development. The role is effective from the start of April.

Wells, who brings a wealth of strategic marketing and commercial expertise combined with senior level experience within travel retail, will support Nestlé’s sales team in engaging with key customers as well as the marketing team with their brand & category development planning. In this role she will report directly to Stewart Dryburgh, the General Manager of Nestlé’s dedicated travel retail unit.

Wells has already been working with Nestlé on a consultancy basis for the past 12 months, helping shape the development of the company’s category strategy. “I’ve really enjoyed working with the Nestlé team over the past year and this new role enables me to extend this further into the implementation of the ‘food #1’ category strategy,” she says.

Adds Stewart Dryburgh: “Nicola has played a key role in helping me and my team shape our strategy to make food the #1 most purchased category in our industry. The key now is to turn our strategy into execution through constructive dialogue and active partnerships with our key customers. Nicola’s industry experience means she is the ideal person to add value to our customers and support our sales & marketing team on this exciting journey.” 

Wells established her own business U.S.P (Unlocking Strategic Potential) Consulting in 2019 and has most recently worked with the Duty Free World Council (DFWC) on the content for the soon to be launched Certificate in Duty Free and Travel Retail. Before this Wells worked for 8 years with Aer Rianta International (ARI), the last 6 years as Director of Global Strategy & Marketing on the Executive team.  Prior to her time in ARI Wells held a range of increasingly senior commercial roles in Mars, Britvic and Pepsico.