Professor Stefan Palzer

Visiting Professor

Stefan has been a Visiting Professor at the Department for Chemical and Biotechnical Engineering since 2009. He is guest lecturing in the area of Particle Science and Food Engineering.

Biography

Stefan is currently the Global R&D Director for Beverages for Nestlé, based at the Nestlé S.A. corporate headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland. In this role, he manages the global I&R program of Nestlé's beverage division (incl. powdered and "ready to drink" coffee, coffee mixes, coffee & tea enhancer, tea and juices).

He is a process engineer with Diploma, Masters and PhD degrees from the Technical University of Munich, Germany. He also has a Habilitation from the same university in the field of Agglomeration of Food Powders and holds a MBA in Economics from the University of Hagen, Germany. Upon the completion of his PhD Stefan worked for Nestlé in various R&D roles. From 2000-2003 he was Project Manager for dehydrated culinary products while from 2003-2005 he also held the position of Team leader in the same area.

In 2006 he became Manager of the Technology Group at Nestlé´s Product Technology Centre in Singen, Germany where he was responsible for global development of processes and ingredients for Nestlé food products and all food related external research collaborations. In 2007 he took on the role of Head of Food Science where he was responsible for a team of 120 researchers working at in the Food Science and Technology department at the Nestlé Research Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland. In the mean time he was also appointed head of Nestle’s Food Science expert networks comprising of 400 experts globally.

In 2010, Stefan was appointed managing director of Nestlé’s global Product Technology Centre for confectionery in York, UK (PTC York, ~170-200 staff). In this function he was responsible for all product and process development for Nestlé’s global confectionery business. In 2010 he was also appointed Assistant Vice President R&D at Nestlé.

Committee Memberships

Stefan is chairman of the board of the European Master in Food studies an international study course founded by a consortium of leading global Food companies and European Universities.

Furthermore he is member of the boards for "Agglomeration and Bulk Solids Handling", “Drying Technology “and “Food Process Engineering” of the German society for process and chemical engineering (ProcessNet).

He is also a board member of the "European Working Party on Agglomeration" (European Federation of Chemical Engineering EFCE).

Stefan is also a member of the scientific committee of the Research Association of the German Food Industry (FEI) and member of the German Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (DECHEMA) and the German society for food technology (GDL).