Now he is hoping to help academics and food companies work together to develop the industry in the region.
The Centre, established in March 1999, supports small and medium-sized food and drink companies in the North-East. It is financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Leo arrives having been a senior lecturer in food science at the University of Huddersfield, a technical support scientist at Lyons Patisserie, Hartlepool, part of the Allied Lyons group, and having worked on coffee research with Kraft General Foods in Banbury, Oxfordshire. He was also an external validator to food technology and food nutrition and health courses at the University of Teesside in 1998 and a Fellow and past North of England chairman of the Institute of Food Science and Technology UK.
A graduate of the University of Leeds where he gained a PhD in food science, Leo is also fluent in French and Spanish and loves Italian food.
He says: “Universities are an asset under-used by food companies, in particular SMEs. I am looking forward to bringing the industry and academics together to collaborate in solving real problems experienced by food companies in the North-East, building on the positive reputation that the Food Technology Centre enjoys.”
For more information about the Food Technology Centre, ring 01642 384624 or email l.v.guevara@tees.ac.uk or see www.foodtechnologycentre.com