Catalina LEE

Catalina Lee
Worldwide Director, Global Flavors
Colgate Palmolive

Catalina works at Colgate Palmolive, as Worldwide Director, in Global Technology leading the Global Flavors group since 2015. Her main focus is to promote and to guide the development of world-class flavors to ensure the best tasting oral care products globally, to delight and to enhance the consumer experience.

Catalina has 25 years of experience in the flavor industry.
After studying Food Engineering at La Salle University in Medellin, Colombia, Catalina gained knowledge as a Flavorist at Lucta, a Spanish Flavors and Fragrance company. From 1990 to 1999 she worked in their Colombian affiliate where she successfully completed the Flavorist training and created flavors for Sweet Goods, Beverage, Pet Food and Savory applications.

In 2000, Catalina joined Firmenich in Mexico City. After two years, she moved to their headquarters in Geneva, where her main focus was developing flavors for confectionery applications. She later managed the European Flavorist team as Creation Director, Senior Flavorist.
​
In 2011, she started to work as Senior Flavorist for North America and Latin America Oral Care category at the Firmenich U.S. affiliate in Plainsboro, NJ. Catalina strengthened her expertise in mint flavors and sensates for Toothpaste and Mouthwash applications and was the lead Flavorist providing flavor-creation support to Colgate.
​
Catalina is a very talented and creative Flavorist, she demonstrates high creative skills and is business oriented. Passionate about her work and has strong flexibility and adaptability to work with different Cultures. Catalina enjoys mentoring junior flavorists and motivate them to walk the extra mile for success.