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So, I have B.Sc and M.Sc degrees in Biochemistry and became a Brand Manager. 

My academic science background has been useful managing brands. 

The most memorable for me was when we planned to fortify Bournvita with vitamins and minerals in 1994. Critical was inclusion of Vitamins A, C and E along with other nutrients so that we could claim Bournvita as the ACE of food drinks in Nigeria on the basis that no other brand would have as many nutrients, particularly the vitamins ACE combination that UNICEF and nutrition experts had indicated as important for immunity. 

R&D colleagues pushed back that whilst it was possible to add A and E, C wasn’t possible as it would be unable to withstand the high heat manufacturing process. I kept pushing for almost a year. Then one night at home, I had an eureka moment. I thought to myself, “Vitamin C is ascorbic acid, so it should be able to exist in salt format, ascorbate; if so, why wouldn’t it withstand high heat?”. The following day, I shared my thoughts with R&D and they marveled at the thoughts from ‘a marketing guy’. 

End result: Bournvita was fortified with vitamins A, C and E. 

No knowledge or experience is a waste. 

Author – Lampe Omoyele