09.15.21
The Independent Beauty Association (IBA) has appointed Dr. Akemi Ooka to the staff as head of global supply chain resources.
Dr. Ooka's addition to the association marks the development of a new class of offerings tailored to meet the evolving needs of the indie beauty supply chain. This branch of supply chain-focused programming complements the association's existing work in global technical and regulatory issues.
"We are fortunate to have Dr. Akemi Ooka joining our team,” said Dr. Ken Marenus, president of IBA. “She has a tremendous background in supply chain and sustainability issues, and we are looking forward to adding her expertise to help inform and advise our members."
Before onboarding with IBA, Dr. Ooka served as the former vice president of product for the J.R. Watkins company. With over 20 years’ experience in consumer packaged goods, from Fortune 500 companies to small startups, Dr. Ooka's broad experience ranges from product development to sourcing and supply chain.
While at Clorox, Dr. Ooka worked in product development on key brands including Armor All, Soft Scrub and Clorox. From there, she pioneered open innovation before moving up to product supply where she led the chemical procurement group. Dr. Ooka then worked at The Method Company, where design and cutting-edge sustainability transformed the cleaning industry. There, she headed the company's procurement function and then transitioned back to the product, leading formula/fragrance development.
In her role as vice president of product at J.R. Watkins, Dr. Ooka drove product innovation in hand, personal, and home care, in addition to over-the-counter remedies. Dr. Ooka has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Douglass College, Rutgers University, and Ph.D. from UCLA in chemistry.