Consumer Products Executive | Accredited Board Member | Advisor
Los Angeles, CA USA

Biography

Ana has lead small and medium size private companies and business units in large organizations in the Consumer, Food, Toy, Baby, Technology and Health & Wellness industries, taking them through exponential growth, business transformation and entering new markets. Known for building strong foundations, diverse teams, identifying business opportunities and taking calculated risks. She approaches challenges as opportunities with can-do attitude, surrounding herself by strong, smart and well aligned teams to execute the plan. She’s a value-creator for the business, its employees and society, which results in, as she likes to call it: win – win – win. She adds value as follows:

C-LEVEL EXPERIENCE: Seasoned at leading businesses through transformation, taking them from $20M to $250M, via market segmentation, innovation, focus on the most productive SKUs and retail partnerships

FINANCIAL EXPERTISE AND GLOBAL P&L RESPONSIBILITY: Improved Belkin’s Tablet Accessories Business’ profitability worldwide by conducting a granular P&L review, by creating processes that helped regions make better business decisions, and by focusing the business on highly productive SKUs

MANAGEMENT UNDER UNCERTAINTY: Conducted quantitative studies to better understand market potential and opened the b.box for kids business in the U.S., resulting in continuous growth every month

PRIVATE COMPANIES: Experienced at managing private and family businesses, measuring risks, prioritizing, creating a plan and executing it, Belkin’s C.E.O. Chet Pipkin and b.box founders Monique Filer and Dannielle Michaels share their perspectives

SCALING BUSINESSES: Part of the team that opened the Mattel office in Brazil which became the second largest market outside the US and took MEG toys from $25M to $200M in retail sales

MARKETING AND BRANDING: Experienced at developing brands from scratch by anticipating consumers’ needs, as shared by Ernesto Quinteros, Chief Design Officer J&J, including a new powder detergent (Unilever), a fruit-shaped cereal (Kellogg’s), re-launching Polly Pocket (Mattel) and the first tablet-sized keyboard (Belkin)

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT: Guest speaker on strategy and international business at UCLA Anderson School and consumer insights at a wellness conference and podcast; Professor of Strategic Brand Management at Loyola Marymount University’s MBA program

HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT: Known for building high performance teams through hiring, mentoring, promoting and succession planning, as commended by her peers, direct reports and executives on LinkedIn

Professional Experience

b.box For Kids USA
President, USA
Australian company, key player in the juvenile products industry, designing innovative award-winning kid-empowering products trusted by moms in over 50 countries. Private; Packaged Goods, Retail / E-Commerce; Under $100MM
HIGHLIGHT: Worked closely with Seidler Equity Partners, responsible for launching the local US business, streamlined the product line, hired local team and drove revenue growth 2.6x YOY, including Amazon sell-through 3.5x, while improving budgeted margin by 9 ppt

Jun 2022 - Jul 2023

Element of Choice
Chief Executive Officer
Branding company who develops innovative products in health & wellness e-commerce platforms, delivering seamless consumer experiences for conversion. Private; Packaged Goods, Retail / E-Commerce; Under $100MM
HIGHLIGHT: Started the business from scratch, developed a product line based on consumer needs and doctor-formulated products. Marketed them via multi-faceted digital marketing campaigns, delivering double digit growth YOY: Email campaigns with 20% open rate; influencer marketing and SEO, converting at 7% with an average order value of $100

Apr 2017 - May 2022

Belkin
Global Business Head
Global leader of smartphones and tablet accessories. Private; Hard Goods (Consumer Durables); $500MM - $1BN
HIGHLIGHT: Created an innovative keyboard line, the first ever to be form-fitted to the iPad, with a Net Promoter Score of 65% in the first year, winning awards and reaching $25M in sales. Shortly thereafter, promoted to run the Tablet & Phone Accessories business unit, the third largest with $250M in retail sales, which was underperforming: • Addressed the culture, which had been cut-throat, by replacing a few team members and by making everyone accountable and important contributors to the business • Slashed hundreds of SKUs, created processes that helped make better business decisions, and focused the business only on highly productive SKUs. The plan received unanimous support, it was highly praised by the board and delivered a 9 ppt improvement on the gross margin within the first year

Jan 2012 - Sep 2015

Enlucem
Founder
Enlucem is an advisory consultancy, supporting CPG startups and small companies. Specializing in strategy development, market evaluation, identifying consumers' unmet needs, defining what it'll take to win, how to do it profitably, defining a path for growth and meeting EBIDTA targets.

Oct 2015 - Present

MEG
Director of Product & Marketing
Startup toy and intellectual property company. Private; Packaged Goods; $100MM - $500MM
HIGHLIGHT: Took the company from $25M to $200M in global retail sales by creating product lines tied to seasons and themes, doubling the company’s sales in the first and second years, and by year three resulted in the creation of a new category in the market: Miniature collectible toys with an interactive website and TV show.

Dec 2006 - Jan 2012

Mattel, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA; Sao Paulo, Brazil
Senior Marketing Manager
Public toy company; Packaged Goods, Hard Goods (Consumer Durables), Retail / E-Commerce; $3BN - $5BN
HIGHLIGHT: Managed a business that represented over $300M in retail sales worldwide. First, as Sr. Brand Manager in Brazil, built it from the ground up, selected what brands to launch (where there were objections from retailers, proposed to have them list the product lines in selective stores to evaluate performance, resulting in Mattel Brazil becoming the second largest market in the Americas, after the U.S.). Second, promoted to headquarters to manage all non-Barbie product lines worldwide, ensuring global appeal and choosing the right products for each market, resulting in 20% growth.

Jul 1998 - Jan 2006

Bunge Group, Santista Division, São Paulo, BR
Senior Brand Manager
Pasta division of Brazil's largest food conglomerate and largest orange juice exporter, at the time. Public; Packaged Goods, Food & Beverage; Over $10BN
HIGHLIGHT: Managed the pasta product line in Brazil, a $50M business. Due to the products’ commodity nature, delivered continuous growth by differentiating the product and promoting new ways to consume via recipes, seasonal product placement and new manufacturing techniques, the first ever ‘no pre-boil lasagna’ in the market.

Sep 1997 - Jun 1998

Unilever Brazil, São Paulo, BR
Senior Brand Manager
Global consumer goods company, offering beauty and personal care products, food and refreshments, and home care products. Public; Packaged Goods, Food & Beverage; Over $10BN
HIGHLIGHT: Grew the laundry detergent business by 25% by launching the first ever powder detergent in a plastic bag in Brazil, targeted to a specific market who needed a high-performing, low-cost product, in an inexpensive and durable packaging.

Jan 1997 - Sep 1997

Kellogg Company, São Paulo, BR
Senior Brand Manager
Manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of ready-to-eat cereal and snacks. Public; Food & Beverage; Over $10BN
HIGHLIGHT: Managed the company’s second largest business growing it from $75M to $110M in two years by creating a new fruit shaped and flavored cereal, the first of its kind made by Kellogg’s outside of the US’ headquarters, resulting in market leadership in the fruit flavored segment, and by educating consumers on the benefits of a complete breakfast.

Mar 1994 - Jan 1997

Eli Lilly and Company, São Paulo, BR
Cost Accountant
Eli Lilly is a leading pharmaceutical company with offices in 18 countries. During her time at the company, Ana created cost accounting procedures, working full-time while still in college.

Jul 1992 - Jun 1993

Non-Executive and Advisory Experience

WomenExecs on Boards
Board Co-Chair, Membership Committee
Global network of board-ready women with C-Suite and senior executive experience, alumnae of the Harvard Business School Women on Boards and/or Corporate Directors Certificate.

Jan 2023 - Present

VITAVATE
Advisor
Leveraging her unique approach to leadership and business growth, supporting VITAVATE navigate complex business environments, identify unmet needs and market opportunities, and supporting them as they scale.

Oct 2023 - Present

Eleven Canterbury
Executive Advisor
Strategic guidance and operational support to emerging and established CPG brands.

Oct 2023 - Present

Adatto
Advisor
Adatto offers young women health advice, assisting them through an online platform that provides content, community and care.

Nov 2019 - Jul 2021

America Israel Cannabis Association
Advisor
The America Israel Cannabis Association (AICA) was founded by American entrepreneurs who want to create an apolitical membership-based business league to promote medical and biotech research, development and therapies, agri-tech and high-tech solutions, education, investment and trade between the Israeli wellness industry and the growing American market.

Dec 2018 - Nov 2020

Media

Fireside Chat with Ana Hory
Advisor
In this brief discussion, Ana answers a variety of questions and discusses important topics including the importance of taking risks and her thoughts on what it means to be the CEO of a company.

Features

Ana Hory: CEO, Chil Explores 5 Questions
Feature
In her role as CEO of Element of Choice, Ana answers five questions posed by Forbes related to the company's place in the wellness industry.

Awards & Endorsements

and from Ernesto Quinteros, Chief Design Officer
For more endorsements, please visit Ana's LinkedIn.
The Best Products of 2015
Feature
Ana played a key role in the development of the Belkin Qode Ultimate Pro Keyboard Case for iPad Air 2, which was named as part of PC Magazine's Best Products of the Year list and at CES 2015.

Courses and Certifications

Stanford Graduate School of Business
AI Essentials: Key Concepts and Opportunities

October 2023

UCLA Anderson School of Management
Corporate Board Governance Certificate

April 2022

Deloitte
The ESG Disclosure Landscape

March 2022

Competent Boards
ESG Global Climate Competent Board Certificate

April 2022

Harvard Business School Executive Education
Women on Boards Program
The Women on Boards program assists future female board directors in gaining the skills and expertise they need to achieve success. After completing the program, they join a unique network of like-minded women who support them to be prepared for board assignments.

December 2021

The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Executive Certificate – Digital Marketing Strategies for the Digital Economy
The marketing programs at Wharton are led by specialists from the world's largest and most-published marketing faculty. They turn cutting-edge research and methodology into useful tools for professional and aspiring marketers.

December 2016

Accreditation

Scaling Up Coaches
Participant
Scaling Up specializes in scaling businesses, advising companies on how to successfully execute strategic plans, build and maintain a corporate culture that consistently achieves results, and how to develop new strategic relationships and partnerships.

Academic Appointments

College of Business Administration - Loyola Marymount University
Professor of Strategic Brand Management | MBA Class
Founded in 1926 as a center for strategic thinking and innovation in Southern California, the LMU College of Business Administration strives for academic excellence and prepares students — from eager undergraduates to experienced executives — to use their immense talents and unique skills to advance the interests of both industry and society.

Speaking Engagements

Exclusive Research Results: Types of Cannabis Consumers & How to Effectively Target Them
Guest Speaker
Ana was a featured Guest Speaker at the 2017 MJBiz Conference, where she discussed key insights on how to understand the needs and wants of different consumers and how to adapt to different purchase environments.

Charitable Interests

UCLA Anderson School of Management
Mentor
The Center for Global Management Mentor Program pairs current full-time MBA, FEMBA, EMBA and UCLA-NUS EMBA students with members of the center's Advisory Board, a dedicated group of visionary global executives from a variety of industries and locations.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Sister
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America promotes strong and enduring, professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships to children facing difficulties that alter their lives for the better.

Education

UCLA Anderson School of Management
M.B.A. | Strategic Business Management