Our Culture

Gifford brings a customer-centric perspective to Finlays Solutions’ growth strategy, helping guide the company as it builds deeper partnerships and explores new opportunities in the beverage space. Known for his mix of curiosity and customer obsession, Gifford believes growth happens when you truly understand what customers are trying to achieve—and work alongside them to make it possible. His collaborative, customer-first approach is helping shape the next chapter of Finlays Solutions’ evolution.

His passion for bringing out the best in people and ideas defines the way he leads. Gifford blends thoughtful strategy with a genuine focus on human connection, looking for opportunities that create real, lasting value on both sides of the partnership. Whether he’s charting new paths forward or strengthening the foundation already in place, Gifford’s work reflects a commitment to meaningful relationships, smart innovation, and growth that feels both purposeful and achievable.

Veronica van Egmond, our Chief People Officer, plays a crucial role in aligning human resources strategies with the company's goals. Her proven track record of delivering innovative business solutions is evident through her ability to foster strong business partnerships, emphasize employee experience, and utilize a data-driven approach. Veronica's leadership has successfully transformed our HR department from a transactional function into a forward-thinking and strategic entity.

Veronica’s focus on workforce development, skill gap analysis, and creating a positive organizational culture enables employees to succeed. Veronica's dedication to people and her strategic vision continue to shape Finlays Solutions as a company that values and empowers its employees, significantly contributing to our organization's overall success.

Martin Guzman, Chief Operations Officer, brings over 20 years of global executive leadership experience in end-to-end supply chain, operations, and manufacturing, with a strong track record of leading large, complex teams and transforming businesses across diverse markets. His background spans both mature and emerging regions, where he has consistently built agile, customer-centric operations that drive sustainable growth and performance.

At Finlays Solutions, Martin is focused on elevating operational excellence to fuel our next phase of growth. He brings deep expertise in integrating strategic vision with hands-on execution—optimizing supply chains, scaling systems, and delivering measurable commercial outcomes. A people-first leader, Martin is committed to building high-performing teams and fostering a culture grounded in safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. His leadership will be instrumental in ensuring our operations not only support but accelerate innovation, customer satisfaction, and long-term value creation. 

Kathleen Timperman leads R&D and innovation with a clear purpose: create consumer- and category-driven beverage innovations that customers get excited about and teams are proud to see on shelves. Drawn to Finlays Solutions by the strength of the portfolio and the chance to shape what comes next, she’s focused on building a best-in-class technical organization—growing talent, advancing research programs, and strengthening the innovation pipeline.

A strategic, craft-respecting leader, Kathleen pushes for “seriously delicious” products that balance modern functionality with natural integrity and clean-label expectations. She’s steering a technology roadmap anchored in bold “North Star” ambitions, expanding external partnerships, and deepening marketing-R&D collaboration to bring smarter, faster, more customer-centric innovation to market.

Darnell Ross leads with a vision rooted in empowerment and innovation. As CEO, he draws on more than 20 years of leadership experience across sales, operations, and executive roles to create an environment where people thrive—where bold ideas and collaboration drive meaningful progress. For Darnell, leadership is about more than operational success; it’s about inspiring teams to think differently and equipping them with the tools to achieve extraordinary outcomes.

An entrepreneur at heart, Darnell believes adaptability and mental agility are essential for growth, and he champions these qualities across the organization. His approach blends strategic foresight with trust, ensuring every team has the resources and confidence to deliver on ambitious goals.

From his early days as a restaurant owner to managing strategic partnerships with global brands, Darnell’s career reflects a commitment to building strong relationships and navigating complexity with clarity. Today, he channels that experience into shaping Finlays Solutions’ future—aligning innovation, customer-centricity, and operational excellence to create beverage solutions that delight consumers and strengthen customer brands.