Ryan Backer

Ryan is a breakthrough thinker & change agent who connects dots, sees possibilities & creates novel solutions to business challenges. His "superpower" is the ability to lead the transformation of systems, processes & culture to catalyze game-changing innovation & create the future.

Ryan has been a Corporate Entrepreneur & Leader of Innovation in Big Food for over a decade in roles at the intersection of insights, innovation & strategy across Consumer Insights, Marketing & R&D functions.

His experience spans Corporate Ventures, Emerging Tech, Channel/Customer, Accelerated & Disruptive Innovation, Natural & Organic, B2C/B2B, Lean Startup, New Business Models & numerous additional "side hustle" strategic initiatives (notably, leveraging his knack for making external connections, storytelling & influence to pioneer the Modernization of Market Research Movement at the industry level & the creation of G-Works, GMI's Corporate Ventures Studio).

Ryan also founded modernMR, an innovation consultancy specializing in helping clients transform their research, insights and experimentation capabilities via leveraging today's (& tomorrow's) emerging technologies.

EXPERTISE

• Future Vision & Strategy
• Health & Wellness Revolution
• Corporate Venturing
• Business Model Innovation
• Bigger Better Idea Culture
• Consumer-First Design
• Lean Startup & Innovation Labs
• Futurism & Emerging Tech
• Innovation & Experimentation
• Consumer Insight & Intelligence

Education

• MBA University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management (2007 — 2009)
• B.A. University of St. Thomas (1995 — 1999)