Packaging Sustainability: Thought Leader Interview with Laura Buen Abad, Sonoco

February 2023

Laura Buen Abad, Senior Director of Technology and Marketing, Flexible Packaging, Sonoco shares how they are integrating sustainability into their strategy and technology roadmaps, how it drives innovation priorities, and their approach to life cycle analysis. 

Laura Buen Abad is a business leader with more than 20 years of multinational experience leading product development and innovation. She is currently a senior director of technology and marketing at Sonoco, where she is responsible for leading R&D, new product development, new business development, marketing communications and acquisitions. Prior to this role, she was the global director of technology of rigid paper packaging also at Sonoco, where she led the development of a portfolio of sustainable fiber-based packaging. Her unique background and experience allows her to define and execute technology strategies with strong focus on embedding sustainability to drive growth and creating competitive advantage. Laura has been an active member of IRI since 2016. She was a speaker in the 2020 Annual Conference, a member of the Planning Committee of the 2019 Annual Conference, a member of the ROR team Brilliant Failures, which learnings were published in RTM in 2021, and a board member since 2021. Laura is passionate about driving for results through strategy, processes, execution, and accountability. She is also committed to talent development and a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion. She has lived and worked in Mexico, USA, and Singapore, and holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from ITESM and an MBA in International Business from U of SC.