About CPG Advisor

Managing Director: Dr. Andy Gilicinski

Andy Gilicinski

Dr. Andrew G. Gilicinski is a seasoned product leader with 32 years of R&D experience at 4 major consumer packaged goods firms (Gillette, Clorox, Georgia-Pacific and SC Johnson) and a global chemicals supplier (Air Products and Chemicals).  He has worked the entire cycle of development – upstream new molecule synthesis and characterization, applications work building products, and launching everything from line extensions to entire new brands.  Andy’s teams have cumulatively launched over half a billion dollars of year 1 incremental new sales in categories including house paint emulsions, antiperspirants, batteries, housecleaners, face creams, hand sanitizers, paper products, carpet cleaners and most recently air fresheners.  You are sure to have used a product in the past year that he was involved in developing or launching.

Andy’s background was a natural fit for M&A work, with his science background, business acumen, broad market experience and knowledge of the total life cycle of product development.  He understands what’s “under the hood” at a target company from his experience leading R&D organizations.  Andy led diligence for Clorox’s $925MM acquisition of Burt’s Bees in 2007, and ran the integration team for 3 years after deal close.  The extraordinary value of this acquisition was reinforced in the 2005 acquisition of Renew Life, building on Burt’s Bees’ natural platform.  More recently, as Global Vice President of M&A, Andy led diligence on SC Johnson’s acquisition of fast-growing sunscreen company Sun Bum, a fabulous brand that strengthens SCJ’s portfolio of on-trend lifestyle businesses.

Andy earned his BS in Chemistry from the University of Illinois, and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  He has been an active leader in several professional industry associations, and was recently trained in an M&A Integration Leadership Forum to further advance his M&A background and skills. His full background can be seen at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/gilicinski