“Functional is not enough — and that's a critical factor in developing innovation. It's really hard to break through if you don't factor the emotional.”

Marlon Hernandez is Molson Coors Beverage Company’s Director of Innovation where he’s responsible for strengthening Molson Coors’s innovation capabilities and building the long-term product pipeline. Marlon has spent 6 years rising through the innovation ranks of Molson Coors, and another 10 years in the spirits industry working in innovation for companies like Corby Spirit & Wine, an Pernod Ricard. Marlon actually got his start in Venezuela at 3M as an Operations Manager, and made the jump to marketing at P&G in Fabric & Home Care Latin America. Marlon received his MBA from the IESA – School of Management in Caracas, Venezuela. And studied Production Engineering @ University Simón Bolívar in Production Engineering, where he also received his master's degree in Statistics. Marlon live ins Chicago with his wife and their twins. You’ll enjoy this conversation on the evolution from brand management to product management — and hearing Marlon’s fundamental believe that the launch of a product is not the finish line, it’s just the beginning.

This is hopefully the first of many conversations with leaders on the topic of Innovation. We wanted to dive deeper into how innovation is evolving in todays’ rapidly changing world — by taking a “look under the hood” of some innovative companies. Joining our conversation is P&G Alumni Wayne Fisher - the President of Rockdale Innovation - a consulting group that helps companies build their internal innovation capability - that has hosted more than a few Innovation events for both P&G + P&G Alumni. Got a reco for an innovation story we should share on the pod (we know there are more than a few of you out there =)? Reach out — pgalumpod@gmail.com

Marlon Hernandez, Molson Coors’ Director of Innovation