We are very pleased to welcome Professor Martin William Bloem to the KHNI Scientific Advisory Council. Martin is a public health professional and nutritionist with a distinguished career spanning various organizations worldwide. Currently, he is a Professor of Environmental Health at the Department of Environmental Health & Engineering and the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, USA.
Martin holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maastricht and an MD from the University of Utrecht, both in The Netherlands. His extensive professional experience includes serving as a Director and Robert S. Lawrence Professor at the Center for a Livable Future, as Senior Nutrition Advisor to the Executive Director/Deputy Executive Director at the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), and as Regional Director Asia-Pacific at Helen Keller International. At WFP, he also served as the Global Coordinator, representing the organization as one of the 11 UN Cosponsor organizations to UNAIDS.
As an expert in public health and nutrition, Professor Bloem has authored several textbooks and more than 100 peer-reviewed papers, showcasing his dedication to creating sustainable, impactful solutions to pressing global health issues.
In addition, he has held various board memberships, including the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), Scaling up Nutrition (SUN), EAT Movement, and the World Food System Center at ETH Zurich. With his wealth of experience, commitment to public health, and proven ability to address complex challenges, Martin William Bloem is a respected leader in nutrition and environmental health.
“I am delighted to join the Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute’s Scientific Advisory Council, which aims to guide Kerry’s research and innovation teams on some of the fastest growing areas in the science of nutrition and health. The task of tackling all forms of malnutrition — which involves addressing the profound global imbalance between approximately 2 billion overweight or obese individuals and the nearly 735 million people suffering from undernutrition — is the foundational priority. This mirrors the Sustainable Nutrition megatrend, which demands an integrated framework encompassing public health, food security, affordability, sustainability and social equity. My extensive experience serving at international institutions, Johns Hopkins University and working with organizations such as Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) and the EAT Movement, confirms that achieving this systemic goal requires unified action across governments, international bodies, NGOs, and the private sector. The private sector must lead the systemic, science-driven transformation. This involves prioritizing core enabling platforms like Biotechnology for the Future of Food to create sustainable and resilient supply chains, driving proactive reformulation in response to the mandates of Policy Shifts, and innovating to deliver Accessible Nutrition globally.”
Commenting on Martin’s addition to the KHNI SAC, Juan Aguiriano, Kerry Group Head of Sustainability, stated: “I’m thrilled to welcome Professor Martin Bloem to the Scientific Advisory Council of the Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute. His appointment marks a significant step forward in our mission to advance sustainable nutrition science. Martin’s deep expertise in public health, food systems, and environmental health — combined with his leadership across global institutions — will be instrumental in shaping a more integrated and impactful approach to nutrition. His understanding of the complex interplay between food security, health equity, and environmental sustainability aligns perfectly with our ambition to drive systemic change. As we work to address the dual burden of malnutrition and obesity, Martin’s insights will help guide our efforts to innovate responsibly, reformulate proactively, and build resilient supply chains that support both people and planet. We look forward to collaborating with him to accelerate the transition toward truly sustainable nutrition — where science, policy, and industry come together to deliver better outcomes for all.”
