Building and leading a business
Catarina built a nutraceutical business unit from the ground up, giving her a direct understanding of the commercial choices, operational realities and strategic priorities involved in growing a business.
About
Scientific depth. Executive judgement.
Catarina Abreu, PharmD, MSc | Founder, Nutra Atelier
The most valuable advice comes from understanding both what science makes possible and what business requires.
Catarina Abreu founded Nutra Atelier to bring together scientific expertise, product development experience and commercial leadership in an independent advisory practice serving nutrition and health companies.
With more than 15 years of experience across nutraceuticals, life sciences and AI, including over a decade in leadership roles, she brings a perspective shaped by building businesses, developing products, managing technical responsibilities and working with international enterprise clients.
Her focus is helping companies make better-informed decisions about what to develop, where to invest and how to translate scientific potential into commercial opportunity.
Experience
Experience across the product lifecycle
Science, product development and quality
Catarina has led product development and held technical leadership roles accountable for quality and regulatory compliance.
She has led the development of products that became best-sellers. This background informs her approach to scientific evidence, formulation, product integrity and the practical considerations involved in bringing products to market.
Enterprise AI and global client relationships
Through Nutra Atelier, founded in 2021, Catarina advised pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies.
One engagement with an AI company serving global food and nutrition brands developed into an exclusive partnership. As its VP of Science & Customer Success, Catarina led relationships with enterprise clients across the United States, Europe and other international markets, and helped shape AI tools used in new product development.
Together, these experiences provide a perspective that connects scientific credibility, product decisions, business priorities and emerging technology.
Approach
How Catarina works
01
Strategic clarity before action.
Every engagement starts with the business question: what problem are we solving, for whom, and why does it matter? Scientific potential and emerging trends only create value when they address a genuine need.
02
Independent judgement, grounded in evidence.
Not every promising idea deserves investment. Catarina combines scientific rigour with commercial perspective to challenge assumptions, identify risks early and help leaders make decisions with confidence.
03
A partner to your team, not another layer of consultancy.
The focus is on meaningful progress: bringing clarity to complex decisions, aligning stakeholders and translating strategy into actionable priorities that your team can own and execute.
Credentials and recognition
Recognised at the intersection of nutraceuticals and AI
Catarina holds a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and an MSc in Advanced Clinical Nutrition. She spoke and served as a roundtable panellist at CPHI Europe 2024, discussing the future of nutraceuticals and AI in precision nutrition, and has been quoted by Pharmaceutical Technology on AI's role in nutraceuticals.
- Education
- PharmD · MSc Advanced Clinical Nutrition
- Speaking
- CPHI Europe 2024 · Roundtable panellist
- Media
- Quoted in Pharmaceutical Technology
- Languages
- English, Portuguese, Italian, French, Spanish
Based in Portugal, she works with companies worldwide in English, Portuguese, Italian, French and Spanish.
An experienced perspective for your next decision
Whether you are evaluating a new product opportunity, reassessing your portfolio or considering how AI can support innovation, Nutra Atelier offers a focused, independent perspective grounded in scientific and commercial experience.