CEO MONTHLY / FEMALE CEO OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2025 14 Q: Tell us more about Oobli and the work you do. Oobli’s sweeteners are up to 1,000 times sweeter than sugar, yet provide a healthy, gut-friendly alternative. As the first and only commercial-scale sweet protein technology platform focused on sugar reduction in food and beverages, Oobli partners with CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies to reimagine the foods and drinks people already love—without compromising health or the planet. Today, Oobli has partnerships with Grupo Bimbo, Ingredion & Mars. I am the CEO & a director of Oobli. I was recruited by the lead investors, Khosla Ventures, & joined the Company in June 2021. Specializing at the intersection of consumer brands, technology & healthy living, I am most known for my brand, strategy & digital acumen. I have a value-creation track record as an operator across diverse industries including consumer (products & services), retail (directto-consumer & omnichannel), health/wellness, technology & biotechnology/food technology. With more than 25 years’ operating experience in growth & transformation roles in venture & private equity-backed to Fortune 500 businesses, I have also served as an operating board director for a variety of companies since 2015 & was recognized among Women’s Inc Top 100 Corporate Board of Directors in 2019. Q: How do you work in order to create change? I am constantly encouraged by the growing number of educated, talented women in my industry. I wish I could say that during my career I have seen more end up in the top of companies, but the gaps persist. Important to all future generations of women in business will be to see more role models, in all roles. An important part of that change still ahead of us is compensation parity for genders. There is more work to do. In addition to helping to build several great companies -- including some exciting exits for investors -- I consider the biggest achievement of my career the quality of teams I have built across companies. Teams are always the biggest asset of any company. The fact that I continue to have many talented professionals that have moved to work with me to build companies - & often more than once! – makes me most proud as a leader. I have spent a career building & transforming. Operating where change is the expectation Most Innovative Sweet‑Protein Food Tech CEO of the Year 2025 & Best Food Technology CEO 2025 (California) Oobli is revolutionizing the way we think about sweetness by unlocking the power of plant-based sweet proteins through an innovative precision fermentation process. We heard more from Ali Wing, CEO and Director of Oobli, as she is awarded with two titles in our Female CEO of the Year Awards 2025. has taught me a lot about the need for agility, the critical role of data & measurement & the importance of speed. To disrupt or transform, you cannot beat your competitors at their own game – you must change the game. Disruption is all about changing the game. I believe we have a burning platform of metabolic disease (just look at the demand for GLP-1s today); our food system needs to change. Sweet proteins can & should be a critical tool in the toolkit of reformulation of packaged goods. Years from now (& I hope sooner vs. later), we will look back at this time & say, of course, proteins instead of carbohydrates & carbohydrate-like sweeteners should always have been the healthier chassis for sweetening in foods. Q: How would you describe your leadership style? I work hard to not only be a good leader & mentor in general, but also in particular for all female peers, women who work for me &/or women I meet across the industry. I rarely say “no” to a request for help or advice – or even time. I am an active member of Women Corporate Directors, focused on helping get more women professionals serving on Boards. And I often show up as a supporter & speaker for organizations working to promote the professional development of women, like Women 50/50 on Boards, Forte Foundation & more. I’ve spent my career at the intersection of technology and healthy living, working on ways to solve big consumer problems. So, when our Oobli Founder, Jason Ryder, & our investors approached me to partner with him in commercializing Oobli, I jumped at the opportunity. Why? Because sweet proteins may be the most disruptive solution for rehabilitating our modern food system that I’ve ever seen. Delicious, great for the planet, affordable, plus a sweets & health game-changer. Who knew protein could do more than build muscle? Amazing…Sweet tooth, meet sweet proteins! Q: What comes next for Oobli? We are working with a variety of large, global CPGs & ingredient companies & are very excited to announce more global partnerships in 2026. My goal for Oobli is to bend the global health curve of obesity & diabetes. Contact: Ali Wing Company: Oobli, Inc. Website: https://oobli.com/ Ali Wing
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