Great packaging leadership is more than process or precision. It is vision made tangible. The top one per cent of leaders see beyond the box, the shelf, and even the product itself. They understand that packaging is a portal into the soul of a brand, carrying its heritage, its promise, and its future in the hands of every consumer. It is where strategy meets craft, where creativity converges with commercial reality, and where even the smallest details can leave a lasting impression. In a city like London, where design, commerce, and culture intersect at every turn, the stakes are particularly high. Exceptional packaging leadership is visible across the market, from boutique luxury to high-volume FMCG.
These leaders are not bound by convention. They weave intuition with measurable performance, merging art with science in ways that inspire, delight, and endure. Materials become storytellers, formats create moments of connection, and design becomes a form of brand alchemy. Innovation is purposeful, sustainability is strategic, and collaboration across creative, technical, and commercial teams is central. As London Packaging Week approaches, these leaders offer both a beacon and a blueprint, showing how bold vision, disciplined execution, and sensitivity to cultural and commercial context can shape not just packaging but the perception and experience of a brand itself.
Exceptional packaging leadership also demands a deep understanding of people. Leaders watch behaviour, listen closely to consumers, and anticipate changes in expectations. They embrace curiosity, collaboration, and a restless pursuit of improvement. Across London and beyond, these qualities define the top one per cent of packaging professionals, providing insight into what sets world-class leaders apart.
Customer-centric execution
Lisa Cain, European Technical Account Manager at Smurfit Westrock, explains, “These leaders understand customer centricity, brand strategy, and operational reality. They know how to bring an idea to life in a factory without losing what made it great in the first place. They ask the right questions early, challenge vague briefs, and make decisions that balance impact with ability to implement in the market: packaging that lands on shelf, runs at scale, and still gets noticed.” For Cain, packaging is never merely functional; it is an extension of the product itself, a touchpoint where innovation serves purpose, usability, and emotional resonance. Every material choice, every fold and finish, every sensory detail becomes an opportunity to reinforce a brand story and connect meaningfully with consumers.
Mickael Minot, Brand Owner Director at James Cropper, frames packaging as both science and art. “The best packaging is made by companies that can understand and balance both elements,” he says. “Industry leaders have a rigorous grasp of all the technical elements that go into making a pack, such as barrier properties, how well it runs on converting and packing lines, and print fidelity. These are no more or less important than the intangible elements that cannot be measured, the soul of the packaging.” Minot adds that this soul is cultivated through close collaboration between brands, suppliers, and packaging partners. This unified vision allows leaders to anticipate consumer demand, set trends, and deliver innovation with intent rather than novelty.
Cain emphasises that innovation can be structural, functional, or material-based, but it is always purposeful. “It improves usability, builds brand recognition, and introduces just enough theatre to leave a lasting impression.” Minot echoes this, saying, “There is no point in innovation for innovation’s sake. It must meet a genuine consumer need or solve a real problem. Leaders use innovation to elevate their stories, making creative use of specific textures or colours to spark a particular emotional response.” Every detail, from material choices to finishes and tactile elements, is an opportunity to tell a brand story.
Experiential and value-led packaging
Amy Nelson-Bennett, CEO of Positive Luxury, adds that packaging is experiential and value-led. “The most effective packaging leaders set themselves apart by seeing packaging as more than just functional. It is experiential and one of the easiest ways to communicate brand values. In the past, experiential often meant more, more, more. Today, it is about material choices, efficient construction, and packaging with longevity or re-use, coupled with credible communication of these benefits. Those who implement sustainable design principles, alongside technology and storytelling, will lead with integrity, build long-term consumer relationships, and differentiate themselves from competitors.” She highlights examples from the luxury space, from mushroom-based packaging by Zenpack to regenerative solutions by Notpla, which enhance the unboxing experience while reducing environmental impact.
Ciaran Dickson, Commercial Manager at Frugalpac, frames leadership in practicality and commercial awareness. “The most effective packaging leaders balance vision with pragmatism. They bring a strong sense of creativity, paired with commercial awareness. Packaging must not only excite but also perform in the supply chain, on the shelf, and in consumers’ hands. What sets them apart is their ability to listen closely to consumers, retailers, and brand owners and translate those needs into solutions that are both innovative and viable.” He cites the Frugal Bottle as an example. “Leaders weigh creative impact against practical needs such as recyclability, production efficiency, and consumer acceptance. Innovation becomes a brand amplifier, purposeful, not for its own sake. Consumers immediately notice texture, lightness, and that it is made from 94 per cent recycled paperboard. The packaging experience reinforces the brand’s sustainability commitment and turns the bottle into part of the consumer story.”
Zak Lowe, Creative Director at EP Group, underlines minimisation and friction reduction as hallmarks of leadership. “The most effective packaging leaders focus on minimisation across material use, cost, carbon impact, weight, and usability at both the packing and unpacking stage. Friction must be reduced at every interaction. Creativity and practicality go hand in hand. An innovative idea that cannot be scaled, disposed of responsibly, or used easily does not last.” He adds, “Market intelligence is part of the job. Our innovation team monitors consumer behaviour and market changes to spot trends early. Retail customers expect proactive solutions and guidance on policy changes such as EPR and EUDR. Exceptional packaging leaders understand that the industry sees them as the experts.”
Alignment with brand values remains central to elite leadership. Cain observes, “Whatever the brand stands for needs to show up in every part of the product’s journey, including material choices, finish, and the way the pack opens. These aspects combine to create packaging that is truly aligned with the brand’s values and positively impacts the consumer’s experience.” Minot adds, “Packaging is the most tangible expression of a brand’s values. It is the ultimate example of ‘show, don’t tell.’ Everything from the way it looks and feels to how it smells imparts information about a brand.” Nelson-Bennett highlights luxury packaging that extends equity: “Branded candle glasses or gift boxes that remain in consumers’ homes years after purchase enhance the perception of value.” Dickson emphasises that strong packaging combines creativity with practicality: “Creativity is crucial, but it has to sit alongside affordability, scalability, and sustainability.”
Observation, curiosity, and proactive thinking distinguish the best leaders. Cain notes, “They watch behaviour, not just trend forecasts. They see what people carry, reuse, complain about, and post online. The best packaging comes from noticing friction points and fixing them in ways that remain authentic to the brand.” Dickson adds, “Exceptional leaders keep a close eye on consumer behaviour and cultural trends. Consumers increasingly demand low-carbon, fully recyclable solutions. Early adoption allows brands to pivot quickly and stay ahead.” McMahon highlights the technical dimension: “A deep understanding of materials, technologies, and packaging formats is essential. Our material strategy balances sustainability with practicality, specifying the right paper for grease resistance and recyclability, or choosing the right material for single-use versus extended reuse.”
Collaboration and iteration
Innovation is rarely accidental. Cain emphasises the iterative nature of creative leadership: “The strongest work happens when these teams are not brought in to deliver a finished idea but help shape it from the start. Collaboration means friction, not just alignment, asking difficult questions early and working through them together.” Nelson-Bennett adds, “Successful collaboration between marketing, design, and packaging within luxury results in stronger brand storytelling. Design teams explore minimalistic packaging that provides the luxury aesthetic while reducing excess material, packaging teams seek innovative materials, and marketing champions authenticity.” Dickson reinforces this: “Leaders break down silos. Early and frequent collaboration avoids late compromises and creates packaging aligned across story, design, and functionality.” McMahon echoes the integrated approach: “We do not see these as separate verticals. The combined team needs to be commercially driven, creative, and technical, involved from brief to rollout. Curiosity and courage to explore new avenues, paired with commercial discipline, are key to scaling solutions successfully.”
Sustainability has become a non-negotiable element of excellence. Nelson-Bennett explains, “Smart packaging design done with sustainability in mind is a source of cost savings through material volumes and logistics costs, as well as a competitive advantage. Sustainability is essential for younger, affluent consumers, so those who adapt and lean into innovations will reap the rewards.” Minot adds, “Intelligent design can mitigate trade-offs. By integrating life cycle thinking and design for recyclability from the outset, the perfect balance becomes easier to strike. When the right substrate combines with the right process, almost any element of packaging can profoundly impact. Advanced print and finishing techniques on premium paper products engage all the senses, keeping consumers captivated long after their purchase.”
The most effective leaders combine consumer insight with operational efficiency. Dickson explains, “Top performers constantly ask, ‘What do we want consumers to feel the moment they interact with this product?’ The strongest leaders anticipate changes in expectations around sustainability, convenience, and transparency, allowing brands to act before competitors. Early adoption of low-carbon, fully recyclable formats enables a proactive approach rather than reactive adjustments.” McMahon adds, “Creativity without scalability is ineffective. Our teams focus on streamlined production, minimal factory waste, and responsible waste management at every opportunity. We aim to get the balance right between cost, functionality, and sustainability, without losing sight that packaging is often a first and last touchpoint for the consumer.”
Luxury and experiential design further illustrate the value of purposeful packaging. Nelson-Bennett explains, “Material evolution and digital tools such as brand or product passports can shift packaging from disposable waste to treasured keepsakes. Successful collaboration between marketing, design, and packaging ensures that minimalistic packaging can still deliver luxury aesthetics and tell an authentic story of responsibility and innovation.” Cain adds, “If the packaging does not work in the hand, it does not matter what it looks like in the concept deck.” Minot agrees, “Packaging is the foundation for building long-lasting relationships. It can be designed with reusability in mind, continuing to offer functionality long after its contents are gone.”
Exceptional packaging leadership is about curiosity, courage, and relentless improvement. Dickson emphasises, “The distinguishing mindset is restless curiosity. Leaders constantly ask, ‘How can we do this better?’ They are willing to question the dominance of conventional materials and have the resilience to champion disruptive formats while maintaining commercial viability.” McMahon underscores the balance: “Our team’s strength lies in their curiosity and courage to explore innovative avenues, paired with commercial discipline to ensure solutions scale. This is why we have grown to be the UK’s largest paper bag manufacturer, continually exploring how packaging can deliver more for the brand, the consumer, and the environment.”
As London Packaging Week approaches, these insights illuminate what defines world-class packaging leadership: a rare combination of vision, curiosity, operational rigour, commercial acumen, and sustainable creativity. Exceptional leaders understand their brands, harness innovation with intent, embrace sustainability, and collaborate deeply with partners to ensure every touchpoint communicates value. In their hands, packaging is not just a vessel but a storyteller, a sensory experience, and a strategic tool that shapes consumer perception, builds enduring brand connections, and leaves a lasting impression long after the first encounter.