AGRITHORITY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of NC Plant Sciences Initiative at NC State University
With more than 30 years of experience in the agricultural sector, Adrian Percy is an advocate of the need for, and benefits of, modern agriculture. He is also a strong proponent of the development and adoption of new agricultural and food technologies that support global food security while conserving the environment and supporting rural community development.
Ornellas has more than 25 years of experience in marketing and sales for crop protection companies in Brazil and Latin America. He has played an integral role in the creation and development of strategic campaigns for new products, from market research to brand development and distribution. As AgriThority Account Manager for Latin America, Ornellas is responsible for business development and management for AgriThority clients in his region. He will provide project management for product and field development services and will direct business development services to commercialize new products and will provide valuable insight to clients as they launch technologies in new markets globally.
Aleksandar Stanković brings deep knowledge of the historical and strategic context of the political and economic situation in the Balkans, Southeast Europe and the Middle East to his role as AgriThority® Account Manager, Adriatic & Balkans. Stanković's experience with international agricultural companies Miller Chemical & Fertilizer, Arysta Life Science, LIDA Plant Research and Fytofend includes business development, sales, market research and regulatory services.
Fluent in Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, and proficient in English, Spanish and French, Stanković received a bachelor's degree in Management from BK University in Belgrade, Serbia, and a master's in International Relations from the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations in Switzerland. His market research, product development and regulatory experience, paired with his entrepreneurial, collaborative approach allows him to drive results for clients.
Job Titles:
- Regional Manager / Australia
Andrew Alexander has more than 20 years of experience in sales, customer relations and sales management in both corporate and independent distribution channels. He is recognized for successfully driving customer growth through effective team leadership, increased product distribution and commercial management. Andrew is the point person in a strategic partnership between Imtrade Australia and AgriThority to facilitate a full range of regulatory, product development, field development, business development and market access services on behalf of AgriThority. As the Account Manager for Australia and New Zealand, he will guide clients in the region as they develop and test new technologies and accelerate their path to commercialization in the region and globally.
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Member of the Global Leadership Team
- EMEA Business Manager
- EMEA Regional Business Manager
Atilla Akin is a proven leader in seed treatment with extensive knowledge of the industry landscape in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He is well-versed in seed technology development with a specialty in commercializing new technologies. Akin has broad experience developing, registering and marketing seed treatments and agrochemicals through experience with DuPont, NuFarm and Chemtura. Akin has a strong record of successfully managing product portfolios, introducing new technologies while growing markets for existing products. As Business Manager, Akin is in charge of product and field development services and business development services to commercialize new products as well as providing valuable insight to clients as they launch technologies in new markets globally.
Job Titles:
- Technology Transfer Product and Business Development Manager
Job Titles:
- Technology Transfer Product & Business Development Manager
Brett Len z, Technology Transfer Product and Business Development Manager, brings a wealth of expertise in agronomic strategy and precision and digital data, as well as strong process management skills to his leadership role at AgriThority®. Responsible for the development and management of the late development large-scale on-farm trial platform, TrialWerx®, Lenz works with North American and International clientele to organize agronomic teams, consolidate precision and digital data along with our field research team, and generate meaningful insights for clients and farmers. He will also lead our clients and staff through our data-driven, science-based process of product and market development services to accelerate the commercialization of agricultural innovations. Prior to joining AgriThority, Lenz work ed with AgVend and Farmobile to optimize agribusiness data analysis for ag startups, retailers and growers. A graduate of the University of Missouri, Columbia, Lenz received a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Regulatory Services and Animal Agriculture
Brian Huseman, DVM, MS, AgriThority Regulatory Services & Animal Agriculture Associate, focuses on continuing to expand regulatory and developing business in the animal health sector. He has owned a regulatory consultancy since 2018 after 10 years as Vice President and Director of Regulatory Affairs at Ceva Biomune. He also spent 13 years in regulatory roles at Intervet/Schering Plough, among others. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Science, Surgery and Medicine from Kansas State University.
Charlie Guy, Ph.D., is a Research Manager at AgriThority®. Since 1996, Charlie has been evaluating insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, growth regulators, nematicides, defoliants/dessicants, crop varieties, and genetically modified traits. He has extensive experience in research protocols, labeling decisions and market potential. Previously, Charlie was employed by the University of Arkansas as a Weed Scientist and was responsible for conducting an applied research program that explored new ways to control weeds in crops grown in Arkansas. Prior to that, he worked as a Field Development Representative for Agricultural Products with Mobay Corporation. There, he determined market potential for agricultural chemicals: fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, defoliants, and nematicides and conducted field plot work on most crops grown in the mid-South. Charlie earned his Ph.D. in Agronomy from the University of Arkansas.
Job Titles:
- Product Development Manager
Dr. Davidson provided technical research and consultation for agronomic organizations ranging from The Illinois Soybean Association to Good Earth Minerals and Valent BioSciences. As an AgriThority product development manager, Davidson will apply his vast experience in technology adoption, communication, and training. His compelling technical writing skills will support clients' technology transfer opportunities as well as contribute to the interpretation of field trial results. Davidson holds three degrees in agronomy: a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska, a master's degree from the University of Missouri, and a Ph.D. from Washington State University, followed by post-doctoral work at the University of Nebraska. A Nebraska resident, Davidson's early agronomy career spanned eight years in Mexico, Liberia and Uganda.
Job Titles:
- Senior Field Research Scientist
Dave Guthrie has more than 25 years of experience and is well-versed in agronomic research, has experience in developing products for the market and a background in extension and education. His experience includes positions with Stoneville Pedigree Seed Company, Monsanto, Bayer CropScience, the National Cotton Council and North Carolina State University. He was awarded the Man of the Year in Service to North Carolina Agriculture by Progressive Farmer in 1992.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager / Ukraine & CIS
Sadykova leads regulatory and business development projects for clients in Ukraine and CIS countries. Her strong communication skills and knowledge of the agriculture market benefit clients as they test, evaluate and introduce new technologies to agricultural markets. Sadykova has more than 14 years of experience in logistics, contract preparation and product registration procedure, drawing from her previous position with FMC. Prior to FMC, she was a teacher and translator, working with the Ukrainian Agricultural Academy, Kyiv State University and the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Madhu Jindal brings 30 years of experience to her role as Research Manager/Analyst, NORAM at AgriThority®. Her expertise ranges from row crops (corn, wheat, and barley) and pulses (chickpea and dry beans) to plantation crops (sugarcane) and specialty crops (vegetable and ornamental plants).
Prior to joining AgriThority, Dr. Jindal was an integral part of many international research projects focused on development of disease resistant varieties through novel genetic and molecular technologies. Additionally, Jindal independently managed many research projects to determine the etiology and epidemiology of economically important diseases and conducted studies in the areas of fungicides and germplasm for management of diseases.
An expert researcher, Dr. Jindal has published 62 research papers and 19 research reports in scientific journals of national and international repute. Dr. Jindal received her master's degree and Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.
From business development and project management to account service and marketing strategy, Michael Kleckner brings a wide range of experience to AgriThority®. In his role as Senior AgriBusiness Client Manager - NORAM, Mike will identify and nurture business, market and product development opportunities for innovative, research-driven companies and their investors. The client relationship responsibilities will include identifying clients' needs and offering solutions to drive company revenue.
Eleonora Da Riva is a Master's degreed entomologist and agronomist with project experience on "Spatial and temporal dynamic of Helicoverpa zea and Spodoptera frugiperda populations using pheromone traps in regions of Argentina." As an AgriThority® Product Development Agronomist, LATAM, Eleonora will apply her expertise in entomology, as well as biological and synthetic chemistries for crop protection.
Fluent in Spanish and English, Eleonora brings general manager experience from Provivi SRL where she supervised regulatory, accounting and financial activities in Argentina. Her role also included building relationships with academic, regulatory and strategic stakeholders for market research, foreign trade and freedom to operate requirements.
Eleonora's previous scientific roles expanded into product development team management following stints with AgIdea SA as entomology and microbiology services manager and laboratory scientist. Eleonora resides with her family in the small city of Funes near Rosario Argentina.
Job Titles:
- Sales & Business Development Manager, EMEA
Karkan has more than 30 years of experience working with pesticides, biological products, fertilizers and surfactants. He is proficient in business strategy and product management from development and product registration to product launch, distribution and sales. His demonstrated skill sets in forecasting, problem-solving and budget management have increased product sales and profitability for clients. As Regional Manager, Karkan leads projects in Germany, North and West Europe, the Balkans and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Prior to joining AgriThority, Karkan held sales and marketing management positions for FMC and BASF.
Job Titles:
- Senior Research & Development Manager, EMEA
An agriculture industry veteran based in Germany, Brandl brings decades of experience from the intersection of crop protection and breeding genetics for innovative seed care technologies and their application. Most recently, he served as the global product manager for Syngenta Seedcare Fungicides in Switzerland.
Job Titles:
- Chief Technology Officer
- Member of the Global Leadership Team
Adventure is the constant in Gloverson's life. He has globe-trotted from his Brazilian homeland to Arizona for his Ph.D., back to Brazil, then to Singapore, and now is back in the USA. With 25+ years of experience in agro-science, including 18 years as a product development specialist and manager at Syngenta, Gloverson is an expert in commercializing products. Throughout his career, he has managed product development of corn, soybean and wheat seeds and traits, as well as crop protection and seed care conventional chemistry and biological products in more than 15 countries. At AgriThority®, he applies his leadership skills to oversee a global network of 300 experts and more than 40 clients. Gloverson loves to explore new territories, both professionally and personally. He records his adventures through photography and local art. Above all, he values good conversation.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Global Leadership Team
- LATAM Business Manager, Global Business Lead
With more than 25 years of experience in international marketing and business development in the agribusiness & pharmaceutical industries, Horacio Buscaglia brings a strategic focus and passion for execution to the AgriThority® LATAM team.
After graduating Cum Laude in computer science from Universidad de Belgrano and with an MBA from ESEADA, both in Buenos Aires, Buscaglia worked in IT, strategy, product management and business development at Novartis Argentina and Aventis Pasteur. During his 18 years with Syngenta, Buscaglia led teams across Americas & Global markets reaching multimillion dollar sales and revenue while successfully transforming businesses, increasing profit, accelerating products introduction, defining new strategies and processes, and promoting people around the world.
A native of Argentina, Buscaglia has lived in both North and South America and worked with a diverse range of clients and products around the globe. His experience living, working and sharing with different nationalities and cultures provided a vital learning experience and strengthened his belief that the contribution of diversity is invaluable.
As a cross-functional team leader and business transformation expert, Buscaglia supports AgriThority marketing, sales and new business development in Latin America and abroad in his role as Business Development & Sales Lead, LATAM.
Ignacio Barriola is a Product Development Agronomist for AgriThority® and develops on-farms trials capitalizing on his agronomic technical knowledge combined with the latest technological advances. His skills in ag-tech and remote sensing are very useful in the new AgriThority TrialWerx™ large-scale, on-farm trial service that applies insights from trial data to improve product performance. Ignacio spent the past more than 10 years advising and working in the field at extensive crop production farms and companies located in different productive regions of Argentina. He specialized in remote sensing and geographic information systems during his postgraduate agricultural engineer degree at the University of Buenos Aires.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Global Leadership Team
- Researcher
- Global Director, Science and Technology
As Global Director, Science and Technology for AgriThority, Ignacio Colonna is focused on the incorporating new technologies into product field development, including methodologies, equipment and analytics. He is an experienced researcher and a proven research operations manager. Ignacio now leads the global science and technology efforts in addition to his oversight of lab, greenhouse and field research operations. His data analysis and analytic skills are well-rounded with experience in seed, seed treatment and crop production inputs. He has managed more than 200 projects in Latin America for AgriThority clients primarily focused on innovative and biological technologies and how they perform. Ignacio has a strong track record coordinating research design, execution, data collection and analysis of field trials. Before joining AgriThority in 2015, Ignacio was a Research Scientist at Pioneer Argentina SRL where he was responsible for hybrid advancement including country-wide testing, implementation of new technologies for phenotyping and the development of analytical tools based on environmental data and crop models to support corn hybrid positioning.
Job Titles:
- Regional Manager
- Market Development Manager With a Proven History
Szabó is an accomplished market development manager with a proven history of establishing business in foreign markets. He has more than 20 years of marketing support and project management experience. Szabó has led technical development, market strategy, product launch, portfolio management and budget planning and monitoring for agricultural companies throughout Europe. He is well-versed in the areas of plant protection, nutrient management, soil health and agricultural microbiology. As Regional Manager, Szabó will lead field development and business development services for clients in Central Europe.
Jerry Duff - Founder, President
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Member of the Global Leadership Team
- President
Bold visionary, passionate entrepreneur and strategic leader are just some attributes of Jerry Duff, President and Founder of AgriThority®. He draws on his farm upbringing to deliver a strong work ethic and an applied scientific approach to his agribusiness career. Duff leads the highly skilled, global team of scientific, strategic business and product development specialists to deliver results for clients on six continents. With more than 40 years of business, product and market development experience, Duff has unique insights and relationships across the agricultural and allied industries. His entrepreneurial efforts began in 1985 and ran across most agricultural industry sectors, ranging from grain, oilseed, cotton, biomass, trees and vines, tropical fruits and vegetable production to industrial crops, turf and ornamentals. His animal agriculture experience spans beef, dairy, pork, poultry, equine and small animals.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner, Open Prairie
- Managing Partner, Open Prairie, Fifth Generation Agriculture Investor and Entrepreneur
Jim Schultz, Managing Partner, Open Prairie, is a fifth-generation agriculture investor and entrepreneur with over 40 years of investment experience. Schultz has been instrumental in starting and providing capital to companies throughout the country, including: Legacy Seed Companies, Vestaron Corporation, Agrivida, NewLeaf Symbiotics, and CommoditAg.
Recently retired after 40 years with Bayer, Martin Gruss has been a champion of ground-breaking achievements in seed-applied technologies that have created new market segments. During his tenure with Bayer, Gruss managed the Crop Protection business in Australia and New Zealand, in the country group for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and then the global Bayer SeedGrowth unit. He remains committed to maximizing seed value and high yields for farmers while serving on the AgriThority Board of Advisors.Martin will represent AgriThority at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London on September 20-21. He is excited to connect with colleagues from around the globe on behalf of AgriThority. To schedule a meeting with Martin, email martin.gruss@agrithority.com.
Job Titles:
- Senior Field Research Scientist
Krishan Jindal, Ph.D. senior field research scientist, oversees program s for AgriThority in Africa, Asia, and North America. He also provide s technical support to product development teams from his more than 35 years of academic and industry experience. His broad range of expertise covers crop production, crop protection, plant breeding, nutrient management, and technology transfer. Jindal is an assertive techno-commercial professional who design s, develop s, and execute s laser-focus research programs to deliver results.
His professional experience includes positions with Savannah Seeds Pvt. Ltd, Australian Wheat Board India Pvt. Ltd, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, India.
Most recently, Jindal worked for University of Guelph at Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Agri and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa. As a member of the corn breeding team, he managed germplasm collection and evaluation, breeding, as well as interpretation of field results. This work includ ed data analysis and publish ing of 22 research papers. Jindal is highly motivated with proven communication, analytical, and negotiation skills. His passion in field research is to develop innovative technologies for sustainable agriculture.
Job Titles:
- Account Manager / Middle East
Kursat Karabiyik brings extensive management experience with international start-ups and novel technologies to his role as Account Manager, Middle East at AgriThority®. His 23 years of experience includes roles with Dow Chemical, Chemtura Co., Rotam Lifesciences and Nufarm Ltd. Karabiyik received his education at Cukurova University of Plant Protection Faculty and the American College of Tarsus.
A specialist working at the interface of technology and business development, Karabiyik is enthusiastic, ambitious and professional. He has a proven history of achieving results for clients in highly competitive environments and is passionate about adding value and implementing strategies for clients.
Job Titles:
- Associate Product & Business Development Manager, Italy
A global leader in the agribusiness and agrifood industries, Luigi Radaelli brings extensive experience to his role as Associate Product & Business Development Manager, Italy. Before joining AgriThority®, Radaelli was the Managing Director of Syngenta, Italy for 18 years. Throughout his career, Radaelli led transformation projects (strategic, process, system and organizational) and served as a Board Member where he managed several mergers & acquisitions. Radaelli earned his degree in agriculture science from the University Statale di Milano and has served on the boards of advisors and as a chairman for multiple international agriculture corporations.
Job Titles:
- Associate Product & Business Development Manager, Greece
Maria Karamagioli joins AgriThority as a seasoned consultant to serve as Associate Product & Business Development Manager, Greece. Karamagioli has expertise in strategic development planning, market research, technical support, field research and trial execution focused on plant protection products, fertilizers, biostimulants and soil conditioners. Previously, she worked in a variety of research and development roles for Lances Link Hellas Ltd., Copais SA Food & Beverage (ΗΕΙΝΖ affiliate), Natural Resources Institute and Bayer Hellas. A multi-linguist, Karamagioli speaks Greek, English, Spanish and French, frequently presents at conferences and has had several published articles. Karamagioli holds a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Plymouth and an MSc in Technology of Crop Protection from the University of Reading.
With a solid base of agricultural and business-to-business experience, Mary Jane Duff leads Marketing and Strategic Services in the family-owned agricultural businesses. What began as TDC International expanded into Duff Dynamic Marketing and AgriThority. Since 2008, she has directed marketing efforts for AgriThority, a global science company delivering business, product and market development services. Mary Jane currently serves as Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer for AgriThority.
She is particularly skilled in facilitating strategic alignment workshops, crafting strategies to address marketing barriers, and translating technical documents into sales tools for clients. Her agriculture experience is broad and deep with 30 years of marketing services for companies in plant and animal production such as Advanta, Bayer, Luitpold Pharmaceutical, Boehringer Ingelheim, AgriLabs, DeLaval, Dairy Farmers of America, HYTEST SEEDS and many others.
Mary Jane grew up on a grain and livestock farm in central Missouri and worked in the family livestock auction business. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Missouri.
From business development and project management to account service and marketing strategy, Michael Kleckner brings a wide range of experience to AgriThority®. In his role as Senior AgriBusiness Client Manager - NORAM, Mike will identify and nurture business, market and product development opportunities for innovative, research-driven companies and their investors. The client relationship responsibilities will include identifying clients' needs and offering solutions to drive company revenue.
Neri Martins brings extensive agricultural research and project management experience to her role as Program Coordinator at AgriThority®. Neri attended the University of Illinois where she received a Master of Science in Agricultural and Biological Engineering. She received her Bachelor's degree in Agricultural and Environmental Engineering from the Universidad Federal de Vicosa in Vicosa, Minas Gerais in Brazil, and a Teaching Degree in Biological Science s from Instituto Superior de Educacao Ibituruna in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais.
Neri gained experience at the University of Illinois as a visiting Senior Scientific Specialist in the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. She was also a Graduate Research Assistant at the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the U of I. A native of Brazil, Neri speaks fluent Portuguese and English reads and comprehends Spanish.
Job Titles:
- Product Development & Project Manager, Spain and Portugal
Job Titles:
- Product Development Manager / Brazil
A native of Brazil, Ricardo Duarte joins the AgriThorityLATAM team as Product Development Manager-Brazil. With over 20 years in the Brazilian agribusiness sector, Duarte's deep expertise goes beyond experimental design, research, and development to project and pipeline management. Working for companies including Aventis, BASF, Adama and Bayer, Duarte has a deep knowledge in plant protection, agrochemicals, biostimulants, seeds and traits. He has successfully registered
multiple commercial products. Duarte holds an MBA from Fundação Getulio Vargas, a specialization in crop protection from Federal University of Viçosa, and a degree in Agricultural Engineering (Agronomy) from Federal University of Lavras.
Job Titles:
- Product Development Manager
Shaw has worked in agriculture for more than 40 years. An entomologist by training, Shaw most recently was Fiber Development Manager, Cotton Team, at Bayer CropScience, where he operated in the textile and apparel market globally with branded upland cotton fiber. His roles at Bayer CropScience and legacy companies Aventis CropScience, Rhone-Poulenc and Union Carbide spanned global product development, field development and technical services. He has managed technical support across broad-acre crops, vegetables, trees and vines, and specialty crops, including sugar cane and rice.
Villasante has more than 32 years of international experience in business development, marketing, sales and management. Through management positions with leading agricultural companies, he has demonstrated a strong background in strategy, leadership and product development for Latin American markets. Villasante is recognized for creating and implementing marketing, training, stewardship and safety programs for Latin American, North American and global markets. Prior to joining AgriThority Villasante worked for FMC Corporation where he built the company's reputation as a leader in the insecticide market.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager / Ukraine & CIS
Yanovsky leads all field programs in Ukraine and select CIS countries. He has more than two decades of field development experience, leading teams on the evaluation of product performance in environments that effectively demonstrate value to growers. Yanovsky provides clients with extensive knowledge of the registration process and the data required to efficiently register new products.
Strategy, project management, collaboration and in-depth analysis are just a few of the skills Silvina Marti Reta brings to her role at AgriThority® as a Research Assistant in Latin America.
Before joining AgriThority, Silvina worked for agricultural start-up Agro Invest SA, where she provided business development, created operational procedures and managed workflow planning. Reta received her degree in Administration from Belgrano University in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Job Titles:
- Product Development & Regulatory Senior Manager
Solito Sumulong brings more than 20 years of experience in ag tech regulatory, product development, improvement and commercialization to his role as Product Development and Regulatory Senior Manager at AgriThority®. In his previous roles at Provivi, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Winfield and DuPont, Sumulong developed and improve d products for enhanced quality, successful commercial development and freedom to operate.
He is also the current President of the ISAA Agrochemical Network, which organizes the preeminent global symposium on agrochemical formulations, and is on the Executive Committee of the American Chemical Society AGRO division as their Webinar chair.
Sumulong received his Bachelor's in Chemistry from The Johns Hopkins University, and MBA from the University of Wisconsin Consortium. Passionate about public service, Sumulong received President Obama's Volunteer Service Award in 2012 and 2013 and was recognized in the 40 Under 40 in Agriculture Award in 2013 for leadership and commitment in advancing the cause to double food production by 2050.
Job Titles:
- Board of Advisor Member
- Business / Investment Advisor
Job Titles:
- Regional Manager / Southern Africa
Stewart Wilson works on AgriThority® business and field development projects in southern Africa from his location in Harare, Zimbabwe. Working as a crop protection agronomist since 1990 for Seedchain Trading, Zimbabwe; Polachem Investments (Pvt) Ltd.; Selby Enterprises, Zimbabwe; and BASF/American Cyanamid/AHP, Stewart has focused on field development of crop protection products to confirm their performance. In his previous roles, he obtained regulatory approval (pesticide registration) and generated labels for 80+ crop protection chemicals from American Cyanamid, BASF, Arysta Life Science, Volcano AgroSciences, DuPont, Dow, DVA and Sumitomo. Stewart analyzed crop protection systems for large farming operations with a view to developing more cost-effective weed and pest control strategies. He also obtained registration and provided technical support for 8 public health products used for malaria control by the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) of Zimbabwe.
Job Titles:
- Account Manager / Asia Pacific
Job Titles:
- Member of the Global Leadership Team
- Global Director, Client Services
- Global Leader
- Global Manager
Soft-spoken with an intense desire to hear clients express their needs, Tony Pardo serves as the global leader in AgriThority® Client Services. As Global Manager, Tony Pardo applies his bilingual sales management experiences and team development skills for the benefit of AgriThority clients. His diverse career ranged from sales working with channel partners and the seed industry to country business management. Previously, he was Vice President of International Sales with Blaze Products Corporation and lead consultant at Integrated Action Science Consulting. Pardo also spent more than 20 years in several roles at Bayer and a Bayer legacy company with 15 years based in Mexico as Country Manager.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Syngenta Group LATAM at Syngenta Group
- Chairman, Syngenta Group LATAM & Non - Executive Director Positions
An international leader, Valdemar Fischer serves as Chairman of Syngenta Group LATAM at Syngenta Group in Panama City, Panama. His deep international experience extends from the U.S. and Mexico to Ecuador, Brazil, and Australia and he is a Certified Board Member of the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance (IBGC).
Job Titles:
- Product Development Manager
Dr. da Costa brings to AgriThority® a strong background in R&D leadership. With over 13 of experience in applied agronomy, da Costa specializes in regulated and native field research trials, operational management and data interpretation. Before joining AgriThority, he worked for Wilbur Ellis and Dow AgroSciences, successfully testing and proving their innovative technologies. da Costa holds a bachelor's degree from Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil, a master's degree from Iowa State University and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, all in the field of agronomy.
Job Titles:
- Associate Product & Business Development Manager
Wally Palm, Ph.D., brings 38 -year s of experience to his role as Associate Product & Business Development Manager. Prior to joining AgriThority®, Palm devoted his career in agriculture to producing food and nourishing people. An expert in R&D, Palm has held leadership positions with Monsanto, Cargill and Syngenta in Business Development, Intellectual Property, Product Line Marketing, and Program Management. Palm has successfully built international teams with diverse cultural and experiential backgrounds in North and South America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Palm attended the University of Missouri where he earned a B.S. in agronomy and M.S. in plant breeding before receiving his Ph.D. in plant breeding from the University of Minnesota.
Job Titles:
- Product Development Manager - France
Trained as an industrial engineer, Xavier Van Begin serves as Product Development Manager - France for AgriThority. He has broad experience and expertise in regulatory and registration aspects of conventional crop protection, biological and fertilizer sectors.
Van Begin's natural curiosity is an asset as he helps AgriThority prepare clients to launch innovative and novel products that will impact the future of agriculture. In his past roles at Arysta LifeScience Benelux, FMC Chemical and Redebel SA, he developed and registered many new products over the course of his career.
Van Begin graduated with a master's degree in Industrial Engineering, horticulture option and a bachelor's degree in biology/chemistry.
ZhongHua Li adds more than 20 years of pesticide business development experience and 10 years of plant protection experience. He also possesses a strong background in recruitment, training and management of sales teams. ZhongHua brings a deep understanding of local environments and agronomics that will streamline the product development process. He also has a deep understanding of distribution channels in China and Southeast Asia.