Leading fish feed manufacturer, Skretting, has named Evy Vikene its global commercial director. She will report to CEO, Therese Log Bergjord.
The company said the new position will focus on customer needs throughout the business and finding solutions through co-creation with customers.
Evy has worked for Skretting for over 20 years, starting at Skretting Aquaculture Research Centre. She has held a number of different roles within the business, most recently as business developer and global key account manager.
On her appointment, Vikene said: “I’m excited by both the challenge and the potential this new position offers. As part of this role. I will be bringing together the high-level competence in the Skretting business to ensure we stay at the forefront. Our value proposition is expanding, and we intend to partner with our clients to provide maximum value, not only in feed.”
Dr Ronan Power has been appointed chief scientific officer at Alltech following Dr Karl Dawson’s retirement on June 29.
Dr Power joined the Alltech team in 1991 as the European director of research and has been closely involved in the development of Alltech’s product portfolio, said the company. He most recently served as the vice president of Alltech Life Sciences, a division dedicated to researching gut and brain health in humans.
As chief scientific officer, he will oversee more than 100 researchers worldwide, and over 20 research alliances spread over 12 countries, along with four bioscience centers, located in the US, China, the Netherlands and Ireland, where Dr Richard Murphy leads the center’s activities.
Dr Power said the speed at which technological advancements are occurring makes it difficult to determine the ‘next big thing’, but that his team will prioritize the exploration of the biome and products that enhance energy metabolism in production animals.
Dr Karl Dawson is retiring after 20 years with Alltech.
“Dr Dawson has played a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining Alltech’s position at the forefront of scientific discovery, first collaborating with my father and later joining Alltech full-time,” said Dr Mark Lyons, CEO, Alltech.
Prior to his work with Alltech, Dr Dawson spent 20 years as a professor of nutritional microbiology and director of the nutritional microbiology laboratory in the department of animal sciences at the University of Kentucky. He joined Alltech full time in 1999.
In recent years, Dr Dawson provided leadership for nutrigenomics research initiatives, which have led to strategic programs that use epigenetic switches to more effectively control nutrient utilization and improve animal health, said Alltech. Under him, the company fostered and supported the development of more than 200 graduate students at universities around the world, it added.
“Dr Dawson’s team has been responsible for revolutionizing many aspects of nutritional science, publishing more than 400 scientific papers and making over 600 presentations at international scientific meetings.”
Though retiring, the company said he will continue to support Alltech, chairing the company’s scientific advisory board and helping guide its core research areas.
Nicola Williams, professor in zoonotic bacterial disease at the University of Liverpool, has joined an independent scientific group which advises on the responsible use of medicines in UK farm animals.
She will sit alongside other eminent scientists from veterinary, medical and microbiological fields, providing insight to inform the policies developed by the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture (RUMA) Alliance.
Professor Williams is a microbiologist with over 17 years’ experience in conducting applied research, primarily on bacterial zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Her research interests include reservoirs and transmission of food-borne pathogens, transfer and maintenance of antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial prescribing practice, and the epidemiology of AMR bacteria in wildlife, livestock and pets.
Speaking of her appointment, Professor Williams said: “I am delighted to join this unique group and have the chance to apply my learnings at the ‘coalface’ of changes to animal medicine stewardship in the UK.
“I’m particularly interested in how some areas of current research could add to the knowledge base of this scientific group – for example, work I’m now doing in the UK exploring what drives veterinary prescribing behavior so we can understand how change can be implemented.
“Other relevant studies concern the characterizing of relationships and transmission of pathogenic bacteria between different reservoirs, including humans, livestock and the food chain, and the wider environment.
“We are seeing a far stronger focus on AMR in the environment now emerging, so I hope that adding my knowledge in this area to the scientific group will help RUMA to identify what guidance it should be delivering onwards to the farming industry and in veterinary clinical environments."
Catherine McLaughlin, chair of the Independent Scientific Group, has welcomed the addition of Professor Williams to the team, saying her broad global and inter-disciplinary experience will add valuable breadth to the team.
Shauna McNeill has been appointed executive vice president innovation at Aker BioMarine.
She will lead the executive management team at Norway headquartered, Aker BioMarine, with responsibility for the company’s on-going programs to research, develop and commercialize new krill derived products and applications.
Joining Aker BioMarine in 2017 as director of product development, innovation and marketing, AkerBioMarine said McNeill has been instrumental in the company’s development of a new product line, which has now grown into an internal product accelerator, as well as its broader work to develop innovative, sustainable products derived from krill.
"We are working on an exciting pipeline of opportunities and a solid foundation in science and technology along with deep market understanding that will enable us to drive growth both in our current and new segments.
We will continue to invest in development and grow our team to ensure we build on the success of our innovation efforts in recent years," said McNeill.
Starting her career with ExxonMobil, first as a process engineer and later in finance, McNeill then worked in series of product development, business development and strategy roles, including at Ecolab where she oversaw R&D projects in the food and beverage division and in management consulting at Boston Consulting Group.
McNeill has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.
Alltech has also announced the appointment of Gustavo Sa Ribeiro to the role of regional technical manager, monogastric, South East Asia.
The company said that Ribeiro, who will be based in Bangkok, Thailand, brings with him nearly a decade of experience in various capacities, including R&D, marketing and technical support. He has worked in numerous global markets, such as the Netherlands, Spain, Mexico, Eastern Europe, Africa and most recently in Asia-Pacific, added the supplier.
Born in Portugal, Ribeiro graduated with degrees in zootechnical engineering from University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro in Portugal and in international livestock production from CAH Vilentum University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, said Alltech.
Ian Atterbury has been promoted to the role of managing director of Devenish International. He has been the director of international business at the Northern Ireland headquartered animal nutrition group since 2015.
He has plenty of experience in the business. Prior to working in Devenish, he was general manager at Premier Nutrition Asia, part of the AB Agri Group. He also spent nearly 10 years in the role of international business manager, at Premier Nutrition UK. Atterbury also worked for a number of years in BASF, as an export manager.
