Alfred Reisewitz, a long-standing expert in the grain trade at Agravis Raiffeisen AG, is taking early retirement at the end of next month.
“Alfred Reisewitz has been involved in grain trading at Agravis for 32 years with a high level of specialist knowledge and a distinctive market expertise and has made a significant contribution to shaping the company. He is an absolute market expert," said Agravis group management board member, Hermann Hesseler.
The American Soybean Association (ASA) has hired Kyle Kunkler for its policy team as director of government affairs, with a focus on the biotech and crop protection portfolio.
The US organization said the recruitment is part of ASA’s strategic realignment, in establishing an independent office in Washington, DC and restructuring the government affairs team.
Kunkler spent three years with Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) in the US, managing federal government affairs on food, agriculture, energy and environmental policy. Prior to that role, he served on the legislative teams for US Congressman, Dan Newhouse, and US Congresswoman, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, as had a role with the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.
Calysta has appointed Thomas JG Huot, as its chief operating officer to lead global operations and corporate development activities. Additionally, Dr Huot is responsible for corporate strategy and the commercialization of Calysta’s FeedKind protein. He has been with Calysta since 2018 as its chief business officer.
Huot has over 20 years of experience in research in biological sciences, venture investing, project financing and strategic partnerships, including a significant focus on industrial biotechnology, specialty chemicals and nutrition.
Prior to joining Calysta, he had worked with VantagePoint Capital Partners, a global venture investor with a focus on energy innovation and technology that had more than $4bn under management, where he was a managing director, leading the industrial biotechnology, food and agtech investing practice.
Huot provided strategic advisory services to start-up companies and investment funds in the life sciences and nutrition sectors for Novalis Advisors LLC.
Wageningen Livestock Research has appointed Roselinde Goselink as the head of its animal nutrition department. She has 11 years of experience in research and project management in the area of animal nutrition and livestock farming.
“Roselinde is a people-oriented colleague who will look for and encourage collaboration,” said Gert van Duinkerken, Wageningen Livestock Research business unit manager. “I look forward to working with Roselinde. In her, we have found a talented and ambitious departmental head and member of the management team.”
Goselink will take up her role as head of the animal nutrition department on May 12020. She will succeed Gert van Duinkerken, who took on the role of business unit manager on January 1.
Goselink graduated from the faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University in 2008 and completed an additional honors program for Veterinary Research. After a brief assignment for the Royal Dutch Veterinary Association, she was appointed scientific researcher at the animal nutrition department at Wageningen Livestock Research.
In addition to her regular work as researcher, she is working on a PhD thesis focused on the management, nutrition, metabolism, and health of dairy cattle. She will complete and defend her PhD thesis in 2021, said the university.
Erlend Sødal recently resigned from his roles as operations director for Skretting Group, and MD of Skretting Norway and Australia. He had been working with Skretting for 25 years.
Håvard Walde, finance director of Skretting Norway, who had been Sødal’s deputy for the past eight years, has taken on the interim position as general manager of Skretting Norway to ensure a smooth transition for the company, said the fish feed producer.
Melissa Abbott will continue as general manager for Skretting Australia, and will now report directly to Therese Log Bergjord, it added.
IntraFish reported that aquaculture equipment supplier, Akva, has since hired Sødal as its new COO for its cage-based Nordic business unit.
UK feed and agricultural supply industry representatives, AIC, has appointed Andrew Pearson as policy manager.
His role will involve working across all five sectors of AIC, analysing the latest information and data in order to develop solutions for the most pressing issues facing agri-supply businesses and UK agriculture, said the organization.
Taking over from Dave Freeman, Andrew is the latest appointee to the policy team at AIC, who work with government and stakeholders to find more sustainable ways to balance food production and environmental progress.
He will bring extensive experience and expertise to his new role, having worked as a land quality and estates manager for over seven years. Combined with his previous roles as a contaminated land officer and environmental health technician, Pearson holds a long record of delivering projects to minimise health, safety and environmental risk and promote sustainability, said the AIC.
Robert Sheasby, Chief Executive at AIC, commented on the appointment: “UK agriculture is currently in a state of great change and uncertainty. Careful development of AIC policy is absolutely vital to ensure our member business’ continued success. Andrew will be a valuable asset both for AIC and its members at this time of transformation, helping to ensure our involvement in creating a policy agenda that is sustainable, productive, and forward-thinking.”