IGC Chairperson and Counsellor for Agriculture, High Commission of Australia to the UK
Dr Amy Little is Australia’s Agricultural Counsellor to the United Kingdom. Dr Little has a veterinary background and, following a brief stint in practice, joined the Australian Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) in 2007. She has held a range of roles in DAFF primarily focussed on animal health and trade. She has been involved in disease preparedness, response and efforts with Australia’s near neighbours – Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste. Dr Little was previously Australia’s focal point for animal welfare to the World Organisation for Animal Health.
President, India Middle East Agri Alliance (IMEAA)
Sudhakar Tomar, President of the India Middle East Agri Alliance (IMEAA) & Bharat Subcontinent Agri Foundation, is an agri-commodities and food systems entrepreneur with three decades of experience. IMEAA, a multilateral agri-industry venture builder and funding initiative, is mandated to promote agricultural trade, startups, and investments in South Asia and the Middle East. The objectives are to increase farmers' income and secure food and nutrition security. Championing the issues of Food & Nutrition security, Climate Smart regenerative Agri Crops and Sustainable AgriFoodFarmTech Startups, Sudhakar Tomar was involved in the advocacy of the UN-declared International Year of Pulses in 2016. An advisor to various governments, he is a globally recognized keynote speaker and has been listed among Forbes Top 100 Indian Leaders in the Arab World from 2016 to 2020. He has received numerous accolades, including the GPC President’s Award (2024), the Global Agriculture Award (2019) from the Indian Council of Food & Agriculture, Business Leader of the Year (2016) from the Government of Dubai and the Outstanding Contribution Award (2017) from the Government of India
Strategy and Business Development Lead, MSA Business Group & Abusem International
Aklile Belete is a strategic architect dedicated to "bridging the gap" within the East African commodity trade landscape. With over 19 years of experience, he has specialized in promoting African commodities globally, in a similar fashion to sourcing international technologies and business innovations for Africa. He serves several associations, chamber of commerce, policy-making bodies, and is a new board member of EAGC.
Aklile recently pioneered the "Ethiopia-Kenya Trading Bridge," a strategic initiative utilizing the LAPSSET corridor to stabilize regional food security and provide critical supply chain lifelines for millers and manufacturers. His work focuses on AfCFTA-aligned logistics and public-private synergy.
Guided by the philosophy "Creating Businesses, Not Just Employment," Aklile is a champion of community-driven economic empowerment. By leveraging a collaborative ecosystem between the MSA Business Group, government bodies, and development partners, he has successfully transitioned 5,000 community members, including farmers, women, and youth, from laborers to the owners of 100 viable SMEs.
Executive Director-EMEA Agricultural Commodity Sales, JP. Morgan
Florent leads Agricultural Derivatives OTC sales at J.P. Morgan, bringing over two decades of industry expertise. He began his career as a physical trader at ED&F MAN, later establishing an OTC Risk Management business. Florent joined J.P. Morgan a decade ago, where he specializes in Agricultural Corporate Derivatives Sales. The firm is highly engaged in the sector, partnering with major food multinationals, trading companies, producers, and processors to provide Cleared and OTC derivatives, market intelligence, investor products, tailored solutions, and financing options. Florent has served on the Euronext Commodities Committee. He holds an MSc in Finance from EDHEC Business School and an MSc in Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Head of Unit, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, Arable crops and olive oil, European Commission, Brussels
Koen Dillen leads the team covering arable crops markets and policies within the European Commission.
Before taking up this role he held a variety of roles linked to agricultural policy and analysis within the European Commission, including forecasting agricultural markets and trade negotiations. Koen has an academic and research background with PhD in agricultural economics from the University of Leuven and having worked in the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.
Senior Vice President and Head of Cereals, Canola, Cotton and Biofuels, Bayer Crop Science
Peter is Senior Vice President and Head of the Strategic Business Entity Cereals, Cotton, Canola/Oilseed Rape and Biofuels at Bayer Crop Science, leading global strategy, P&L, Seeds & Traits innovation, digital transformation, and partnerships across the agricultural value chain. With more than 30 years of international experience, he has held senior leadership roles in Europe, Asia, and worldwide, including Managing Director of Bayer Crop Science Germany and Head of Region South Asia. Earlier, he served in key strategic and commercial positions, including as Chief of Staff to the CEO of the Crop Science Division. Peter is active in several industry associations and currently chairs the Board of the German Agribusiness Liaison Office (VLI). He holds a Business Administration degree from the University of Cologne, has completed executive programs at Harvard, LBS, and IMD, and is passionate about food, history, and staying active. He lives in Germany with his wife Celia, their three children, and their dog Monti.
Head of Market Intelligence – AgRural, Brazil
Daniele started her career in agriculture in 2002, as a reporter and editor for AgRural, a consultancy based in Paraná, Brazil. After a break in 2005-2006, when she worked for the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, Daniele assumed AgRural’s market intelligence service for corporate clients and helped establish the consultancy’s office in the United States. Nowadays, Daniele leads AgRural’s fundamental analysis team and is in charge of their international service “Brazilian Update”. Daniele holds a BA in Journalism and two MBAs (Agribusiness and Economic Development) from the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil.
Eurasia Regional Director, International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM)
Dr. Eren Günhan Ulusoy is the Eurasia Regional Director of the International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM), representing the Turkish industry on global platforms. He is the Chairman of the Board of Ulusoy Un, Turkey’s largest flour producer, and Söke Un, a leading retail flour brand (both publicly traded on Borsa Istanbul). He also serves as Chairman of Pastificio Mediterranea in Italy and ROLWEG SA in Switzerland.Holding a PhD in Agricultural Economics, Dr. Ulusoy transformed Ulusoy Un into Turkey’s first publicly listed flour milling company and a global food industry player. Under his leadership, the group has been among the export leaders of the sector for more than a decade. Dr. Ulusoy is also a Member of the GAFTA Council and serves as the Honorary Consul of Indonesia.
Co-Founder & CEO, Helios AI
Francisco Martin-Rayo is Co-Founder and CEO of Helios AI, an AI-powered intelligence platform that forecasts climate risk, predicts commodity prices, and helps agri-food organizations stay ahead of supply disruption across global markets. A former avocado trader turned entrepreneur, Francisco has built his career at the intersection of agriculture, technology, and risk. Previously, he served as Chief Commercial Officer at Deep Labs AI and as a Principal at BCG. Francisco holds degrees from Harvard, Wharton, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Research Scientist, MIT Center for Sustanability Science and Strategy
Kenneth Strzepek has spent 30 years as a researcher and practitioner at the nexus of engineering, environmental and economics systems, primarily related to water resource planning and management, river basin planning, and modeling of agricultural, environmental, and water resources systems. His work includes applications of operations research, engineering economics, micro-economics and environmental economics to a broad range applications: from project scale to national and global investment policy studies. He has worked for a range of national governments as well as the United Nations, the World Bank, the USAID. He is Professor Emeritus of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and recently a Visiting Professor of Economics and Affiliated Professor in College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute as well as an International Fellow at the Center for Environmental Economics and Policy for Africa and Examiner in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He has been a contributing author to the Second IPCC assessment, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the World Water Vision, and the UN World Water Development Report. He is currently the USAID Scientific Liaison Office on Water and Climate Change to the CGIAR. Prof. Strzepek has a PhD in Water Resources Systems Analysis from MIT, an MA in Economics from the University of Colorado and is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Economics at the University of Hamburg, Germany.
Chief Operating Officer, DP World Logistics GCC
Raveen Guliani was appointed Chief Operating Officer Logistics for DP World GCC in August 2023, overseeing trade and logistics in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
Previously, Raveen was Vice President Trade Development & Logistics of DP World UAE with responsibility for logistics operations at Jebel Ali Port and the flagship free zone of Jafza.
Since joining DP World in 2010, Raveen has held a number of senior leadership roles, heading up the Trade & Business Intelligence, Business Development, and Marketing & Communications functions.
Raveen has more than 20 years of management and leadership experience across the logistics, shipping and maritime sectors, with proven expertise in developing trade and enabling efficient supply chain solutions.
Prior to joining DP World, Raveen was the Regional Sales Manager at Dubai Maritime City, with responsibility for sales and business development in Asia Pacific. He has also held several commercial and operational roles with Maersk across Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Raveen holds an Executive MBA from the IE Business School in Madrid and a Postgraduate Certificate in Business from the University of Wales. He also holds a Diploma in Port Management from Lloyds Maritime Academy and a graduate degree in Engineering.
Managing Director, Natural Gida A.S
Dr. Andac Kolukisa is the Managing Director of a four generation family owned agribusiness, Natural Gida A.S. in Turkey.
The company primarily focuses on processing red lentils, chickpeas, and white beans. Further, Natural Gida is an exporter of pulse crops to over 45 countries.
Dr. Andac graduated with a degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineer in Sabanci University, Istanbul and Jonkoping University, Sweden.
He holds a Master of International Business at Hult International Business School in San Francisco, where he completed a global rotation to University College of London and Fudan University, Shanghai. Dr. Andac also holds a PhD in Finance at Mersin University.
dditionally, Dr. Andac served as a Coordinator for GPC Young Professionals (GPCYP) where he worked to improve connections and understanding between Young Professionals and GPC.
He also spoke on the topic of promoting the IYP with the delegation of Private Sector Mechanism to the UN Committee on World Food Security at FAO Meetings in Rome.
Dr. Andac serves as the Executive Committee member of GPC, as well as the Chair of GPC Communication Committee where they focus on social media.
He has been serving as the Executive Board member of Turkish - Canada Business Council and the Young Entrepreneurs Council in Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchange of Turkey (TOBB).
CHS Chair in Risk Management and Trading, North Dakota State University
Dr. William W. Wilson is a University Distinguished Professor and CHS Chair in Risk Management and Trading at North Dakota State University. An internationally recognized expert in grain marketing, risk analysis and logistics, Dr. Wilson’s recent research uses real-time shipping data to show global grain trading is more competitive and dynamic than ever before. He advises major agribusinesses and governments worldwide and is widely cited for his insights into market structure, strategy and innovation.
Vice President for Economy, Development, Finance, and Strategic Planning of the African Federation of Bakers and Pastry Makers (CAF-BP)
Alaa Edris is a distinguished expert in grain science and technology with over 20 years of experience in the sector. He currently serves as the Vice President for Economy, Development, Finance, and Strategic Planning of the African Federation of Bakers and Pastry Makers (CAF-BP), headquartered in Casablanca.
In his technical capacity, Edris has been the Director of Grain Research Laboratories at the Egyptian Center for Bread Technology (ECBT) since 2012, an institution operating under the Egyptian Food Industries Holding Company. He began his professional career as a Grain Research Specialist in 2003, developing a deep expertise in grain chemistry, quality control, and milling technologies.
Edris holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences from Al-Azhar University, specializing in Environment and Bio-agriculture. His academic foundation, combined with two decades of industrial leadership, makes him a unique voice in bridging technical research with continental food policy. He is also an active board member of the Egyptian Milling and Training Association and a strategic advocate for 'The Voice of Reason' initiative, focusing on supply chain resilience and the development of regional grain hubs in Africa and the Middle East.
Managing Director & Chief Agriculture Economist HnyB Tech Incubations Pvt. Ltd
Deepak Pareek is a visionary in the agriculture trade and policy domain, renowned for his unparalleled expertise as a serial entrepreneur, investor, and ecosystem builder. With a rich tapestry of 25 years of diverse experience spanning 34 countries. His accolades speak volumes about his impact and dedication. Honored as one of the Top 10 Agropreneurs of 2019 by Future Agro Challenge, Greece, and recognized as a Technology Pioneer in 2018 by the World Economic Forum, Switzerland, Deepak’s contributions are globally acknowledged. His advisory roles with various private, public, and multilateral organizations have driven significant advancements in agriculture and technology.
President of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales
Tom Bradshaw, the President of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales, farms in partnership with his wife, Emily, and his parents in North Essex. Alongside a small family owned farm, they run a contract farming business growing a range of combinable crops.
Tom was Chair of the National Crops Board before becoming part of the Presidential team in 2020 and being elected President in 2024. Tom was successfully re-elected as President for the next two-year term at the NFU Conference on 25 February 2026.
Global Stewardship leader, Corteva Agriscience
Bill is the Global Stewardship Leader for Corteva Agriscience, where he provides strategic leadership to ensure the company meets its stewardship obligations for products wherever they are developed, tested, or commercialized worldwide. In this role, he helps safeguard the responsible use, regulatory compliance, and long-term sustainability of Corteva’s portfolio.
With more than 28 years at Corteva and a lifetime rooted in agriculture, Bill has broad, cross functional experience spanning domestic and international product registration, sales and marketing, production, and research. During his tenure at Corteva, Bill has played a key role in the development and launch of several innovative technologies, including the Pioneer GrowingPoint® digital platform and the Optimum® AcreMax™ family of single bag, simplified refuge products. He also represents Corteva in numerous industry organizations, including the International Seed Federation and CropLife International.
Raised on a crop and livestock farm in southern Iowa, Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Iowa State University. He lives in Grimes, Iowa, with his wife and remains actively involved in the family farming operation alongside his father and oldest son.
President-Chairman Argentine Edible Oil Association Grain Exporters Association (CIARA-CEC) General Manager of VISEC
CIARA-CEC Associations represents exporters and crushing industry reaching 48% of national exports and 30 billion u$d trade on annual basis. He is the leader of Argentine Platform for free of deforestation (VISEC) for soybean and beef, He recently assumed the presidency of the Argentine Agroindustrial Council, a business entity whose members include 65 business chambers, ranging from fishing to meat.
Gustavo Idigoras has a degree on political sciences and a master degree on international affairs and business and a PhD in Agricultural Business Administration.
He used to work as Public Affair manager for biotech industry in Argentina as well as he was Director of Business Issue Management (A Consultant group on agribusiness and bioenergies in Argentina) working for different chambers and companies related to food business and biofuels. He was also International Consultant working for IDB and FAO on SPS and agriculture trade including sustainability.
He was government negotiator for 18 years on market access negotiations at WTO, MERCOSUR, FTAs, CODEX, OIE, IPPC, IGC, OECD as well as he served as Argentine Agricultural Minister at European Union, based in Belgium, for 5 years.
Lead Agricultural Commodities Analyst, Kpler
Ishan has led Kpler’s agricultural practice since October 2023. Based in England, he has over 12 years of experience with global grains markets research and trading. Ishan is building an understanding of agricultural markets and trade within Kpler, to add to and support its dry bulk data offering. He is also building analytical tools and balance sheets for major ags like wheat, corn, soybeans and barley, with focus on developing all the support required for trade decision-making by Kpler clients. Ishan has worked as Head of Research at Invivo and as Trader at Olam International. He founded Integrated Research Dubai and was a consultant for major trading houses across the globe, before joining Kpler.
Meteorologist, Aura Commodities Ltd
Tom Whittaker is head of Weather at Aura Commodities based in London. He leads a team that provides regular in-depth analysis and commentary on weather disruption risk across agricultural commodities to a variety of market participants. Tom expertise is on translating the impact of short, medium, and long-term weather/climate patterns and events on agricultural production. He holds a MSc in Applied Meteorology from the University of Reading.
Executive Director and CEO of the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC)
Gerald Makau Masila has been the Executive Director and CEO of EAGC since 2011, working to support structured grain trade in the Eastern Africa region. Under Mr. Masila’s leadership, the organization has grown and its operation now spans over 10 countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, the DRC, Zambia, Malawi, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
CEO of Golden Wheat for Grain Trading, Managing Partner of Golden Kayan for Oil & Energy
Malak Al Akiely is Founder and Managing Director of Golden Wheat for Grain Trading, Ltd., supply Grains to Jordan with over 18 years of experience in commodity trading with focus on food security, Sustainable Agriculture, and Business Development. Golden Wheat works to meet the regional expanded demand of grains commodities in MENA; Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, & Saudi Arabia.
Malak is Co-Managing Partner in Golden Kayan for Marketing Consulting Co. for Oil, Energy & Renewable Energy, Jordan.
She is a Board Member at Maqta Ayla Digital Solutions , Joint Venture between Abu Dhabi Ports & Aqaba Development Cooperation and at the “ National Entrepreneurship Council” for improving National Strategy and implantation plan by Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Jordan.
She is a Founding & Board Member of the “Jordan Economic Forum”, a forum consisting of prominent economic figures & parliament members to foster economic growth and moving towards the objectives of sustainable development goals, Green Circular Economy and Jordan`s Economic Modernization Vision
Partner and Business Development consultant on Oil and Aviation investment projects in East Africa (Nigeria).
Malak holds an MBA in Management Business Administration from the German-Jordanian University.
President of the Ukrainian Grain Association
Mykola Gorbachov has more than 30 years of experience in the agricultural market of Ukraine. In February 2017, he was elected as the President of Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) and in 2021 was re-elected for a second term. He previously co-chaired the Grains and Oilseeds Committee of the European Business Association (EBA).
He also holds the position of Director in the trading company in Ukraine.
Managing Director - Microsoft AI for Good Lab
Dr. Becker-Reshef, is the Director of NASA Harvest which is NASA’s global program on Food Security and Agriculture. It is made up of a diverse consortium of over 50 partners from the public and private sectors and is focused on advancing the use of satellite observations across the agricultural sector. She is a Research Professor at the department of Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland and a visiting Professor at ICube – Laboratory of Engineering, Computer Science and Imagery at the University of Strasbourg. Her work is focused on the application of satellite observations for agricultural monitoring from the field to global scales, supporting decisions in food security, sustainability, and agricultural markets. She worked closely with national and international partners to initiate the G20 GEOGLAM (GEO Global Agricultural Monitoring) Program, where she is a Program Scientist leading the Crop Monitor initiative. Her background is in soil sciences and remote sensing and she received her Ph.D in 2012 from the University of Maryland.
Director of Innovation, Trade & Market Access, International Seed Federation (ISF)
Dr. Khaoula Belhaj Fragnière is the Director of Innovation, Trade & Market Access at the International Seed Federation (ISF), where she drives global industry efforts to accelerate plant breeding innovation, open seed markets, and strengthen international policy. A scientist by training, she began her career at The Sainsbury Laboratory (UK), leading research and publishing on genome editing and plant–microbe interactions. She later joined the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), where she steered national regulatory work on new breeding technologies and synthetic biology, and represented Switzerland in major international fora including the UN Biodiversity Convention and EFSA’s GMO panel.
Bridging science, policy, and industry, Khaoula has over 15 years of experience advancing innovation across sectors—ranging from government to the consumer goods industry and now the global seed sector. Her work focuses on building science based, future ready regulatory frameworks that empower breeders, support farmers, and strengthen resilient global food systems.
Australian Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
Elisabeth Bowes is a senior career officer of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently First Assistant Secretary and Chief Negotiator, Free Trade Agreements and Stakeholder Engagement Division . She has previously served overseas in postings to Washington and Geneva WTO. Prior to joining DFAT, Elisabeth Bowes was a legal officer in UN organisations in Geneva and Hamburg.
Elisabeth Bowes was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2021 for outstanding public service to international trade policy, particularly as Head of the Tobacco Plain Packaging Taskforce.
Ms Bowes graduated with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the University of Queensland, and a Master of Philosophy in International Relations from the University of Oxford.
Division Director, Agricultural Trade Promotion Center, MARA
Xing Xiaorong is Senior Economist and Division Director at the Agricultural Trade Promotion Center (ATPC), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China. She previously worked as an Agriculture Officer at the Permanent Mission of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Her professional focus centers on agricultural trade negotiations, agricultural policy coordination, and the monitoring and analysis of domestic and global agricultural trade and commodity markets.
Managing Director at U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC)
Rosalind (Roz) Leeck is the Managing Director for the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) as well as the Regional Director for Northeast Asia. She oversees strategic program development and implementation including trade and market access issues; membership and industry relations; and communications and marketing efforts. As the Regional Director for Northeast Asia, she is responsible for Korea and Japan.
Roz has more than 10 years of experience in the grain trade field with previous positions at Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Demeter L.P. She has also worked for Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC), Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.
Roz is involved in numerous industry activities and is currently serving as Secretary of the International Grain Trade Coalition (IGTC) and Chair of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and United States Trade Representative (USTR) Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Grains, Feeds, Oilseeds, and Planting Seeds. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Trustees at Millikin University.
Originally from southern Illinois, Roz remains a partner in her family’s grain and livestock farm. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, a Master of Business Administration from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana and a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Vice President, Bulk Commodities, ITC Limited – Agri Business Division
Mr. Khalid Khan is a strategic commercial executive with over 20 years of experience at ITC Limited. Currently, he serves as the Vice President and Head - Procurement & Supply Chain and is a member of the Agri Business Management Committee. Known for delivering breakthrough top and bottom-line performance, Khalid is recognized as a catalyst for growth, driving business turnarounds, rapid scaling, integration, and reinvention to achieve elevated performance and return on investment.
Khalid champions an inclusive, empowered, accountable, and customer-centric culture with a relentless focus on excellence and marketplace wins. He excels at forging synergistic relationships and business partnerships, resulting in mutual success. His application of rigorous analytics ensures resource optimization and cost-effectiveness for large-scale operations.
He has been instrumental in setting up procurement and supply chain for ITC’s Aashirvaad brand of staples - India’s largest selling Whole wheat flour brand, commanding a market share of more than 72%.
He holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Zakir Husain College of Engineering and Technology, A.M.U., Aligarh and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and Marketing from the prestigious Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi.
He is also a member of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) - National Trade Policy Council.
Khalid Khan's strategic vision and leadership continue to drive ITC Limited's success, making him a key figure in the company's ongoing achievements.
Business Development and Strategy Manager at ADM Investor Services, Netherlands
Alexandre Bobylov is an experienced commodity specialist with over 15 years of expertise across derivatives, investment, financial markets, and risk management. His background combines strong technical knowledge with a deep understanding of market dynamics and trading instruments. He is currently Business Development and Strategy Manager at ADM Investor Services, where he focuses on developing strategic initiatives and expanding market opportunities. Known for his adaptability and results-driven approach, Alexandre is a versatile professional who performs effectively under pressure, managing complex workloads while delivering value in fast-paced market environments.
Senior Market Analyst Areté - the Agrifood Intelligence Company
With over 20 years of experience in the food industry as a Purchasing Department Manager for raw materials and packaging, Filippo has gained a deep understanding of international markets for key global commodities such as grains, pulses, chocolate, and other bakery ingredients.
In recent years, Filippo has supported agrifood sector players in optimizing their strategies while working in the Market Intelligence Unit of Areté, an Italian consulting company specializing in market analysis and price forecasting.
Head of Agriculture Research, London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG)
Laurent Crastre is Head of Agriculture Research at LSEG, where he leads an integrated research organization covering market price assessment, fundamental analysis, and quantitative modelling across global agricultural markets. His teams deliver price assessments and analytical market commentaries, alongside supply and demand analysis and models of yields, trade flows, forward prices, and weather driven risks.
Previously, Laurent served as Senior Product Manager for Agriculture & Shipping at LSEG, working at the intersection of business requirements, data, and product development to translate market expertise into scalable analytics platforms and research solutions. Earlier in his career, Laurent spent 13 years at Stratégie Grains (Expana), where he specialized in global supply and demand analysis across grains, oilseeds, vegetable oils, and feed markets, and advised market participants worldwide on future price dynamics and risk.
Global Policy Advocacy Manager for the CropScience Division of Bayer
Naomi Stevens is the Global Policy Advocacy Manager for the CropScience Division of Bayer responsible for global policy engagement and advocacy strategies in the areas of plant breeding innovation, intellectual property rights and biodiversity.
Her mission in global policy is enabling advancement of plant breeding innovations like genome editing across diverse users and geographies with consistent policy, enabled by clear and accessible intellectual property rights and demonstrating enhanced biodiversity from sustainable and regenerative agricultural production systems. Naomi represents Bayer on the Board of the International Seed Federation and since 2024, chairs the coordination group plant breeding innovation.
Naomi has worked in the plant science industry for over 3 decades, including global leadership positions located in France, Germany and Australia. Her extensive experience spans crop protection, biotechnology and seeds, with roles in regulatory affairs, communications, branding, training, market acceptance, policy advocacy, strategy, public and governmental affairs.
At industry level, Naomi represents Bayer in the CLI Global Industry Coalition (GIC) steering committee, the CLI Biodiversity Expert Group and ICC Biodiversity Committee and leads Bayer delegations at the Convention on Biological Diversity negotiations. She is also in the CLI Plant Breeding Innovation Expert Group.
Previously, Naomi represented Bayer on the CLI Plant Biotechnology Strategy Council (2012 - 2019). She chaired the Council for Biotechnology Information (CBI) Executive Committee (2014 – 2017) responsible for creating the societal dialogue platform GMO Answers.
Naomi is a graduate of Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne, Australia and holds a postgraduate diploma in Agribusiness from Monash University, Australia. She started her plant science career in 1991 with Shell Chemical Pty Ltd in Australia and joined AgrEvo in 1994, which merged with Rhone Poulenc in 2000 to form Aventis CropScience and was purchased by Bayer in 2001. In 2018, Bayer completed the global acquisition of Monsanto.
She enjoys gardening, horse riding and long-haul flights.
Vice President for Plant Biotechnology and Seed Innovation at CropLife
Dr. John McMurdy is Vice President for Plant Biotechnology and Seed Innovation at CropLife International where he leads global association programs that promote plant science innovations, particularly around plant genetic improvements, in sustainable food systems. Previously, Dr. McMurdy served as senior international research and biotechnology advisor in the Bureau for Food Security at the US Agency for International Development where he managed agency investments in agricultural R&D and capacity development programs. He received his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Brown University and his B.S./M.S. from the University of Rochester.
Chief Risk Officer and President, Oilseeds EMEA, ADM
Jon oversees ADM’s oilseed activities across Europe, the Middle East and Africa including soybean, rapeseed and sunflower seed crushing, refining, bottling and biodiesel activities. Jon also serves as Group Chief Risk Officer for ADM.
He joined the company in 2004 as a junior trader, initially trading oilseeds at ADM’s Erith plant in the UK before taking on numerous trading, risk and asset management positions covering crude vegetable oils and soybean crushing businesses.
Jon is a strong advocate for workplace inclusion: he is an ambassador for the ADM Cares program, and he is actively involved in mentoring new joiners of the commercial trainee program.
He holds an HND in Agriculture from the Harper Adams University College in the UK.
Senior Vice President Biofuels Growth, bp
Philipp leads the biofuels growth team at bp and is responsible for the commercial agenda globally growing bp’s biofuels, e-fuels and novel feedstocks project portfolio. He works closely with other parts of bp including hydrogen, biogas, trading and refining to maximise integration and differentiate bp’s business.
Philipp has studied international business and recently led bp’s trading origination across Europe, Russia and Africa. His career at bp spans over 20 years working across trading, refining, midstream and biofuels.
Chairman of the External Contracts Committee, Associação Nacional dos Exportadores Cereais of Brazil (ANEC)
Born in Brazil, Marcos Amorim has called São Paulo home for 50 of his 54 years. A passionate linguist and cultural enthusiast, he masterfully navigates Portuguese, French, and English, and is proficient in Spanish. Marcos built a distinguished 31-year career at Cargill, dedicating his expertise entirely to the agricultural sector, with a significant focus on Trading Execution. Upon his departure in 2017, he held the country leadership role for a team exceeding 70 individuals, overseeing the import and export of vital feed, food, and other commodities.
After a two-year sabbatical, Marcos brought his extensive experience to ANEC, the Brazilian National Association of Grain Exporters. He now serves as the head of the External Contracts Committee, where he has been a key contributor for many years.
President and CEO, CropLife International
Emily Rees is the President and CEO of CropLife International, a role she has held since March 2023. As global advocate of the plant science industry, CropLife International champions innovative technologies that enable farmers to sustainably increase productivity while managing the critical challenges facing our climate and the environment. Spearheading the association’s three pillars of ambition to bring workable solutions to increase food security, tackle climate change and protect biodiversity, Emily leads the organization in its regulatory and policy-driven dialogues. Through advancing science-based approaches to regulation, and fair and equitable global trading rules, Emily helps bring together diverse partners with cutting-edge research and development to effect positive change.
Emily joined CropLife International with an extensive pedigree in EU affairs and economic diplomacy. Prior to joining CropLife International, she held posts as a Senior Fellow at the European Centre for International Political Economy, and Managing Director of Trade Strategies, a consultancy specialized in international trade policy.
A specialist in EU-Latin American relations, she is fluent in English, French and Portuguese.
President & CEO of the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA)
Alejandra Castillo is the President & CEO of the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA). A senior executive with over 15 years’ experience in global trade with expertise in trade execution, stakeholder management and trade policy. Alejandra worked at the U.S. Grains Council in D.C., Singapore, and India. Most recently, she opened the Council’s newest office in India, where she served as the Regional Director for South Asia. In that capacity, Alejandra set up the strategy to evaluate and implement the Council’s market development programs in the region which included India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Alejandra also serves as volunteer President of the International Grain Trade Coalition (IGTC). Since 2019, Alejandra has supported the IGTC Working Group on Electronic Trading Documentation. In that role, she served as one of the co-chairs for the Industry Advisory Group (IAG) and the IAG representative for the CPM Focus Group on Sustainable Funding for the IPPC ePhyto Solution Project.
Prior to the Council, Alejandra worked in trade execution with Cargill focused on trade risk management as well as vessel and container logistics for cotton, grains and oilseeds. She also gained experience as an international freight forwarder prior to entering trade execution. Before joining Cargill, she worked as a project manager for the Mayo Clinic and an associate director of admissions for St. Catherine University.
Alejandra is a native of Nicaragua and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in strategic management and organizational leadership, both from St. Catherine University, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
