Our People

Are you ready for Strategic and Scientific Development?

R&D Balanced

Innovative agricultural discoveries are only the beginning. When your Research is ready for Development, turn to AgriThority® for strategic counsel with regulatory guidance and scientific knowledge. Make the difference between a great idea and a widely-adopted technology.

Our
Leadership
Board of
Advisors
North
America
South
America
Europe,
ME, Africa
Asia
Pacific

Our Leadership

Headshot of Jerry Duff, Founder & President, AgriThority®
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.
Headshot of Mary Jane Duff, Chief Strategy Officer, AgriThority®

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.

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.
Headshot of Gloverson Moro, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, AgriThority®

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 Director, 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.

Headshot of Ignacio Colonna, Global Director, Science & Technology, AgriThority®
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.
Technology, agronomy and product development leadership is what Luke brings to AgriThority®. His devotion to delivering quality results that drive customer and company revenue is supported by his passion of applying new technologies to advance agriculture. For more than 15 years Luke has led local to global strategic business and knowledge transfer efforts of new and existing products within The Climate Corporation, Monsanto Company, Compass Minerals and Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. Intensely curious about nature and natural systems, Luke studied Natural Resource Management and plant science while in North Dakota earning his Ph.D. He continues to pursue his passion in field research of experimental seed, traits, chemistry, and biological products to advance crop production.
Headshot of Luke Samuel, Ph.D., Manager, Development Services< AgriThority®
Headshot of Horacio Buscaglia, Global Head of Business Development, AgriThority®

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.

George Fountas, an accomplished regulatory leader, has nearly 15 years of expertise in agricultural biologicals, biostimulant and biopesticide regulations across the U.S., EU, CIS and Latin America. Passionate about sustainability and regenerative agriculture, Fountas has a proven track record of driving innovation and operational efficiency. He is particularly adept at developing strategic initiatives and leading multinational teams toward achieving organizational goals.

A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University, Fountas has experience with companies such as Indigo, BASF and Becker Underwood. As AgriThority® Global Director, Regulatory Affairs, Fountas will lead regulatory projects including importation through label submissions to registration, as well as international, U.S. federal, and state registration maintenance for clients.

Headshot of George Fountas, Global Director, Regulatory Affairs, AgriThority®

Meet Our World Class Board of Advisors

Our world-class board of advisors work with us to improve our services, to stay abreast of trends through their reach and experience and to connect with other leaders around the globe.

Headshot of Christophe Dumont, Board of Advisors, AgriThority®

Christophe
Dumont

Senior Management Executive

Read Bio
Valdemar Fischer

Valdemar
Fischer

Chairman, Syngenta Group LATAM & non-executive director positions

Read Bio

Adrian
Percy

Executive director of NC Plant Sciences Initiative at NC State University

Read Bio

Jim
Schultz

Managing Partner, Open Prairie, Fifth generation agriculture investor and entrepreneur

Read Bio

Our Boots on the Ground

North America & Global Headquarters

Headshot of Jerry Duff, Founder & President, AgriThority®
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.
Headshot of Mary Jane Duff, Chief Strategy Officer, AgriThority®

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.

Headshot of George Fountas, Global Director, Regulatory Affairs, AgriThority®

George Fountas, an accomplished regulatory leader, has nearly 15 years of expertise in agricultural biologicals, biostimulant and biopesticide regulations across the U.S., EU, CIS and Latin America. Passionate about sustainability and regenerative agriculture, Fountas has a proven track record of driving innovation and operational efficiency. He is particularly adept at developing strategic initiatives and leading multinational teams toward achieving organizational goals.

A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University, Fountas has experience with companies such as Indigo, BASF and Becker Underwood. As AgriThority® Global Director, Regulatory Affairs, Fountas will lead regulatory projects including importation through label submissions to registration, as well as international, U.S. federal, and state registration maintenance for clients.

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.

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.
Headshot of Krishan Jindal, Ph.D., Senior Field Research Scientist NORAM, Asia & Africa, AgriThority®

Krishan Jindal, Ph.D. senior field research scientist, oversees programs for AgriThority® in Africa, Asia, and North America. He also provides 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 designs, develops, and executes 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 included data analysis and publishing 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.

Headshot of Madhu Jindal, Ph.D., Research Manager/Analyst NORAM, AgriThority®

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.

Headshot of Wes Johnson, Sales and Marketing Specialist, AgriThority®
Wes Johnson brings more than 30 years of sales, account management and marketing expertise to AgriThority® as the Sales and Marketing Specialist. His extensive experience in animal health included roles with Ralco Nutrition, Ceva Animal Health, MVP Laboratories, Novartis, as well as consulting work has contributed greatly to the growth and innovation of technologies in the swine veterinary sector. Johnson will help expand AgriThority® capabilities and enhance our projects, especially with the animal health clients. Johnson received his degree in Dairy Science and Agriculture Education from Iowa State University.
Headshot of David O'Reilly, Ph. D., Product Development Associate NORAM, AgriThority®

David O’Reilly, Ph. D. Product Development-NORAM where he uses his experience as a senior research & development professional specializing in agricultural biotechnology and crop protection to help clients develop new knowledge and products. Prior to joining AgriThority®, he was the Head of Discovery and New Platform Development starting in 2018 for the U.S. research subsidiary of Centro de Tecnologia Canaviera (CTC), a Brazilian world leading company dedicated to the development of innovative technologies for the sugarcane industry. O’Reilly was with Syngenta for 17 years in various leadership roles in the U.S., China and the United Kingdom before starting at CTC. Prior to his work with Syngenta, he was a professor in the biology department at the Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine in London. He received his Ph.D. in Molecular Virology from University College Cork and IRSC, Villejuif, France.

Headshot of Wally Palm, Product and Business Development Associate NORAM, AgriThority®
Wally Palm, Ph.D., brings 38 years 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.
Headshot of Tony Pardo, Global Director, Client Services, AgriThority®
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 Director, 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.
Headshot of Luke Samuel, Ph.D., Manager, Development Services< AgriThority®

Technology, agronomy and product development leadership is what Luke brings to AgriThority®. His devotion to delivering quality results that drive customer and company revenue is supported by his passion of applying new technologies to advance agriculture. For more than 15 years Luke has led local to global strategic business and knowledge transfer efforts of new and existing products within The Climate Corporation, Monsanto Company, Compass Minerals and Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. Intensely curious about nature and natural systems, Luke studied Natural Resource Management and plant science while in North Dakota earning his Ph.D. He continues to pursue his passion in field research of experimental seed, traits, chemistry, and biological products to advance crop production.

Headshot of Blake Seutter, Agricultural Regulatory & Logistics Specialist, AgriThority®
Blake Seutter joins AgriThority® as a Regulatory & Logistics Specialist in the Kansas City, Mo., headquarters. He brings nearly 10 years of experience in logistics and process management to our team. Previously, Seutter worked with a third-party logistics company and was responsible for overseeing the domestic and international import operations. He also gained expertise in warehousing, expedited shipping and managing all transportation to and from Mexico. Seutter will be handling registrations, logistics operations, import & export processes. He holds a degree in Business Operations and Administration from Park University and a degree in Sport Management from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

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.

Matthew (Matt) Starr is a dedicated trial and research manager with experience managing diverse field and laboratory trials on agronomically important crops He specializes in biostimulants and biologicals and also brings expertise in research, grant writing, trial design and stakeholder communication. His recent work experience with Loam Bio, iQBiotech, the North Carolina Crop Improvement Association, and Sound Rivers has equipped him with the unique ability to advocate for innovative crop and seed solutions. Starr developed his leadership skills while serving in the United States Army and North Carolina Army National Guard. He is currently completing his Ph.D. in Crop Science at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

South America

Headshot of Ignacio Barriola, Product Development Agronomist LATAM, AgriThority®

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 agtech 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.

Headshot of Horacio Buscaglia, Global Head of Business Development, AgriThority®

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.

Headshot of Ignacio Colonna, Global Director, Science & Technology, AgriThority®

Ignacio Colonna is an experienced researcher and a proven research operations manager. He oversees all lab, greenhouse and field research operations, as well as data analysis and analytics projects in Latin America for AgriThority® clients. Colonna has a strong track record coordinating research design, execution, data collection and analysis of field trials. Before joining AgriThority®, Colonna was a research scientist at Pioneer Argentina SRL where he was responsible for hybrid advancement decisions for the temperate program in Pergamino, the new Cordoba breeding program and the North region testing program. His characterization work involved the development of analytical tools based on environmental data and crop models to support corn hybrid positioning and implementation of new technologies for phenotyping.

Fabrizio Giolo, Ph.D., brings 20 years of extensive experience in agronomy, product development, and portfolio management, which he leverages to support AgriThority® clients as a Product Development Manager in Brazil and Paraguay. Over his prior 17 years at Syngenta, he successfully executed projects across Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, and Mexico, worked in both the seed and crop protection sectors, and collaborated in a large of projects at global and local level. Giolo holds a graduate degree in Agronomic Engineering and a doctorate, both from Universidade Federal de Pelotas in Brazil.
Headshot of Gloverson Moro, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, AgriThority®

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.

Headshot of Silvina Marti Reta, Research Assistant LATAM, AgriThority®

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.

Silvina’s expertise with software and platforms allows for a very disciplined project tracking, in-depth evaluation, data analysis and reporting of agricultural research experiments, aerial imagery, root analysis and seed imagery. This extends to large, on-farm trials conducted by AgriThority through the TrialWerx® program.

Headshot of Eleonora Da Riva, Product Development Agronomist LATAM, AgriThority®

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.

Headshot of AJ Ornellas, Business Development Associate Brazil, AgriThority®

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.

Europe, Middle East, Africa

Headshot of Kobus Bothma, Product Development Associate South Africa, AgriThority®
Kobus Bothma conducts product development work for clients with innovations launching in South Africa. He is a multidisciplinary professional Agronomist with a proven record of identifying issues and achieving solutions to increase agricultural productivity and reducing environmental footprint. A well-rounded expert, Kobus has a solid background and experience in the fields of Agronomy, Soil Science, Crop Nutrition, Crop Protection, Irrigation management, Food Safety Compliance and Business Development.
Pedro Aguilar Fernández

Pedro Aguilar Fernández brings more than 30 years of international experience in commercial agronomics to his role at AgriThority®. As a Product Development and Project Manager for Spain & Portugal, Aguilar Fernández will lead and support business development, regulatory and field research, and the development process in agronomic and horticulture crops in the region. In his previous roles with Miller Chemical & Fertilizer, Wise Irrisystem, S&B Industrial Minerals Spain, and Haifa Chemicals Iberia, he focused on product and market development for a wide range of agricultural products. Aguilar Fernández holds a BSc in agricultural engineering from the University of Buenos Aires and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and also speaks English.

Jesús Yanes Figueroa joins AgriThority® as a Product Development & Project Management Associate and brings a depth of experience in the use of digital technologies, automation, 3D modeling, and drone technologies in field trials and experiments. His work in resource management has exposed him to big crop surfaces as well as the design, execution and supervision of infrastructure works like canals, roads and bridges. A certified drone pilot, Figueroa holds an A1 & A2 license for Drone spray applications and holds three patents.

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.

Headshot of Erol Karkan, Sales & Business Development Associate EMEA, AgriThority®

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.

Headshot of Dr. Paula Prieto
An expert biologist, Paula oversees client field trials across Europe to ensure protocols are followed and data will be quality. Previously, she coordinated a team of nine project managers conducting efficacy trials at AgIdea. Her responsibilities included evaluating the feasibility of protocols, working collaboratively with the PMs to ensure trials execution and monitoring, and doing the data and reports quality control. Paula also was Ecophysiology and modes of action Project Manager for AgIdea before taking the efficacy trial coordinator role where she executed efficacy trials for biostimulants, inoculants, fungicides and other new technologies. Prior to her work with AgIdea, Prieto was an ecophysiology researcher for University of Lleida in Spain.
Headshot of Dinara Sadykova, Project Manager, Ukraine & CIS, AgriThority®

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.

Headshot of István Szabó, Product Development Associate EMEA, AgriThority®

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.

Headshot of Stewart Wilson, Regional Manager, Southern Africa, AgriThority®

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.

Headshot of Sergei Yanovsky, Project Management Associate, Ukraine & CIS, AgriThority®

Ianovskyi 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. Ianovskyi provides clients with extensive knowledge of the registration process and the data required to efficiently register new products.

Asia Pacific

Headshot of Andrew Alexander, Business Development Associate APAC, AgriThority®

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.

Headshot of ZhongHua Li, Account Manager, China, AgriThority®
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.
Headshot of ShiGui Zhang, Senior Research Manager, China, AgriThority®

ShiGui Zhang has nearly 30 years of experience as an agronomist and crop scientist in the Chinese agriculture industry, specializing in cotton seed production, processing, evaluation and treatment. He is recognized in China as an authority on Best Management Practices and Integrated Pest Management programs and studied cotton physiology and production for a year at Texas A&M University.

AgriThority® logo.
Youtube Linkedin

© AgriThority® 2025

Christophe Dumont serves as the Managing Director of Kincannon & Reed – Global Executive Search. Prior to his current role, he spent more than 30 years as a senior management executive with extensive accomplishments with Bayer and legacy companies, ranging from strategic planning to commercial operations. A graduate of the Harvard School of Business, Executive Leadership, Business Administration and Management program, Dumont has proven success leading operations, strategic portfolio management, company integration, and talent development on a global level and in emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe as well as in Latin America. He’s currently located in Bucharest, Romania.

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. In addition to his current non-executive director duties in public companies, Fischer is a Certified Board Member of the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance (IBGC). His corporate experience includes Compass Minerals, Syngenta and Nufarm Limited. His academic degrees are Agronomy, Agriculture from Universidade Federal de Pelotas, and International Master in Practicing Management from Lancaster University. He speaks English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Adrian Percy, Ph.D. is Executive Director of the NC Plant Sciences Initiative at North Carolina State University and Venture partner of Finistere Ventures LLC. With more than 30 years of experience in the agricultural sector, 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.

Percy is the inaugural Executive Director of the Plant Sciences Initiative (PSI) at North Carolina State University. He also is a Venture Partner at Finistere Ventures LLC, a technology and life sciences venture capital investor, focused on transforming the food value chain. Percy serves on the board of directors of BioLumic, FA Bio, HiFidelity Genetics and Evogene. He is a member of the science and technology boards of Oerth Bio, Harpe Bio Terramera, Biotalys and Rothamsted Research and hosts the AgTech360 podcast on behalf of NC State’s Center for Excellence in Regulatory Science in Agriculture (CERSA).

J.M. “Jim” Schultz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Open Prairie, and a fifth-generation agriculture investor and entrepreneur with more than 30 years of investment experience. Schultz has been instrumental in starting and providing capital to companies throughout the country. In his career before private equity, Schultz held executive level management positions and served as the Chairman of the Board of the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Small Business Advisory Council on Agriculture, Labor, and Small Business. He has been the Open Prairie representative on the Board of Directors of their agriculture investments in Legacy Seed Companies, Vestaron, and NewLeaf Symbiotics.