Speakers

‘A skilled professional in the pump industry with a background across manufacturing, energy, and chemical production sectors.

His career has centered around process optimization and new technology integration, he currently leads on large-scale client projects aimed at raising efficiencies and improving customer satisfaction.

Joseph will share insights on ‘Optimizing Pump Technology for Sustainable and Decarbonized Fertilizer Production,’ providing practical approaches to reduce energy consumption, extend equipment longevity, and meet sustainability targets’

Dr. Adesogan received his B.S. in 1988 at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and his M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Reading, UK. He was Faculty at the University of Wales, UK from 1995 to 2001, and is currently an Associate Vice President, E. T. and V. C. York Professor of International Agriculture, Director, Global Food Systems Institute, and Professor of Animal Nutrition. His office manages the USDA FAS-funded Fertilizer for Life project implemented by University of Florida, EMBRAPA, USDA ARS and IFDC. He was the Director of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems (for 8 years), which developed novel strategies to improve the nutrition, health and incomes of the poor in 8 countries. He has served on the Editorial boards of various journals and authored or coauthored over 780 publications including 185 in peer-reviewed journals. He has received over $80 million in research grants, given over 200 international seminars in over 25 countries, and received awards from various professional and charitable organizations.

Higher technical diploma in International Business Management,

My Sales career began with  LB as an intern where I worked on a market research on the potential of fertilizers granulation machinery worldwide.

After the internship, I started working in LB as sales area manager of fertilizer granule and premix production plants.

Andrea Guati Rojo is Stakeholder Relations Manager at the Ammonia Energy Association (AEA), responsible for overseeing AEA’s external affairs, safety and the AEA certification scheme. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and Psychology from Cardiff University (UK). Her doctoral research focused on the topic of public perception of green ammonia as an energy vector, performing the first-ever empirical study analyzing green ammonia public acceptance and examining the development of ammonia energy projects in Mexico and the UK.

She also holds a MSc degree in Sustainable Energy and Environment and a BA in Communication and Government Affairs. Andrea has worked for different international companies in Mexico, the UK, Spain and currently in Rotterdam.

Dr. J. Scott Angle received his BS and MS at the University of Maryland in Agronomy and Soil Science, respectively. He obtained his PhD from the University of Missouri with an emphasis on Soil Microbiology.  Angle worked for 24 years as a Professor of Soil Science and administrator (Director of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station and Maryland Cooperative Extension) at the University of Maryland. His early work focused on the study of losses of nutrients from agro-ecosystems, and their impact on the Chesapeake Bay.  He also studied the impact of heavy metals on the food chain with the goal of protecting our food supply from these harmful elements. Later he concentrated his studies on phytoremediation, the use of plants for extraction of heavy metals from soil. In 2005, he moved to Athens, Georgia, where he served as Dean and Director of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia for 10 years.  Following his time at UGA, Dr. Angle was President and CEO of the International Fertilizer Development Center.  At IFDC he oversaw a staff of over 800 and coordinated development projects in diverse regions of the world. IFDC provides solutions to alleviate global hunger and poverty through the promotion of economic development and self-sufficiency.   From 2018 to 2020 Angle was the third permanent director of the National Institute of Agriculture.  NIFA is the primary extramural agricultural funding agency in the US.  With a budget of nearly $2B, he supported research, teaching and extension at our national land grant institutions.  In July of 2020, Angle was appointed Senior Vice President of the Institute of Food and Agriculture at the University of Florida.  As one of the nations premier agricultural and natural resources programs, Angle leads a diverse group supporting agriculture, forestry, families, fisheries and natural lands.  He is a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS), the  American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America. He is also a Fulbright Fellow having worked at the Rothamsted (Research) Experimental Station, in the UK.

Terje is the Director for Ammonia and Fertiliser Markets at ATOME, dealing primarily with relationships with ATOME’s potential green hydrogen and ammonia offtakers. Terje brings a wealth of experience from EuroChem Group, one of the world’s largest fertiliser businesses, where he was Head of Marketing and Sales and a member of the Management Board and Strategy Committee. Prior to EuroChem, Terje was Senior Vice President, Head of Supply and Trade at Yara International,  the leading fertiliser and chemical company.

Massimiliano Bertoldi is the Area Manager of Cannon Artes SPA, responsible in developing the market and opportunities for the United States.

Graduate in Chemical Engineering from the Politecnico of Milano, he developed his knowledge and expertise in the Water and Wastewater Treatment sector together with Cannon Artes in the industrial and energy market. By encountering opportunities and project from all-over the world since 2016, he widened his experience on the different Government Requirements for the water specifications and collected awareness on mostly all the applicable technologies on this very important sector.

Focus of Massimiliano has always been providing the best process design and technology to satisfy the Client needs for Process Water production and Wastewater treatments for discharge or reuse in the Fertilizer and O&G plants. Aiming to the most green and environmental-friendly solution is the must-to-have.

Eric Bober is a NexantECA Senior Vice President and head of its Americas Consulting practice. He also leads NexantECA’s global C1 Chemicals & Fertilizers team, which focuses on ammonia/urea, methanol, syngas, and other key segments. Eric has 40 years’ industry and consulting experience, which includes extensive technical, market, and financial work in syngas, ammonia, methanol, and their derivatives and managing Feasibility Assessments, Independent Engineer, Technical Consultant, and Market Consultant engagements. In the past few years, Eric has led nearly 50 NexantECA engagements that supported investment decisions on manufacturing projects. Much of this included market assessments, strategy studies, business plan evaluations, technology concept evaluation, and assessing the viability at commercial scale of complex technologies. Eric has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a Wharton MBA with a concentration in Finance

Cristian Bocedi, was born in Italy and  he is the youngest of the four Bocedi brothers running the company. He has a master degree in in International Marketing and a bachelor in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs. He has spent a important part of his career in Bocedi and today his daily challenge in the company is to develop new sales activities in foreign markets . During his career he had the opportunity to work with some of the most prominent fertilizer industry manufacturer , learning about the challenges for pallet packaging and load protection and stability for different products.

Adam Crosswhite has 15+ years of experience as a Process Engineer working on process engineering design, scale up, and process/product development, most of which has been within the fertilizer industry. He has a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Alabama. Currently, he is the Director of Engineering and Pilot Plant at IFDC, where he manages all aspects of the pilot plant services offered by IFDC.

Former Senior Director at Plug Power,  responsible for global development of the green chemicals electrolyzer market.

Esben has more than 30 year’s experience with Engineering, R&D and Sales from one of the major licensors (Topsoe) and has hence both a broad and deep understanding of all relevant business aspects of the green chemicals market.

Esben holds a master’s in chemical engineering and a PhD in Process Simulation – both from the Technical University of Denmark.

Matías is the CEO and co-founder of Unibaio, an Ag-Biotech startup pioneering a more sustainable approach to agriculture. Unibaio’s innovative technology dramatically reduces chemical use in crop protection, cutting active ingredients by up to 80%. Co-founded with 4 leading female-scientists, Unibaio has gained recognition from the World Economic Forum and Grow-NY (Cornell). With a background in economics and entrepreneurship, Matías is shaping the future of farming.

Profile

Profile

• Shane is a VP with KBC Consulting. Shane has over 30 years of oil & gas and electric utilities experience covering strategic capital planning and allocation, operations improvement, and business and organisational transformation.
• Shane is also the Practice Lead for Strategy & Business Excellence encompassing, value chain optimisation, value realisation and capture and digital transformation.
• He has significant experience leading strategic transformation projects. This includes includes supporting unattended operations of brownfield and greenfield oil and gas facilities leading to manpower reductions of up to 50% and production efficiency gains of up to 10%.
• Prior to working at KBC, Shane has worked for BP, consulting firms Ernst & Young, and Booz and Co., as well as United States electric utility companies Reliant Energy and Cinergy. Shane’s experience has been at the interface of strategy, business process improvement, organisational alignment, and change management. He has a proven record in delivering projects in upstream and downstream Oil and Gas encompassing M&A activity and asset valuation, corporate finance and capital allocation, operations improvement, and supply chain management.
• Shane has oil and gas refining engineering and operations experience in with UOP.

International Experience

Shane has extensive global work experience throughout the Middle East and Europe. He lived in Bahrain and worked with a number of Middle East NOCs.  He currently resides in The Netherlands.

Education

• Shane holds a Masters in Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a Bachelors Degree in Chemical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

• Shane has has over 30 years of energy industry experience cover all sectors including upstream and downstream oil and gas and electric utilities.
• Experienced in industry and consulting positions delivering organisation and business process design and implementation, including program management and change management elements.
• Shane’s areas of expertise include operations strategy development and implementation, supply chain management, in-plant operations improvement.

James Freemantle has been at the helm of Omnia Specialities Australia since 2013, leveraging over 25 years expertise in agribusiness across agri-finance, manufacturing, distribution, sales, and marketing. He holds a Bachelor of Environmental Management and a Master of Agricultural Economics, complementing his strategic leadership with a solid foundation in agricultural science and sustainability.

Aligned with Omnia’s purpose of driving sustainable growth in agriculture, James is dedicated to advancing soil health and crop nutrition as cornerstones for feeding a growing global population. His leadership embodies Omnia’s core values of innovation, collaboration, and customer-centricity. Committed to creating value at every stage of the agricultural supply chain, James fosters partnerships across local and global networks, ensuring Omnia delivers on its mission to empower farmers with sustainable and effective solutions. www.omnia.com.au

Omnia – Innovating to enhance life, together creating a greener future.

Raphael Gaudreault graduated from the Laval University with a degree in Mining Engineering (2004) and a certificate in Business Administration from Mount Saint Vincent University (2005).  Throughout his career, Raphael held operational positions focused primarily on open pit mine development and optimization at ArcelorMittal Mining and IAMGOLD. Raphael is a member of the Order of Quebec Engineers and comes to Arianne with extensive knowledge of the Lac à Paul project having previously worked at Arianne as Mining Director.  Raphael is a qualified person in accordance with NI 43-101 and is Chief Operating Officer for Arianne Phosphate. 

As the Marketing and Innovation Manager for ICL Growing Solutions North America, Jason Haegele leads the product management, business development, agronomy, and new product innovation functions of the North American commercial business. With over 10 years of industry experience related to seed, crop protection, and plant nutrition, Haegele has a well-rounded understanding of the crop input industry including past roles in product development and market development/agronomy sales support. In his current role, responsibilities include strategy development, external collaborations for new product innovation, M&A evaluation, portfolio expansion and new product launches, and interaction with ICL’s global agronomy and R&D teams to support company initiatives at both the global and North American levels. Haegele holds BS and MS degrees in Agronomy, Agricultural Engineering, Crop Physiology from Iowa State University, and a PhD in Crop Sciences from the University of Illinois. He is based in central Illinois

Ian has 38 years’ experience in Engineering and is registered as an IEng Engineer in a variety of disciplines including mechanical, electrical and instrumentation and is a fellow of the IMechE and member of the IET.

He now works for Bradley Pulverizer Company as Vice President sales and operations, managing projects from quote to commissioning as well as managing upgrades and modernisation of existing plants. Specialising in fine powders production and size classification for fertilizer with an emphasis on Phosphate based fertilisers as well as acidulation process technology for SSP, TSP and other  acidic salts.

He has been involved in many plants world wide but especially in the Middle East and North Africa taking them from concept to full running plants

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As the Global Procurement Head of Raw Materials at ICL, Svjetlana brings a wealth of expertise from over two decades of leadership roles at Univar (North America, EMEA) and ICL. A seasoned global executive, she has had the unique opportunity to lead strategic commercial initiatives and collaborate across the value chain with partners spanning mining, manufacturing, distribution, SMEs, multinationals, and FMCG companies.

Since joining ICL, Svjetlana has actively participated in transforming the procurement organization from a local to a global operation and continuous to successfully guide global teams through complex market dynamics.

As a co-champion of ICL’s Year of Sustainability, Svjetlana has been advancing corporate sustainability goals within Global Supply Chain, Procurement and Capex.

She drives implementation of Together for Sustainability program, promotes Sustainable Procurement practices and plays an active role in Climate Impact and Scope 3 decarbonization initiatives.

Svjetlana holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from McGill University (Canada) and a Global Executive OneMBA from Erasmus University (Netherlands).

She is dedicated to promoting diversity, inclusion and belonging through engagement and collaboration with organizations such as Professional Women International Brussels (PWI), Phoenix Executive, the Erasmus Center for Women and Organizations (EWCO) and European Women on Boards ( EWOB).  She serves as Membership Committee Member at Women in Chemicals.

Additionally, Svjetlana is a member of IMAGINE, a global leadership community for impact, where she contributes to scaling and accelerating systems change.

Jason Jermark is Vice President of Global Service Operations for Siemens Energy’s Gas Services
business area based in Orlando, Florida, USA. In this global role with a multi-national team his
responsibilities include oversight of the creation and execution of service business strategies and
operations support for the power generation industry. This includes a variety of services required to
support the generation energy transition, including decarbonization, digitalization and traditional
rotating equipment.
Jason has over 20 years of experience with increasing responsibility in Siemens Energy’s Gas
Services business area. He started his career working as a Field Service Engineer, gaining technical
and people management skills which eventually led to positions within the field service team as a
District Service Manager and Regional Operations Director. From there he was tasked to serve as
the in-country Gas & Power Services business lead for all functional service business units,
successfully growing the local service business and gaining valuable sales experience and customer
insights. Prior to his current role he was the head of the generation service marketing and sales
operations team, responsible for the commercialization of new service products and concept
development.
Throughout his career Jason has had the privilege to live and work in several international locations
including multiple stops in the United States, China and Canada.
Jason holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kansas State University in
Manhattan, Kansas, USA and his MBA from the University of Florida Warrington College of Business
in Gainesville, Florida, USA.
He and his wife, Kristie, have one child and reside in Oviedo, Florida.

David Lee is Managing Director of Haifa North America, a leading supplier of specialty plant nutrition, recognized for delivering innovative solutions to growers. David shares his passion for the evolution of agriculture while setting strategic direction and overseeing operations for Haifa in the USA and Canada, since 2018. Prior to Haifa, he held various leadership roles at Mosaic, including Senior Director Supply Chain, Country Manager of Southern Cone based in Argentina and Director of Sales, North America. He was with Mosaic since the company’s launch in 2004. Preceding the formation of Mosaic, David held a series of leadership positions in the U.S. and Brazil with Cargill, Inc. David holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh KATZ School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois. David is married and has four children (ages 18-27). His hobbies include skiing, traveling and dining.

Serving as the CEO of Haifa Group since February 2018.

Under Levin’s leadership, Haifa Group has set new standards for operational excellence and growth, strengthening its position as a global leader in plant nutrition.

Mr. Levin was recently appointed as Chair of the Plant Nutrition Working Group at IFA.

Levin has nearly three decades of experience as CEO and CFO in global companies in various industries, including logistics, international trade, chemicals, fertilizers and Agtech. Among his various roles, Levin served as the CEO of “Gadot Group”, “UTI Logistics”, “Maman Group” and “Arava Export Growers”. In his various roles, Levin also served as the CFO of “Netafim” and held various positions in “ICL”, including Deputy CEO and CFO.

Levin has a proven track record of driving growth, specializing in business transformation with a focus on operational optimization and enhancing company performance. His expertise in leading significant changes and navigating complex market dynamics has enabled companies under his leadership to achieve successful global expansions. Additionally, Levin also places a strong emphasis on developing a positive and collaborative business atmosphere which has been key to contributing to long-term stability and business success.

Levin holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics and business administration, specializing in finance, from Bar Ilan University in Israel.

Graduated in Chemical Engineering in 1994 at Politecnico di Milano, Italy. With specialisation in Chemical Plants Designs.

After an initial experience as process engineer, in 1998 joined Cannon Artes, a Company involved with Water & Waste Water Treatment technologies, where he supported the creation of the Engineering Division and the expansion through technology development and acquisitions.

With more than 25 years of experience with Cannon Artes, as proposal manager initially and commercial director since 2009, Alessio helped promoting Cannon Artes’ leading role as a well-recognized global player in the industrial water treatment market in particular in the energy sector, upstream and downstream.

Michael Machuca is the Director of Chemical Industry Marketing for Emerson’s measurement products. In his current role, Michael focuses on helping customers utilize Emerson’s portfolio of measurement products to improve their operations.  Michael has been with Emerson in various roles for approximately 18 years including O&G industry marketing, product management, and customer support. He has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston.

Igor joined Solex in 2010, with the past decade spent solidifying the brand as a globally recognized technology provider for fertilizer cooling and drying. He has extensive end-to[1]end experience developing turnkey heat exchange solutions in various minerals and fertilizer applications. Igor has been published in numerous industry journals over the past several years, and presented globally on the advances in heat exchange technology.

Thomas Mannheim is a seasoned expert with over 25 years of experience in the fertilizer industry, with extensive knowledge across all fields of fertilizers and fertilization. Holding a Ph.D. in Plant Nutrition from the University of Hohenheim, Germany, Dr. Mannheim has consistently bridged the gap between science, agronomy and commercial interests, driving advancements in sustainable agriculture. He has held leadership positions in several global companies and associations. Since 2022, he has been serving as the Global Head of Agronomy at Fertiglobe, the world’s largest seaborne exporter of urea and ammonia combined, and an early mover in sustainable ammonia. Here he continued to push innovative and sustainable fertilizers.

Marbet is serving as Chief Executive Officer of Grupo Fertinal, Mexico´s largest fertilizer producer, which is owned by Pemex. Since her appointment in March 2023, she has been leading a new strategy focused on making Fertinal more productive, profitable, environmentally conscious and responsible.

In her previous roles, she played a crucial part in the transformation of Fertinal, being partially responsible for the investment program supported by the Government of Mexico and Pemex to refurbish and recover the production capacity at the Company’s production sites. Under her leadership, this investment is focused on making the production chain more sustainable.

In her previous role as Commercial Director, she was focus on restoring Fertinal’s presence and prestige in national and international markets. She also worked to reassure suppliers and customers about the future development of Fertinal, and its commitment to meet all its obligations.

She is also responsible for the strategy, distribution, and operational efforts required to ensure that fertilizers are available throughout Mexico prior their delivery to small farmers by the Ministry of Agriculture, as part of the Mexican Government’s Wellbeing Fertilizer Program.  This program aims to help Mexico achieve food security in basic grains such as corn, beans, and rice, as well as other essential crops, so that small farmers can step out of extreme poverty. In the recent period, Fertinal successfully delivered more than 1 million tons of Fertilizers by truck in less than 5 months, reaching the most remote regions of Mexico.

Avdhesh Mathur is an accomplished result-oriented President & CEO with over three decades of experience in leading multiple diverse teams around the globe. He graduated as an Engineer from the prestigious Rajasthan Technical University in 1990 in India, and found his calling immediately after, in the specialty chemicals industry. After working for around 16 years in industrial water treatment in India, he founded NAQ Global in 2007, with the first plant in Brazil to make Green Technology products for the fertilizer industry. Within a span of 10 years, he expanded the manufacturing operations to more locations in Brazil, India, Morocco, and USA.

He is an avid innovator of sustainable technologies for fertilizer additives and he heads NAQ’s R&D department in different countries. In the last two decades, Avdhesh, along with other members of the team, has presented more than 20 technical papers and lectures on topics ranging from modern fertilizer technology, to the need of sustainable fertilizer, and to the application of green technology in fertilizer production, mining, and other processes.

He is a dignified member of the International Fertilizer Association (IFA) France, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) USA, Arab Fertilizer Association (AFA) Egypt, Fertilizer Association Of India (FAI), ANDA Brazil, and International Fertilizer Society, Cambridge UK.

His organization today works for more than 200 fertilizer companies across the globe helping them to improve their processes, efficiency, quality and profits, while reducing Carbon footprint and environmental impacts.

Geraldo Mattioli is an executive with over 25 years of experience in the Crop Nutrition segment. Throughout his career, he has worked with major fertilizer companies across Brazil, Latin America, Europe, and North America.

Starting as a field agronomist in Brazil, Geraldo has gained extensive experience with both commodities and specialty fertilizers. Over the years, he has taken on roles of increasing responsibility, managing multi-million dollar P&L businesses and leading multi-cultural teams. His most recent role was Senior VP North America for Yara International. Prior to that, other leadership positions he’s held with Yara include VP Premium Products North America, VP Farming Solutions Americas, VP Sales and Marketing Westernn US, and Country Manager and
Commercial Director France.

Geraldo also held leadership positions with Timac-Roullier, where he was Commercial Director in Brazil and later responsible for the early development of the Company in the Southeast of the USA.

He served on boards of private companies as well as industry associations, such as The Fertilizer Institute.

Geraldo has an agronomy degree from the University of Sao Paulo / USP, in Brazil, and an MBA from the University of Tampa.

Start of his professional career as head of the Research and Development Laboratory in the ceramic tile production sector

Then, head of the technological laboratory of LB Officine Meccaniche where I deepened my knowledge of different raw materials used in various sectors such as construction and agriculture

After the technical experience, I also began to follow the commercial aspects related above all to the agricultural sector in the supply of plants for the production of both mineral-based and organic-based fertilizer granules.

Today I hold the position of Sales Director of LB Officine Meccaniche with reference to fertilizer granule and premix production plants

Cassidy Million, Ph.D., serves as the V.P. of Ag Science for Heliae® Agriculture and is responsible for leading the agronomy division, Soil Microbiome Lab, and product performance trials. Before joining Heliae® Agriculture, Dr. Million served as the Senior Agriculture Research Scientist at a liquid fertility and humic company. Prior to this role she held multiple research positions including postdoctoral position with the USDA ARS Crop Production and Pest Control Research Division where she researched non-host resistance in wheat and barley. As well as research in the Integrated Plant Protection Unit of (SLU’s) Swedish University of the Agricultural Sciences’ Plant Protection Biology department. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in biology from Indiana University Southeast and continued to earn her master’s and doctorate degree in Plant Pathology from Ohio State University.

Elmar finished his master studies of Chemical & Process Engineering at the Graz University of Technology in June 1997 and started work with Austrian Energy & Environment right after.

Focusing on sustainable combustion of various fuels in fluidised bed boilers, Elmar was working as Sales Manager and was seconded to the Sydney office in 2006 for more than three years.

In the next chapter of his career, Elmar joined BDI-Bioenergy as Director Sales promoting their cutting-edge technologies of turning waste into value, generating Biogas and BioDiesel.

End of 2017, Elmar took over the role as Head of Sales with LHS Clean Air Systems, focusing on advanced filter solutions for dedusting and emissions reduction in various industries.

Another jump in Elmar’s career took place earlier this year when he became Senior Vice President with P&P Industries, heading their newly established business unit Waste Gas Treatment.

Dr. Kiran Pavuluri is the Director of Innovations &  Research at the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), where he leads innovation to advance sustainable fertilizer technologies and improve global food security . His work focuses on developing new fertilizers, characterizing enhanced efficiency fertilizers, providing crop nutrient solutions, with a special emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving soil health. Before joining IFDC, Dr. Pavuluri served as R&D Team Lead at Yara in the United Kingdom, spearheading new product development in foliar fertilization, coatings, and biostimulants. He also held senior agronomy roles at Sirius Minerals, collaborating with global research institutions on multi-nutrient fertilizers. In addition, Dr. Pavuluri’s academic background includes a Ph.D. in Crop and Soil Science from Virginia Tech, coupled with extensive field research experience in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa . Over the course of his career, Dr. Pavuluri has secured substantial research funding from public and private sources, contributed to patents, published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, and regularly presented at international conferences. Recognized for both his scientific expertise and industry leadership, he remains committed to collaboration with stakeholders across the agricultural value chain to accelerate impactful solutions for growers worldwide.

Chris Polaniecki has been with Honeywell since 2001. Throughout his career at Honeywell, he has served in various roles, including Strategic Marketing, Business Development, Offering Management, Sales Support, and Field Operating Services. Most of his experience involves working with customers in the refining and petrochemical verticals globally.

Chris is currently the Global Marketing Director for Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals within Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS). In this role, he helps petrochemical producers explore ways of lowering their carbon footprint along with new ways to take part in the energy transition for lower carbon emission alternatives. Chris represents Honeywell as a member of the Ammonia Energy Association (AEA).

Chris holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University.

Jesper Naimi Funch Poulsen, of 32 years, is currently working as a senior sales manager at Baker Hughes. He comes with a combined 10+ years of experience within the syngas and petrochemical industry and have previously worked in both commercial and technical roles within those industries. His background is chemical engineering, and he currently resides in the capital region of Denmark.

Jesper combines two side of a coin, with a deep technical experience combined with a thorough commercial understanding. He has a passion to drive forward the energy transition in a sustainable and affordable manner.

His current area of responsibility is the promotion and selling of digital solutions, that relies on artificial intelligence, for the process industry. He is a strong advocate for the industry 4.0 and believes there is significant potential hidden in our large datasheets, which can be unlocked for a more sustainable and efficient industry.

Phillip E. Prueter, P.E. is the Senior Vice President of Consulting at The Equity Engineering Group, Inc. in Shaker Heights, Ohio, where his responsibilities include leading Consulting Services with a focus on providing specialized engineering solutions to fertilizer, oil and gas, and chemical producers worldwide. He has supported the fertilizer industry by identifying and qualifying in-service pressure equipment degradation and by mitigating future damage through innovative and technically based engineering recommendations. He specializes in fitness-for-service, design by analysis, explicit dynamics, thermal-mechanical fatigue analysis, elevated temperature creep, seismic and natural frequency analysis, fracture mechanics, root-cause failure analysis, damage mechanism reviews, and high temperature hydrogen attack. He holds a BS and MS in mechanical engineering and is a Registered Professional Engineer in nine states.

Additionally, he has served on ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Committees and is active in industry design and post-construction standards development through the American Petroleum Institute. He is a regular contributor to Inspectioneering Journal where he authors the recurring column Damage Control and has written several technical eBooks on process industry damage mechanisms and mechanical integrity. Furthermore, he has generated numerous technical articles for World Fertilizer Magazine and has authored or co-authored more than 50 technical publications.

I am Péter Rácz, a professional with nearly a decade of experience in the testing, inspection and certification sector, specializing in fertilizer and environmental certifications. I am currently responsible for business development at CerTrust Testing and Certification Ltd., a market leader in fertilizer CE certification and a Notified Body (nr. 2806) under Regulation (EU) No. 2019/1009.

With CerTrust’s strong foundation and extensive expertise, we have successfully certified a wide range of EU fertilizers, including organic and inorganic fertilizers, biostimulants, and essential component materials like waste residues, compost, and biochar. Our reputation as a leader in the field is built on a team of experts who are internationally recognized for their technical proficiency and ability to navigate complex regulatory frameworks.

In addition to our core work in fertilizer certification, we are now expanding our focus to include environmental services. CerTrust is aiming to be at the forefront of certifications related to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and Eco-certification, with a strong emphasis on carbon footprint assessments. This expansion is part of our ongoing commitment to providing comprehensive solutions in both the fertilizer and environmental sectors.

In my business development role, I work closely with our team of experts to ensure that our clients receive the highest level of service and support in navigating certification processes.

Kuide (“Kwey-duh”) Qin  currently serves as the Chief Science Officer at Verdesian Life Sciences, located in Cary, North Carolina. In this capacity, he leads R&D, regulatory, and new product development of novel plant nutrient use efficiency technologies, including novel fertilizers, biologicals, and biostimulants. Prior to his tenure at Verdesian, Kuide held scientific and leadership positions at Dow AgroSciences and Bayer Crop Science. With a career spanning over 20 years, Kuide possesses a profound dedication to the advancement of agricultural technologies that contribute to sustainable farming practices and the modernization of agriculture. Kuide earned his PhD in colloid and surface chemistry from the University of Florida.

Mr. Renwick became LSB’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer in January 2021. Mr. Renwick has more than 20 years of experience in the nitrogen chemical industry, most recently with Houston-based Cyanco where he was President of Cyanco International and held the additional position of Chief Commercial Officer.

Prior to this, Mr. Renwick was with Perth, Australia-based Wesfarmers Limited, one of Australia’s largest listed companies. There he held various positions of increasing responsibility in the Chemicals, Energy and Fertilizers division, including Director and General Manager of Australian Gold Reagents, and Commercial Manager, Ammonium Nitrate.

Mr. Renwick has deep product knowledge and specialized commercial understanding of the global nitrogen chemical and fertilizer markets, especially for ammonia and its role in the global economy and in supporting both industrial and fertilizer markets.

Mr. Renwick has led and executed multiple significant commercial transactions to underpin large-scale capital investment projects, led large improvements in operating and safety performance of product on plants and been deeply involved in numerous capital growth projects and acquisition and divestment transactions and evaluations.

He began his career with Arthur Andersen in its consulting division. Mr. Renwick holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Honors) and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia.

Terry L. Roberts was President of IPNI until it ceased operations in 2019.  He is a former President of the Potash & Phosphate Institute (PPI) and Foundation for Agronomic Research (FAR).  Terry has 30 years’ experience as a soil scientist and agronomist working in the global fertilizer industry.  He currently provides consulting services to the fertilizer industry, is a Distinguished Fellow of the Global Phosphorus Institute (GPI) and chairs GPI’s Science Committee.

A native of Alberta, Canada, Terry grew up in a family-owned and operated retail fertilizer business.  He received a B.S.A. in Crop Science (1981) and a Ph.D. in Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition (1985) from the University of Saskatchewan. He was recognized as a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) in 2001, a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) in 2017 and received ASA’s Agronomic Service Award in 2013.

Mrs. Roviello graduated as a Chemical Engineer from the University of Naples “Federico II” in 2003.

After graduation, she worked as a Process Engineer at Enel SpA until 2004, then at Tecnomare SpA until 2006, and subsequently at Maire Tecnimont SpA until early 2013.

In March 2013, she joined the process department at Casale. Throughout her career as a process engineer, she has been involved in various projects, ranging from conceptual studies to complex engineering, procurement, and construction projects.

Since 2020, Giovanna holds the role of Process Manager, responsible for complex projects involving all technologies in the Casale portfolio.

Matias is responsible for providing agronomic support to Koch Agronomic Services’ customers in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly for enhanced efficiency technologies. Matias has a Bachelor´s in Agronomy from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina and a MS and PhD in Crop Science from the University of Illinois, U.S.  Prior to working with Koch, he provided agronomic support for premium phosphate and potash products globally and later, worked in the seed and biologicals industries. He is the author of several peer-reviewed articles about nitrogen management in cropping systems.

Cleiton is an agronomist with a PhD in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences. With 12 years of experience in technical and commercial roles, he has worked for both large corporations and startups in the fertilizer and bioinput industries. His career has taken him across borders, where he has successfully led market and business development initiatives in various countries and cropping systems.

Originally from Brazil, Cleiton has spent the past 16 years living and working in the United States, Uruguay, and Argentina. Outside of work, he treasures quality time with his family, whether playing catch, kicking around a soccer ball, or exploring the outdoors. On weekends, he enjoys cycling with friends and embracing the open road.

Stephan was appointed in August 2019. He began his career at Deloitte Consulting and has 17 years of international finance experience in the manufacturing, chemicals, mining, and agriculture industries. He has served on several boards, both locally and internationally, in an executive and non-executive capacity.

Ali El Sibai earned his PhD in Process Systems Engineering from Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg, Germany. He gained extensive experience in large-scale process modeling and optimization during his work as a scientific researcher at Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, focusing on renewable energy production and storage. He joined Stamicarbon almost four years ago as a modeling engineer and since then, he has been involved in the development and execution of projects related to digital products.   

Jack Walters is a Managing Consultant in NexantECA Limited’s for Europe, Middle East and Asia regions, based in London, UK. He is focused on leading technical and commercial due diligence and assessment of ammonia and fertiliser chemical projects/assets in the EMEA region as well as advising on NexantECA’s ammonia subscription and reports.  Jack has led the development of NexantECA methodology for the assessment of emerging regulations on the fertiliser sector including CBAM, Inflation Reduction Act and REDIII.

Aaron Waltz has over 20 years of experience in research and agronomy within the agriculture industry. Born and raised in Plymouth, Nebraska, Waltz has been involved in his family farms raising livestock and crops. Waltz completed two summer internships with American Cyanamid within the sales support division for herbicides and insecticides. Waltz earned his B.S. in Biology from Doane College, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Agronomy from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After finishing graduate studies, Waltz spent nine years at DuPont Pioneer in the research department focusing on corn genetics, hybrid evaluation and advancement, transgenic traits, and specialty breeding projects. Before joining Ostara, Waltz spent time with multiple companies with research and commercialization efforts focused on adjuvant manufacture and development, microbial fermentation, biostimulants, fertilizers, and more.

John Wright is a Managing Partner at Kincannon & Reed, a global executive search firm specializing in food and agriculture. Since joining the firm three years ago, John has rapidly ascended to partnership, leveraging his extensive industry experience to drive the company’s mission of recruiting and developing leaders for organizations that feed the world and keep it healthy.

With a focus on crop inputs, agricultural commodities, ag retail, and transportation and logistics, John has successfully placed numerous executives in key positions. His approach is informed by over 25 years of experience in agriculture, particularly in the fertilizer industry.

His journey in agriculture began with a focus on fertilizers, holding senior leadership positions at renowned companies such as Helm Fertilizer Company and KEYTRADE North America. In 2009, John’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to found Solce Fertilizer Company, showcasing his ability to identify market opportunities and build successful businesses.

As a second-generation professional in the fertilizer industry, John’s passion for agriculture runs deep. He values the relationships that drive the business and understands the critical role that effective leadership plays in the sector’s success.

John resides on Anna Maria Island, Florida, with his wife Cory. They are proud parents of two college students: Sam, a junior at the University of Florida, and Anna, a freshman at Florida State University.

Position: Technical Consultant

Water Treatment Industry: 43 Years

Veolia Experience:  38 Years

Education: Drexel University, BS and MS in Chemical Engineering

Areas of Specialization

• Cooling and boiler water treatment, condensate treatment, ion exchange and boiler makeup water pretreatment
• Hydrocarbon processing, chemical processing, agricultural chemicals, power generation, and steel production industries
• Special focus on high pressure boilers, boiler feedwater and condensate treatment chemistries, flow accelerated corrosion, and power and ammonia plant steam and water systems
• Current responsibilities include support of commercial team to resolve customer critical technical issues, optimize treatment programs, and deliver ROI to the Veolia customer base

Background & Experience

• 40 Years of water treatment experience in various roles from Product Management, Product Applications, Account Manager, and most recently Technical Consultant
• Deep domain expertise for all water treatment disciplines, excellent problem-solving skills, project management, data analysis, and communication/ presentation skills

Achievements

• Winner of 2 Veolia Lion Awards, Best Paper Award at Caribbean Desalination Association Conference (2010), and Paul Cohen Award at the International Water Conference (2011)
• Authored and presented technical papers for the International Water Conference, International and Caribbean Desalination Associations, Electric Power Research Institute, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association, Chemical Processing, and International Society of Mathematics and Computing
• Authored and published technical articles in Power Plant Chemistry, Materials Performance, Iron and Steel Technology, and Modeling & Simulation in Engineering

Dr. Karl Wyant currently serves as the Director of Agronomy at Nutrien. In this position, Dr. Wyant contributes proven agronomic leadership in growing the Nutrien commodity and premium fertilizer product lines and promotes advanced sustainability initiatives.  Before working at Nutrien, Dr. Wyant served as the Vice President of Ag Science for Heliae Agriculture (2019-2022) and as an agronomist for Helena Agri-Enterprises in California and Arizona (2014-2019). Dr. Wyant earned his advanced degrees at Arizona State University (PhD – 2014) and Colorado State University (MS – 2008).  Dr. Wyant is a Certified Crop Advisor and Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg) and has his CA and AZ Pest Control Advisor licenses. Karl and his family reside in Tempe, AZ.

Santosh Yadav is the founder of CoteX Technologies, a cutting-edge coating technology company. CoteX is dedicated to developing economical and effective polymer coated products for the agricultural sector. With over 20 years of global experience in polymer coatings, Santosh has been involved in the development and commercialization of fertilizer products to improve efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of fertilizers.

Mr Zwart holds a M.Sc. degree in Chemical Engineering from Twente University in The Netherlands. He started his professional career with DSM in 1995 as a plant engineer for fertilizer plants. He joined Stamicarbon in 2000, from which time assignments to fertilizer plant projects had him travel around the globe. He shifted from engineering to sales and joined the Board of Stamicarbon in 2009, where he holds the position of VP Licensing, Sales and Services, in charge of Stamicarbon’s commercial activities, managing an international team of licensing, sales and services professionals working from offices in the Netherlands, China and Russia.

Stamicarbon B.V. (Netherlands, est. 1947) is the world market leader in development and licensing of urea technology, used in more than half (> 250) of all urea plants built worldwide. Urea is the most used industrial fertilizer in agriculture. Stamicarbon is a subsidiary of Maire Tecnimont Group S.p.A. Italy.