2023 Solutions event – Biocontrol: a solution for sustainable crop protection in the EU?

For 10 years, Julie was in innovation in biotechnology in charge of the fractionation and purification department of ARD a subsidiary of VIVESCIA. ARD is a private research and development company dedicated to generating value from crops through industrial applications; one of the fields of ARD is the development of Biocontrol solutions. Currently, Julie is Scientific Manager & Innovative Markets for the VIVESCIA cooperative. She is in charge of the connection between the different parts of the group and also in charge of the research of the new opportunity for the group in term of new technology, new market or new partnership.

Eric Dereudre is VP Government and Industry Affairs at Corteva Agriscience. With over 25 years of experience in agriculture, Eric is passionate about farming and its societal implications. He is a strong advocate of science-based and transparent communications. Eric is a past President of the European Crop Protection Association (now CropLife Europe).

Marilda is EU Agriculture and Bioenergy Policy Officer at BirdLife Europe & Central Asia.

BirdLife Europe & Central Asia has an international team of permanent staff responsible for conservation, science, policy, advocacy, capacity building, fundraising, communications, finance and administration supporting the 45 European and Central Asian BirdLife Partners.

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With 20 years of experience across multiple venture-backed ag-tech companies, Anna joined Vestaron as President & CEO in April 2018 to help lead the transformation of Vestaron from the R&D phase of its development through its commercial phase.  Before Vestaron, Anna was founder and CEO of NexSteppe, a company focused on the development and commercialization of optimized crops for the biobased economy.  Prior to this, Anna led commercial and business development at Ceres, an agricultural biotechnology company.  Anna started her professional career at McKinsey & Co, focused on corporate strategy, assessment of new business initiatives, and business building in various technology sectors.  Anna holds a JD from Yale Law School and a Master’s Degree in Genetics from the University of Michigan.  In 2016, she was awarded BIO's Rosalind Franklin award for female leadership in industrial biotechnology.

Laura Țicoiu is a Policy Officer at the European Landowners' Organization (ELO), where she focuses on policies related to Farm to Fork, Trade, and Innovation. At ELO, she works to promote sustainable land management and rural development across Europe. Laura has a strong background in European policy and a keen interest in agricultural and environmental issues. She is experienced in working with diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, industry representatives, and civil society groups, to find solutions to pressing challenges in the agricultural sector.