Jerome Konecsni - Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Chair – ABIC Foundation
Mr. Konecsni, Director General of the Plant Biotechnology Institute (PBI) of the National Research Council, is actively engaged in the biotech industry. His extensive management experience and involvement in the biotech community has created many long-lasting, collaborative relationships, alliances, and strategic partnerships. Prior to joining PBI, Jerome was the President and CEO of Genome Prairie and the Vice President of Corporate Development at the Saskatchewan biotech firm, Bioriginal Food & Science Corp.
As CEO of Genome Prairie, he re-located the corporation from Calgary to Saskatchewan and set up a branch office in Manitoba. At Bioriginal, he was responsible for the research activities, the management of Bioriginal’s intellectual property portfolio and had additional responsibilities in research, product development, marketing, quality, and human resources. His previous experience includes the position of Vice President of Agricultural Biotechnology and Vice President of Corporate Services at the Saskatchewan Research Council. Jerome possesses a diverse background and a broad range of expertise in marketing, public relations, business development, human resource management, and general administration. He received his post-secondary education at the University of Saskatchewan where he obtained his BA (Honours), BEd and MA degrees.

Roger Kemble - Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
Dr. Kemble is President of Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc. (SBI), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.  SBI is part of Syngenta AG, the leading global agribusiness company.  Within the parent company, Dr. Kemble fulfills the role of Global Head of Crop Genetics Research. Following a PhD from King's College, University of London, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the Plant Breeding Institute, Cambridge, Dr. Kemble moved to North America with ensuing tenures at University of Florida, Kansas State University, Allelix Inc. (in Canada) and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., prior to joining Syngenta in 2002.

Malcolm D. Devine - Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Dr. Devine has extensive experience in both public and private-sector agricultural R&D. Dr. Devine received his training at the Universities of Glasgow (Scotland), Guelph and Alberta. From 1987 to 1998 he held a faculty position in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, and served as Department Head from 1994-1998. In 1998 Dr. Devine joined AgrEvo Canada (later to become Aventis CropScience Canada) as head of biotechnology research. He then spent three years in Gent, Belgium as head of technology acquisition and licensing for the BioScience division of Aventis CropScience, and later Bayer CropScience, with responsibility for technology evaluation, licensing and collaborations in support of BioScience research. His group was also responsible for licensing out Bayer CropScience’s biotechnology IP for R&D and commercial purposes. Dr. Devine returned to Canada in 2004 and spent 2 years as Research Director at the National Research Council Plant Biotechnology Institute in Saskatoon.

Art Froehlich – Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Mr. Froehlich is a Partner in AdFarm, one of North Americas largest Agriculture Communications Companies. AdFarm, with offices in Calgary AB, Winnipeg MB, Guelph ON, Fargo ND, and Kansas City, MO works with many world leading agricultural organizations providing marketing, communications, business planning and consulting services. In addition to his role at AdFarm, Mr. Froehlich is the Chair of Genome Alberta and the Alberta Agricultural Research Institute. Mr. Froehlich also sits on the Boards of many Private and Public sector organizations including Prince Rupert Grain, Canterra Seeds, ATB Financial, Alberta Science and Research Authority, Science Alberta Foundation, Alberta Life Science Institute and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research. Mr. Froehlich was also Co-Chair of the ABIC 2007 Conference held in Calgary.
Mr. Froehlich holds a B.Sc. (Agriculture) from the University of Saskatchewan and an Executive MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. His professional career has included Sr. Executive positions with Hoechst Canada Inc., Alberta Wheat Pool and Westcan Malting. He has mentored young Entrepreneurs in the Business Development Bank of Canada “Young Entrepreneurs Program” and continues to mentor young Agrologists for the Alberta Institute of Agrologists. Mr. Froehlich is still active in primary agriculture raising registered Red Angus cattle, grains and oilseeds on his farm in Saskatchewan.

Morakot Tanticharoen - Pathumthani, Thailand
Chair, ABIC 2009 – Bangkok Thailand
September 22 - 25
Dr. Morakot is a leading researcher in Thailand in the field of microbiology and biotechnology. Her specialty includes research and development of an anaerobic wastewater treatment for biogas production and algal technology research, and she is a pioneer in biosensor research in Thailand. Dr. Morakot is well recognized for her involvement at the regional and international level, being an active member and working on the executive of several societies and organizations, as well as serving on the editorial board of a number of noted international journals. Under the directorship of Dr. Morakot, the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) has been appointed as the Executive Secretary of the UNESCO Regional Network for Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology in Southeast Asia since 2002. She also serves as a focal point of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Biotechnology (SCB), and assumed the leadership of the Sub-Committee in June 2005. Dr. Morakot served as Deputy Director of BIOTEC during 1994-2000. She has been Director of BIOTEC since 2000. She was elected the President of Thailand Society of Biotechnology in 1999 and completed her presidency in 2003. She remains an active member of the Society.

Jocelyn Webster- South Africa
Chair ABIC 2011, Johannesburg, South Africa
September 6 - 9
Professor Webster is the Executive Director
of AfricaBio, the Biotechnology Stakeholders Association based in South Africa. This organization is a non-political, non-profit biotechnology stakeholders association serving as a factual reference point and a forum for informed discussion on biotechnological and biosafety issues in Africa. To date, Prof. Webster has many publications in international journals, contributions to scientific books and has presented well over 100 papers at national, regional and international conferences and workshops. Prof. Webster sits on global and national high level biotechnology committees and several boards of agricultural and biotechnology based organisations. Jocelyn has more than 30 years experience in R&D in biological sciences with skills and experience in:
 Medical and industrial microbiology
 Medical immunology
 Microbial genetics and plant biotechnology
Prof. Webster has also established her own biotechnology consulting business, ProBio, which provides services to industries, academia and research organisations both nationally and internationally.

Bronwyn Dilley - New Zealand
Chair ABIC 2011, Christchurch, New Zealand
Bronwyn Dilley is Chief Executive Officer of NZBIO, New Zealand’s national organisation for bio‐based
industries. Bronwyn has significant experience in strategic marketing and management for start‐up and developing SME's across a broad range of industries and has been involved in the Australasian biotechnology sector for much of the past decade. An Australian, living and working in New Zealand, Bronwyn has been instrumental in transforming and refocusing NZBIO into the proactive and successful industry body it is today.