Asia Regional Agricultural Innovation Summit Speakers

Mike Peng is co-founder and co-Managing Director of IDEO, Japan. He joined IDEO in 2006 and moved to Tokyo in 2011. As co-Managing Director, Mike works with colleagues to set the strategic direction of the business in Japan, mentor designers and lead client relationships and projects. Mike has worked on industries that range from education and hospitality to financial services, food and beverages and consumer electronics. He is also a visiting lecturer at Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID), Tokyo University, Keio University and Kyushu University. Before moving to Tokyo, Mike helped start IDEO’s office in New York. He led several projects and experimented with new methods in design research and storytelling to stretch the human factors practice. He also worked as an adjunct professor at NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, teaching public policy, urban planning and nonprofit management students how to use design thinking to solve complex problems. Mike graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in cognitive science and an emphasis in neuroscience.

Josh Martin is a Vice President at ideas42, responsible for overseeing behavioral science intervention programs in diverse fields from domestic financial aid reform to international livelihoods programs. Prior to joining ideas42, Josh was a policy adviser in Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Planning and Development, having previously held posts at Cordoba Initiative and Princeton University’s Empirical Studies of Conflict program and consulting roles at the World Bank, USAID, the National Democratic Institute and others. Josh has a master’s degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and speaks Arabic and French.

Karndee Leopairote is a Managing Director of C asean. Her main  mission is to build a collaboration platform between startups and future generations across ASEAN to support regional development through various connectivity initiatives. Prior to C asean, Karndee was an assistant professor at the Department of Operations Management, Thammasat Business School and an executive director of the Future Innovative Thailand Institute. Karndee is also an author and a contributor in leading local newspapers and radio shows. She holds a B.Eng. in industrial engineering from Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology at Thammasat University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Sattiya Langkhapin is Intel Thailand’s Corporate Affairs Director. On behalf of Intel, Sattiya collaborates with government and nongovernmental agencies to promote technology innovation, 21stcentury education transformation, digital literacy and education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Sattiya holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biochemistry from the University of Cambridge. She is committed to bridging the opportunity gap through optimal use of technology to promote learning, creativity and access.

Shuyin Tang is one of the pioneers of impact investing in Southeast Asia and is passionate about developing the region’s entrepreneurship sector. She currently leads Unitus Impact’s investing activities for Vietnam and the Philippines, identifying and supporting scalable business which improve the livelihoods of the working poor. She has experience spanning strategy consulting (Bain & Company), development consulting (TechnoServe) and impact investing (Unitus Impact, LGT Venture Philanthropy), across Australia, India and Southeast Asia. She has also worked in the U.S. Congress and the Australian public service, as well as at the Lowy Institute for International Policy and at UNICEF. Shuyin was named one of Australia’s “100 Women of Influence” by the Australian Financial Review in 2015. She graduated summa cum laude from the Australian National University where she was also awarded the University Medal.

Katie Henke is Director of Civic Engagement & Social Equity Programs in Winrock’s Human & Social Capital Group, overseeing a portfolio of programs addressing child labor, human trafficking, civil society strengthening and institutional development in partnership with governments, private sector and civil society groups. Katie merges her experience in governance, economic growth, advocacy and compliance to promote and protect human rights and foster civic participation from a systemic perspective. As the Civil Society representative on the UL Responsible Sourcing Committee to Ensure Impartiality, Katie advises on conflicts of interest in corporate responsible sourcing certification processes. Katie has worked on programs throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and the Europe and Eurasia region. She holds a B.S. in political science, a B.A. in international studies and an M.A. in public policy and administration.

Warwick Sabin is the Executive Director of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub and a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, serving as assistant speaker pro-tempore for the 90th General Assembly. Warwick served as publisher of the Oxford American magazine. In 2009 he was named to the FOLIO:40, a list of the 40 most influential people in the national magazine industry. His professional experience includes serving as director of development for the Clinton Foundation as well as working on Capitol Hill, at the White House and at Foreign Affairs magazine. He is a Marshall Scholar and a Truman Scholar. He holds an M.A. in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University and a B.A. (summa cum laude) in political science from the University of Arkansas, where he graduated as valedictorian and was president of the student body. He received the University of Arkansas Young Alumni Award in 2005 and was named to the Arkansas Business “40 Under 40” in 2003. He has volunteered and served on the boards of directors for numerous community and non-profit organizations and projects in Central Arkansas.

Justin Finnegan serves as the Deputy Assistant to the Administrator in USAID’s Bureau for Food Security. He joined USAID in 2013 when he was appointed as one of 12 White House Fellows and served as senior adviser in the Bureau of Economic Growth, Education, and Environment. Since then, he served as the coordinator for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development and negotiator of the Memorandum of Understanding on development cooperation between USAID and China’s Ministry
of Commerce.Prior to joining the U.S. Government, Justin served as managing director and co-founder of the Mountain Hazelnuts Group (MHG), working with smallholder farmers and governments across Asia to find innovative ways to increase productivity, build sustainable supply chains and create new markets. As Bhutan’s first 100-percent foreign direct investment, MHG has taken a systemic approach to creating reliable income generation opportunities for Bhutan’s poorest families while restoring ecosystem health and maintaining community cohesion. He oversaw the operations of the social venture, which is planting 10 million hazelnut trees on degraded and fallow mountain slopes and connecting thousands of subsistence farmers to valuable international markets. He grew MHG from a Greenfield start-up to a company of more than 400 employees that was named Fortune magazine’s Great Green Idea of 2012. The company continues to grow and is one of Bhutan’s largest employers.

Before his work in Bhutan, Justin helped open and manage WestPoint Home’s Asia office in Shanghai, China. WestPoint Home was the world’s second largest home textile company with extensive global manufacturing operations. He was both a Fulbright and Trustman Scholar and spent two years conducting research in rural villages near China’s border with Tibet and Burma, focusing on the effects of agricultural policy on subsistence farmers. He received a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and a master of business administration from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He is currently a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum.

Todd Sorenson serves as the Deputy Director for the Regional Development Mission for Asia based in Bangkok, Thailand. He has over 20 years of overseas development experience in conflict and post-conflict environments in Latin America and Asia. Prior to starting his current assignment in July 2015, he served as the Director for Strategic Planning and Operations for the Asia Bureau. For the period from September 2011 until October 2013 he held the positions of Acting Director and Deputy Director for the Office of South and Central Asian Affairs in the Asia Bureau.

From January 2010 to August 2011 he served as the Acting Director and Deputy Director for the Office of Democracy and Governance in USAID/Pakistan. In that role he led the conceptualization and design of approximately $1 billion in democracy and governance assistance programs.

From 2004 to 2009, Mr. Sorenson served as the Director of the Democracy, Governance and Education Office in USAID/Bangladesh, where he oversaw a variety of critical activities that focused on combating corruption, reducing human trafficking, increasing respect for human rights, reforming political parties and processes, promoting free and fair elections, strengthening local governance and improving early childhood education. He also served with USAID as the Director of the Democracy and Governance Office in El Salvador from 1999 to 2004 and as the Democracy Team Leader in Paraguay from 1997 to 1999. Prior to joining USAID, Mr. Sorenson held a number of positions with CHF International, including as their Regional Representative for South America’s Southern Cone. Mr. Sorenson was also a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica and Paraguay. Mr. Sorenson has a bachelor of sciences degree in business administration from Drake University. He speaks Spanish and has studied Portuguese.

Avishek Malla is president of SunFarmer. He has extensive hands-on experience with off-grid solar PV systems in Nepal and other international markets. His experience includes various roles in industry, government and academia. Avishek has been involved in over 500 solar off-grid projects that include installations on hospitals, commercial buildings and government facilities. He has been a pioneer in the development of solar in Nepal with his involvement in the largest rooftop solar PV system, first rooftop grid-tied system, multiple rural village electrification projects, and introduction of water service models for agriculture. He has also authored several solar PV related papers and publications. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a diploma in management from Kathmandu University and a master’s degree in renewable energy from Murdoch University in Australia.

Mridul Chowdhury has extensive experience in development and technology innovation in developing countries. He is the Founder and CEO of mPower Social Enterprises, a global company specializing in the use of mobile phones for innovative social applications. He has spearheaded several innovations in the area of information technologies for development that have earned many international accolades, including the MIT 100K Business Plan Competition Award, USAID Global Development Award, USAID Mobiles for Development Award and Best Telemedicine Innovation Award at the World Health Congress. He completed his master’s in international development from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as a Dean’s Fellow.

David Dawe is a regional strategy and policy adviser and senior economist at the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, based in the regional office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University and specializes in agricultural and food policy analysis, much of it concerned with the Asian and world rice economies. He has spent much of his professional career resident in Southeast Asia, having worked for the Harvard Institute for International Development in Indonesia, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines and FAO in Thailand, in addition to working several years at FAO headquarters in Rome. He has published books and research articles in the areas of trade and markets, domestic price policy, production and natural resources (fertilizer and water management, climate) and nutrition. He was formerly an editor of the journal Global Food Security.

Kiff Gallagher is Winrock’s Vice President for Business Development & External Affairs. He oversees new business services, global brand and communications, public-private partnerships and blended finance. For over 20 years, Gallagher has mobilized leaders and multi-sector resources for public benefit. He began his career as a White House legislative aide, and later co-designed and co-directed the $400M “domestic Peace Corps” program, AmeriCorps. At Odwalla, Inc., Kiff managed corporate social responsibility and strategic communications, including reputational risk and crisis management. As president of Social Venture Network, Gallagher accelerated social entrepreneurship, sustainable business and impact investing globally. He founded the acclaimed Music National Service Initiative, and has won awards for leadership in social innovation from the James Irvine Foundation, GQ Magazine and the St. Paul’s School Alumni Association. Kiff helped launch Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign in 1991, and served as a policy adviser for arts and culture to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and transition. He has consulted internationally for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Department of State.

Andreas Steiner was appointed to the position of Head Vegetables Seeds and Specialty Crops for the APAC region in May 2015. His responsibilities for the vegetables seeds business include China, South Asia, ASEAN, North East Asia and Australasia. Andreas has extensive understanding of the factors that limit, expand and facilitate the growth potential of the horticulture sector in Asia. Born and raised in Switzerland, Andreas graduated from the University of Switzerland with a degree in Agronomy and Marketing. Andreas joined Syngenta in 1989 as a Development Manager for Crop Protection products for Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. He has since held general management, marketing, strategy and commercial management positions for Syngenta’s crop protection and vegetable seeds business at the regional level in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia, and at the global level from Syngenta’s HQ in Basel, Switzerland. Andreas has dedicated most of his career to horticulture and is very passionate about it.

Tri Nguyen is the co-founder and CEO of MimosaTEK, one of the first movers in Vietnam that focused on leveraging the Internet of Things for precision agriculture. Before founding MimosaTEK, he was a CEO of SaigonCTT, a technology training institute that delivered many advanced technology training programs in Internet segments. Prior to SaigonCTT Tri was a CTO of DTS Communication Technologies, a partner of many big technology vendors like Cisco System and IBM. His responsibility was to design the most suitable technology solution for the customer. Tri Nguyen holds a B.Eng. in telecommunication and an expert certification from Cisco Systems (CCIE #26627).

Kipp Sutton is the Agriculture Team Lead for USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia, based in Bangkok since 2013. Prior to his position in Bangkok, he worked around Asia (Nepal, Mongolia) for five years on Food Security and Economic Growth projects. He has also worked on similar programs in Latin America (Paraguay and Bolivia) for seven years. Kipp enjoys focusing on private sector engagement in agriculture and the use of market pathways to sustainability. He also has a passion for the environment and strives to bring climate smart programming into all of his work. His graduate studies were in International Development and Soil Science at the University of California, Davis.

Pinij Kungvankij is the Senior Vice President of Foreign Aquaculture Development at Charoen Phokpand (CP) Group and Vice Chairman of Charoen Phokpand Foods Philippines Corporation. He has extensive experience in fisheries and aquaculture and is behind the success of aquaculture industry development in many Asian countries, including the Philippines, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. Prior to joining CP, Pinij was a visiting professor at the University of Philippines under the NACA/FAO/UPV joint master of aquaculture program and worked for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He also served as the Director of Satun Fisheries Center at the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operative. He holds a bachelor of science degree from the Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University and an honorary doctorate in aquaculture technology from Maejo University, Thailand.

Anne Deguerry is Entofood Malaysia’s Market ing and Communications Director. She has versatile experience as an entrepreneur in various fields. She founded and managed a law firm that specializes in corporate law, commercial contracts law and land law in Madagascar. After spending eight years managing the law firm, she switched to marketing, art and design development and eventually joined the Entofood team in 2014. She is currently in charge of the company’s marketing and communication activities. Anne holds two master’s degrees, one in management from I.A.E. Lyon and the other in commercial law. She also has a postgraduate diploma in European law.

Ki Chong Tran was born in Los Angeles, California, to Chinese- Cambodian parents who fled Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge genocide. He studied international economics at the University of California San Diego before working in project management and international sales in the aerospace industry. Shortly after learning about the massive potential of 3D printing and the maker movement, Ki Chong decided to leave his job, sell his belongings, and, along with his brother, start the very first 3D printing business in Phnom Penh, Cambodia — ARC Hub PNH. ARC Hub brings cutting-edge and disruptive manufacturing technologies to less developed countries such as Cambodia. It’s fueled by the belief that new technology can have a much greater and more vital impact in less developed countries. ARC Hub is registered as a forprofit company that serves other private companies such as those in the Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone as well as development organizations such as USAID, the Cambodian’s Children’s Fund and the Victoria Hand Project.

Barry Lachapelle is an interaction designer at IDEO Tokyo. He specializes in designing and developing products, services and experiences. An end-to-end designer, Barry draws on his knowledge to make ideas real. He’s passionate about the application of robotics, IoT, data visualization and sensors to design, and blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds. Barry’s more than 15 years of experience include time with both leading global brands and early stage ventures. He has worked with large organizations such as Dell, General Motors, Honda, McDonald’s and Bridgestone, as well as a wide range of startups and social projects. Barry has lived and worked in London, Paris, Tokyo and Toronto. He started three companies of his own, and served as an early champion and consultant to the Canadian startup ecosystem. He finds inspiration in writing copy, pushing pixels and hacking code.

Johan Van Asbrouck is the Executive Chairman, Rhino Research, at Centor Group. His focus areas are drying, storage and longevity of seeds. He also specializes in the re-engineering of existing technologies for the agro industry, especially in seed production, processing, treatment, quality assessment and postharvest systems. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering in agriculture and biochemistry and a master’s degree in business administration. He was the chair within ISTA for advanced seed technologies and is currently the chair of seed technology at APSA. Johan has coauthored many publications and has multiple patents under his name.

Rob Turner is the Project Director for the USAID Feed the Future Asia Innovative Farmers Project. He has more than 16 years of experience designing and leading development projects focused on improving the incomes of smallholder farmers and increasing the competitiveness of smallholder-based agriculture. A consistent interest and focus of Rob’s work has been supporting sustainable commercial services for smallholders. He has worked on improving mobile ICT services, mechanization, contract farming and warehouse receipts among others. Rob has a master’s degree in international management from Thunderbird, the American Graduate School of International Management and currently lives in Bangkok with his wife and two sons.

Dr. Fenton Beed is the World Vegetable Center’s Regional Director for East and Southeast Asia and Oceania. The World Vegetable Center, based in Bangkok, Thailand, is a non-profit, autonomous international research center that improves incomes and diets in the developing world through increased production and consumption of affordable, safe and nutritious vegetables. This is achieved by nurturing affiliations with funding agencies, governments and a variety of collaborators with complementary skill sets to create and implement research projects with sustainable impact on the prosperity of vegetable value webs and human health. Before joining the World Vegetable Center in 2014, Fen was Senior Plant Pathologist for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), based in Benin, Uganda and Tanzania. He obtained his Ph.D.in plant pathology from University College London in 1993 and was senior research scientist at the University of Nottingham, U.K., until 2000 when he departed for Africa. Fen has extensive project and managerial experience and practical knowledge of how to empower agricultural systems, and he has authored over 85 scientific papers, several book chapters, media releases, policy and strategy documents.

Ralph Houtman holds a master’s degree (1981) in development economics from the Agricultural University of Wageningen, the Netherlands. His expertise is in the field of agricultural and rural finance and agricultural marketing and value chains. He has a special interest in IT applications that help participants and actors in these fields. He is a co-founder of the MicroBanking International Foundation (MBI) in the Netherlands, which is active in the automation and ICT aspects of rural and microfinance. Ralph has worked as a freelance consultant for many international organizations and projects, mainly in Asia but also in Africa. Currently, he holds the post of agriculture officer at the FAO regional office in Bangkok, Thailand, where since 2001 he has been in charge of value chains, marketing, including contract farming, and rural finance.
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Darian McBain is an engineer, scientist and science communicator with a focus on sustainable supply chains. Darian has spent her career working with business, government and non-government organizations on managing the environmental and social impacts and risks of business activities and contributing to a more sustainable society. Darian is currently the Global Director of Sustainable Development for Thai Union, the world’s largest canned tuna manufacturer. Before joining Thai Union Darian ran a business consultancy in Australia advising business, government and NGOs on strategy and sustainability. She has worked in the U.K. for the National Health Service and the United Nations. Darian also worked with WWF in its market transformation program. Darian is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer with Integrated Sustainability Analysis at the University of Sydney on social and environmental footprinting, and holds a Ph.D. on social indicators for global supply chain analysis from the University of Sydney. She also holds a master’s of science in business strategy, politics and the environment from the University of London, and a bachelor of engineering (environmental) from the University of New South Wales.

Emmanuelle Bourgois is the Founder and Director of FairAgora Asia. She has been working internationally for various governmental agencies, development banks and international organizations, including FAO, as a legal adviser and trade facilitation specialist for the past 20 years. She founded FairAgora Asia, a BoI-promoted Thai-based company, to offer cheaper yet credible certification to SMEs in the food and agro industries in South East Asia, and from this launched VerifiK8, a software platform that brings trusted verification to the seafood supply chain. VerifiK-8 is a technology-based solution using mobile technology and analytics to verify with credibility and affordability.

Katrina Nakamura is the founder and operator of the Labor Safe Screen and owner of the Sustainability Indicator. Her 20-year career in seafood includes owning sushi bars and researching advances in seafood sustainability. Her training includes risk evaluation (epidemiology) and rural planning and development (common property resource management, community forestry, agricultural extension and soil science). She has served on four native/non-native co-management boards. The Labor Safe Screen looks at working conditions across supply chains to help businesses address social responsibility concerns. The Sustainability Incubator is an advisory firm helping food companies advance sustainability and solve human rights challenges. The Sustainability Incubator, in partnership with Trace Register, recently received the grand prize in the Rethink Supply Chains Challenge. Katrina has a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, a M.Sc. from the University of Guelph and a B.Sc. from McGill University.

Miao Weimin, MSc. has worked as the Aquaculture Officer at the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific since 2008. He started his career at the Freshwater Fisheries Research Centre (FFRC) of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS) in 1982 after graduating from the Shanghai Fisheries University with a Bachelor degree majoring in inland fisheries. He first worked as a research associate in fisheries enhancement and aquaculture in inland open waters. He joined the Training Division of FFRC after completion of a master program on aquaculture in the University of the Philippines in 1986 and worked as a lecturer/ associate researcher and lately chief of the division. He was appointed by CAFS as Deputy Director of FFRC in 1994 and in charge of international training and education, research and international cooperation until he joined FAO. In addition to his management work, he led and participated in over a dozen of major national and internationally collaborated research projects on carp genetic improvement, fisheries/aquaculture socio-economics and policy, aquaculture environment, community-based fish culture and integrated aquaculture systems. Since he joined FAO, Mr. Miao has been responsible for coordinating FAO aquaculture activities in the Asia-Pacific region, which include development and implementation of FAO regional aquaculture programs, supporting aquaculture and inland fisheries development in the FAO member countries through developing and implementing field projects and providing policy advice and representing FAO to aquaculture related regional organizations and fora. He is currently leading a FAO Regional Initiative on Sustainable Intensification of Aquaculture for Blue Growth in Asia-Pacific.

Cheryl He currently serves as the Research Manager at Concordia, working to equip public, private and nonprofit sectors with analytical tools to promote cross-sector partnerships. As Research Manager, she is in charge of the P3 Impact Award, Concordia Partnership Index and other research products that identify strategic partnerships’ opportunities large-scale social impact. Cheryl previously worked for the Singapore government on offender rehabilitation and re-entry policies. Her other skills and experience include project management, training and development, and an extensive experience as a substance-abuse counselor where she delivered group substance abuse treatment in the prison. She also worked as a consultant for the China Ministry of Finance to identify strategies for encouraging national green business growth. Cheryl holds a master’s in public administration with a concentration on urban policy and management from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s of social sciences (psychology) from the National University of Singapore. She is fluent in Mandarin.

Donniell Silva currently serves as the Director of Programming at Concordia, where she works to maximize the global impact of social and economic initiatives by promoting public and private sector collaboration. As Director of Programming, Donniell is in charge of the strategic direction of programming, content development and curation, managing programming and partner relationships, as well as inviting and briefing speakers for Concordia events. She has experience in project planning and development, policy research and analysis and campaign strategy, having worked at such organizations as Greenpeace, the Peace Corps and the Clinton Global Initiative. Her focus, both academically and professionally, has been on issues related to economic opportunity, global health policy, good governance and gender equality, particularly within the MENA region. Donniell holds a master’s in international political economy and development, with a specialization in development economics from Fordham University and an M.A. honors in international relations from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, U.K.