Gevo's Board of Directors
Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry, California Institute of Technology
Dr. Frances Arnold is the Dickinson Professor of chemical engineering and biochemistry at the California Institute of Technology and is a world-recognized expert in directed evolution, biocatalysis and protein engineering. In 2005, she co-founded Gevo Inc. and now serves the company as a consultant, board member, and science advisory board member.
In May of 2008, Frances was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, an honor that is considered one of the highest accolades in the scientific world. She is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine, making her one of only eight living individuals and the only woman to have been elected to all three branches of the National Academies.
Managing Partner, Virgin Green Fund
Shai Weiss joined Virgin to lead the formation of the Virgin Green Fund. Prior to his work with the fund, Shai was with ntl:Telewest (now known as Virgin Media Inc.), the United Kingdom’s and Europe’s largest cable operator where he was part of the company’s 2003 turnaround when its stock increased fivefold. Shai was also behind the recent merger between Virgin Mobile U.K. and ntl:Telewest and its re-branding to Virgin Media Inc. The Virgin Group is now its largest shareholder.
At ntl, Shai was managing director of consumer products, responsible for the development and delivery of Internet, telephone and television for the consumer division and for the Virgin.net broadband ISP. He also served as the integration director for the merger between ntl and Telewest. Shai’s other positions with ntl included: director of operations for the ntl Group where he was responsible for major operational and business development projects, joint ventures, and relationships with strategic partners; and director of financial planning for the consumer division.
Prior to ntl, Shai set up the European office of Jerusalem Venture Partners, an early-stage technology venture fund, and was a senior associate with Morgan Stanley's hi-tech mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance team.
Shai has an M.B.A. from Columbia University in New York.
Managing Director of Burrill & Company and CEO of Malaysia Life Science Capital Fund
Dr. Ganesh M. Kishore (Kish) has a distinguished track record of accomplishments in biotechnology businesses and R&D. Prior to joining Burrill & Company, Kish served as the VP of science & technology and the chief biotechnology officer of DuPont. Prior to this he was the VP of technology for DuPont’s Agriculture & Nutrition division. He joined DuPont in June 2003 and began focusing on R&D efforts related to biotechnology within the company.
Kish previously served as co-president of the Nutrition & Consumer Sector and assistant chief scientist/chief biotechnologist for the Monsanto Company, which he joined in 1980. His contributions include the discovery, development and commercialization of ag-bio products, manufacturing processes for Nutrasweet® and the transformation of a chemical giant into a leading food and nutrition company.
Kish earned a B.S. in physics and chemistry, an M.S. in biochemistry from the University of Mysore, and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Indian Institute of Science. He also undertook postdoctoral training at the University of Texas-Austin. He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the American Society of Plant Physiologists, and the Institute of Food Technology.
Kish is a founder of the plant biotech/informatics company Metahelix Life Sciences. He also serves as the chairman for the St. Louis RCGA’s Bioenergy group and serves on the boards of numerous for profit and not-for-profit institutions including: the School of Nutrition and Policy, Tufts’ University, St. Louis RCGA, and the National Research Advisory Board of the Washington University at St. Louis. He has also served as an advisor to National Science Committees in many Asian countries and to venture capital groups.
Senior vice President of Investments, Total Energy Ventures
Leveraging more than twenty years of experience in the Total Group (exploration & production, refining & marketing, petrochemicals, chemicals) with responsibilities in the areas of business, strategy, R&D, sustainable development and environment, Véronique has been actively shaping and initiating the corporate venturing activity of Total, launched in 2008.
She serves as chair of the Steering Committee of the European Biofuels Technology Platform and as vice chair of the Evaluation Committee of the Bioenergy Program for the National Research Agency (France).
She is a graduate from Ecole Centrale de Lyon in France and holds a MS.c. in materials science & engineering from Cornell University in New York.
Chief Executive Officer, Gevo
Prior to joining Gevo, Dr. Patrick Gruber was the president and CEO of Outlast Technologies Inc. and held several general management positions in technology and business development for Cargill Inc. He has also served as president and CEO of Lactech, a technology development company, and was one of the founders of NatureWorks, LLC (formerly Cargill Dow, LLC), where he was the VP of technology and operations and the CTO from 1997 until 2005.
Pat has served as a member of the Bioenergy Technical Advisory Committee for the Energy Future Coalition. He currently serves on the boards of directors of Outlast Technologies, Gevo, Segetis, and Green Harvest Technologies.
In 2008, Pat was awarded the first ever George Washington Carver award. The award recognizes significant contributions by individuals in the field of industrial biotechnology and its application in biological engineering, environmental science, biorefining and biobased products.
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