Jason Cleaversmith
Jason Cleaversmith is now an Independent Aquaculture Expert. He joined the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) in April 2015 with a mandate to help transform the relationship between Industry and Academia, whilst concurrently facilitating economic growth for the Aquaculture Sector.
Prior to joining SAIC he was the Head of the Novartis Aqua Health presence on Prince Edward Island, Canada where he oversaw 4 facilities, 125 staff and both R&D and Manufacturing related activities. Before joining Novartis, Dr. Cleaversmith led the Bioscience portfolio on behalf of the Province of Prince Edward Island and was responsible for the growth and economic development of the cluster by way of both inward investment and existing company growth.
His career spans time in Blue Chip organizations through to frontline SME positions in roles such as Business Development Director and Head of Operations. In addition, he was a member of the Executive at the Scottish Association for Marine Science and ledfrom inception the development of their commercial subsidiary and technology / knowledge transfer activities, including the building and population of the European Centre for Marine Biotechnology. Subsequently he has worked within the marine biotechnology sector, focusing on natural product discovery for the nutri-, cosme- and pharmaceutical sectors.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, Chartered Manager and is a member of the Institute of Directors. Prior voluntary positions include chair of the board for the University of Prince Edward Islands technology transfer office (Synapse), Vice Chair of the PEI BioAlliance and participated on the steering committee for the biotechnology program at Holland College.
Jason is a graduate of Edinburgh University, Scotland, with a major in Geology followed by a PhD in Marine Geochemistry and has subsequently completed an Executive MBA with the University of Glasgow, where he gained a Distinction.
Sarai Kemp
As VP Business Development for Trendlines Agrifood (Israel) since 2012 and VP Deal Flow for the Trendlines Agrifood Fund (Singapore), Sarai Kemp is responsible for sourcing start-ups, evaluating opportunities, negotiating, and closing investments and working with portfolio companies post-investment. Sarai is a board member on Hargol FoodTech, AgroScout, FruitSpec and AlgaHealth.
Sarai brings more than 20 years’ experience in agricultural, consumer goods, and high-tech industries, including in sales, marketing, and business development for international companies such as Afimilk and Keter Plastic. She has worked intensively with companies in East Asia.
Sarai received an MBA from Haifa University and a B.A. from Tel Aviv University.
Tom Prins
Tom manages the process of screening new business opportunities for Aqua-Spark and negotiating new investments. He has been directly involved throughout the investment process for the majority of the current Aqua-Spark portfolio, ranging from investments in feed ingredients, technology, health, genetics and production. Tom joined Aqua-Spark in 2015. Prior to Aqua-Spark, he worked in the Gulf region with the Netherlands Agricultural Attaché for GCC countries and the Netherlands Embassy in the Sultanate of Oman, where he conducted research on the development of local aquaculture industry. He has also spearheaded transnational events to elevate public and private dialogue on emerging opportunities in aquaculture. Tom received a Master in Business Geography from Utrecht University. A fervent surfer, Tom is dedicated to conserving the ocean for future generations.
Björgólfur Hávardsson
Björgólfur Hávardsson MSc, is the Innovation Manager with the Seafood Innovation Cluster, a Norwegian Centre of Expertise member based out of Bergen, Norway.
After three decades of multiple biological roles in the aquaculture industry, Mr. Hávardsson has an extensive knowledge of the biological possibilities and challenges in modern salmon farming. Through working in the industry on such diverse fields as fish counting, biomass estimation, smoltification, fish welfare, feeding systems and -behaviour as well as writing practical books on netfouling in Europe and South America, Hávarðsson is experienced in developing and presenting ideas and practical methods through courses, presentations and articles in several languages.
Mr. Hávardsson holds a Master´s degree in Aquaculture Biology from the University of Bergen (UIB) and a degree from an executive program in Strategy and Branding in the seafood industry from the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).
Theo Kanellos
Theo Kanellos is a veterinarian with postgraduate studies in business and life sciences to a PhD level. During his career he worked as a clinician, an academic, a governmental official and for the last fifteen years as part of the management within the Pharmaceutical Industry where he has held several strategic roles. He has managed research laboratories, business development transactions, scientific and multi-functional alliances teams and programmes in several organisations that have led to the spinoff of biotechnology companies, the award of significant scientific grants, the founding of major strategic partnerships and the registration and licensing of successful commercial products and services. In his current role as the Director of Commercial Alliances in Zoetis he establishes entrepreneurial partnerships with companies, VCs, universities, and governmental institutions, internationally. He holds a visiting professorship at the School of Health and Medicine at the University of Surrey and is a board member of the Pirbright Institute in UK, the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed) in Africa and head of the action groups of the One Health Platform. He is the author of more than 30 peered reviewed papers and has given numerous presentations in several national and international conferences. His articles have also featured in many trade and public media.
Greg Sunvold
With over 25 years of pet food industry experience and over 200 scientific publications, Dr. Greg Sunvold at Cool Springs International is responsible for implementing nutritional innovations in hundreds of pet food products. Additionally, Dr. Sunvold founded Microbiome Health, LLC, a company focused on applying innovative microbiome technologies into pet supplements.
Avrim Lazar
Avrim Lazar, Principle Consultant to the Global Salmon Initiative Avrim Lazar was President & CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, from January 1, 2002 until April 1 2012.
He was chair of the Advisory Committee on Paper and Wood Products (ACPWP) to the United Nations.
Mr. Lazar has held senior policy positions in the government of Canada in the Ministries of Justice, Agriculture, Environment and Human Resource Development. During this period he was responsible for national policy in areas as diverse as climate change, biodiversity, child poverty, employment insurance and labor force training.
Mr. Lazar was Chair of the Committee of the Whole of the Second UN Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1995. He also chaired the National Business Association Roundtable and is the Past-President of the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA).
Mr. Lazar taught high school in Vancouver and Zambia from 1969 to 1973. Over the years, Mr. Lazar has given many courses in the graduate studies programs at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University.
Mr. Lazar holds degrees in science and education, including a B.Sc (1968) from McGill University, a B.Ed (1970) and a PhEd in Ed (1976) from the University of Ottawa
