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Mr. Eckles has spent most of his career
developing and managing agribusiness companies. In his early
career this was seed companies, but since 1991 this has expanded
into other related areas including agricultural biotechnology, pest
control and ethanol.
After obtaining his master’s degree from Texas
A&M in agricultural economics, Mr. Eckles began work with the
international operations of Cargill Seeds where he founded a new
seed operation in Mexico and two others in South America. In
1988 he moved to Brazil to re-organize a field seed business of
Continental Grain and prepare it for sale. Mr. Eckles
continued to manage the company after the business was purchased
by ICI (Zeneca) and in the following year the business won an
international award for best strategy. The Brazil business had
turned into one of the more profitable companies in the group.
In 1991, Mr. Eckles returned to the U.S. to
become one of the founders of Zeneca Plant Science, a business
within the Zeneca Ag Group. This business was formed to develop
and commercialize added-value traits based on emerging
recombinant DNA technology. During this period Mr. Eckles
established and managed multiple development collaborations with
processed food, produce and forestry companies. Mr. Eckles also
had business development responsibilities within the
agrochemicals business of Zeneca, including the launch of
Azoxystrobin fungicide into the banana industry. Immediately
before launching his consulting career in 2000, Mr. Eckles was
managing a company that was developing a high intensity natural
protein sweetener produced in corn.
Mr. Eckles is very familiar with agricultural
production and markets and has spent many years analyzing how
these may be improved through advanced genetics and improved
technologies. He is familiar with the food industry,
particularly in regards to the introduction of novel products
and ingredients.
He has been directly involved in technology
acquisitions and licensing and all aspects and stages of
business formation, development and management. He is
particularly skilled at developing and implementing strategic
plans and has led the formation of several multinational
collaborations and joint ventures as well as technology
spin-outs and private start-ups.
Mr. Eckles speaks both Spanish and Portuguese.
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