An investor and strategic advisor in the food and agribusiness sector, Rajiv Singh serves as the co-Chairperson for FoodShot Global, a moonshot-style challenge program. Previously, Mr. Singh served as CEO of Rabobank North America Wholesale Banking, where he led corporate banking, private equity and venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, specialized products, food and agribusiness research, capital markets activities, and all operational and support functions. Prior to his tenure at Rabobank, Mr. Singh worked in investment banking at Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse, and in corporate strategy and project operations at United Technologies and Nestle. He earned B.Tech and M.Tech degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Category Archives: Management Team
R. Michael Raab, Ph.D.
After founding Agrivida in 2002, R. Michael Raab has served the company in various capacities ranging from fundraising to strategic development. As President of Agrivida, Dr. Raab leads technical product development, operations, and regulatory development. He invented intein switch technology, which regulates enzyme behavior and has led to breakthroughs in animal nutrition, industrial enzymes, and sugar production. Previously, Dr. Raab worked in process research at Merck Research Laboratories, National Starch and Chemical, and Johnson Wax. He holds a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, both in chemical engineering.
Jeremy Schley Johnson, Ph.D.
Co-founder and Vice President of Agrivida, Jeremy Schley Johnson oversees process development and helps lead operations. An expert in strategic decision-making in the design of chemical processes, Dr. Schley Johnson also manages human resources and finance. Prior to co-founding Agrivida, he worked at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and served as a process engineer at Black and Veatch. Dr. Schley Johnson earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kansas, where he is a member of the advisory board for the chemical and petroleum engineering program. He earned a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Mike Lanahan, Ph.D.
As Executive Vice President of Product Commercialization, Michael Lanahan brings over 20 years of experience in plant research and business development to Agrivida. His areas of expertise include business development, new business strategy, investment selection, and product development. Prior to joining Agrivida, Dr. Lanahan led programs at Monsanto and Syngenta focusing on enzyme development and enzyme expression in plants. His achievements include developing corn-expressing amylase and phytase enzymes for use in ethanol production and animal feed. Dr. Lanahan earned a B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Ph.D. in molecular biology from Washington University in St. Louis.
Andy Ashworth
As Chief Financial Officer, Andy Ashworth brings over 17 years of senior leadership experience in global renewable chemicals, enzymes, and industrial biotechnology to Agrivida. His areas of expertise include accounting, tax management, treasury management, and corporate finance. In addition, he has extensive experience in strategic planning, and manufacturing cost analysis and performance. Prior to joining Agrivida, Mr. Ashworth served as CFO of BioAmber Inc., and CFO of the Genencor Biotechnology division of Danisco AS. Mr. Ashworth earned a B.A. degree in economics from Hartwick College, and an MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Dennis Penland
Serving as Vice President of Supply Chain & Logistics at Agrivida, Dennis Penland leads development of a reliable, cost-effective supply chain for the high-quality material required for Agrivida products. Specializing in identity-preserved seed and grain production, Mr. Penland has over 30 years of experience with leading seed, grain processing, and biotechnology companies, including DuPont, Syngenta, Garst Seed Company, and Cerestar. Prior to joining Agrivida in 2015, Mr. Penland developed businesses focused on conversion of starch and cellulose to ethanol. Mr. Penland earned a B.S. degree in agricultural business from Missouri State University.