IAMA 20th Annual World Forum and Symposium 

Boston, USA | June 19 - 22, 2010 Navigating the Global Food System in a New Era

Conference Program

Symposium Research Papers Forum Biographies

BRIDGE SESSION

Human Capital Development

Human capital has an important role in the management of food and agribusiness companies. This session will explore how companies can develop more effective programs. Panelists will discuss how employees and managers of the future will differ from those of the past, what drives and motivates them, how skill sets have changed, and how internal training and educational programs can be designed or revised.

Moderator: Jerome Siebert, Executive Vice President, IAMA

Thad Simons, CEO, Novus International Inc. USA [Presentation]
Eric Spell, CEO, AgCareers, USA [Presentation]
Eluned Jones, Director Agribusiness Program, Texas A&M University, USA
Kristian Moeller, Managing Director, GlobalGap, Germany

FORUM PROGRAM DAY 1

Monday, June 21

Future Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Agribusiness Industry

Four international leaders representing food, agribusiness, and biotech companies will offer their observations on the future challenges and opportunities they see facing the industry. Dr. Goldberg will follow them with comments.

Introduction: James Austin, Professor Emeritus, Harvard Business School, USA

Chair: Ray A. Goldberg, Professor Emeritus, Harvard Business School, USA

George Weston, Chairman, CEO, Associated British Foods, UK 
Mark Palmquist, Executive Vice President, COO, CHS, USA  [Presentation]
Juan Enriquez, Managing Director, Excel Venture Management, USA   [Presentation]
Frank Gaoning Ning, Chairman, COFCO, China

Industry Reaction to the Recent Changing Business Environment

A second panel of Industry leaders further explores the issues raised in the first session.

Moderator: Mary Shelman, Director, Agribusiness Program, Harvard Business School, USA

Sunny Verghese, CEO, Olam International, Singapore
Berry Marttin, Head Global Retail, Rabobank International, The Netherlands   [Presentation]
Clayton Yeutter, US Ambassador and of Counsel to Hogan & Hartson, USA

Sustainability and Productivity: The Value Proposition of Sustainability

Many companies have adopted sustainability programs for a variety of reasons. A question arises on the value such programs provide in the form of increased profits. This session explores this question.

Moderator: Hans Jöhr, Corporate Head of Agriculture, Nestec, Switzerland   [Presentation]

Craig Watson, VP Quality Assurance and Agriculture Sustainability, Sysco, USA   [Presentation]
Rick Frazier, VP Supply Chain, The Coca-Cola Company, USA
Gustavo Grobocopatel, President, CEO, Los Grobo, Argentina   [Presentation]

Sustainability and Productivity: Are They Compatible?

Expected increases in world population coupled with demographic changes in both high density urbanization and growing purchasing power among consumers in developing countries puts an even higher stake on increased food production. Based on the first green revolution, increased food production relies on improved genetics, irrigation, fertilizer and chemicals, and energy which may or may not be compatible with the current concepts of sustainability. This session explores whether sustainability is compatible with productivity.

Moderator: William Scott, Vice President, Agland Investments

Bindu Lohani, Asian Development Bank, Philippines
Kent J. Bradford, Professor, Seed Biotechnology Center, University of California [Presentation]
Ed Price, Vice Chancellor, International Agriculture, Texas A&M and Director of the Borlaug Institute, USA   [Presentation]
Sara J. Scherr, President, CEO, Ecoagriculture Partners, USA   [Presentation]

FORUM DAY 2

Tuesday, June 22

Strategic Decision Making in Turbulent Times

This session opens with a discussion of the future business climate for the food agricultural sector, then focuses on the changes in the industry in terms of restructuring, consolidation, concentration, and structural change and how companies are re-positioning themselves to a new market reality.

Moderator: Michael Boehlje, Professor, Purdue University, USA

Alan Barkema, Senior VP, Director of Research, Federal Reserve Bank, USA
Pearse Lyons, CEO, Alltech, Ireland/USA   [Presentation]
Paul Campbell, General Manager Strategy, Fonterra, New Zealand  [Presentation]
Brian Rothwell, CEO, Bay State Milling, USA

Tomorrow’s Policy Issues for Agriculture: New Players and a New Agenda

Traumatic changes are occurring in the policy arena for the food and agribusiness industry. While traditional programs still demand significant attention, increasing importance is being placed on issues involving resource use, environment, energy, food health and safety, capital markets, cap and trade, immigration, labor, and corporate governance. Not only is the agenda changing, but new participants and stake-holders are participating in the debate.

Moderator: Honorable, Carole Brookins, Managing Director, Public Capital Advisors, USA  [Presentation]

Thomas Dorr, President, US Grains Council, USA
Lisa Gables, Executive Director of the healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, USA
Charlie Arnot, CEO, Center for Food Integrity, USA   [Presentation]
Zoe Tcholak-Antitch, VP and Head of Global Investor Program, Carbon Disclosure Project, USA   [Presentation]

The Future of Food: Fantasy vs. Reality

Pollster Jon Zogby and author of “The Way We’ll Be” will discuss current and future trends in political and economic arenas and share the results from a recent poll conducted with food and agribusiness leaders on the future of the global food system.

Speaker: John Zogby, CEO, Zogby International   [Presentation]

Closing the Loop

Moderators: Ray Goldberg, Professor Emeritus,Harvard Business School, USA and
Mary Shelman, Director, Agribusiness Program, Harvard Business School, USA

Highlighting some of the key discussions and essential take-aways for conference participants.