Key Takeaways
- Loam Bio has appointed Rob Hranac as incoming Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 July 2026, as the company accelerates commercial expansion across Australia and the United States.
- Co-founder Guy Hudson moves into the role of Executive Chairman, focusing on long-term strategy, fundraising, and major investor relationships.
- Hranac brings more than a decade of senior leadership in soil carbon and agricultural technology businesses in the US, including CEO, COO, and CTO roles at companies focused on soil biology, measurement, and enhanced rock weathering.
- The appointment follows a year in which Loam Bio delivered its CarbonBuilder products through retail for the first time, issued its first carbon credits under the Emissions Reduction Fund, and signed its first two US commercial partnerships.
- Chief Product Officer Robbie Oppenheimer has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer and will remain based at Loam's headquarters in Orange, New South Wales.
Loam Bio Appoints Rob Hranac as CEO for Next Phase of Growth
Australian agricultural biotechnology company Loam Bio has named Rob Hranac as its incoming Chief Executive Officer, with the transition taking effect on 1 July 2026. Hranac joins as the company continues to scale its soil carbon platform across Australia and a growing US market.
As part of the leadership restructure, co-founder Guy Hudson steps into the role of Executive Chairman. The new structure allows Hudson to concentrate on long-term growth strategy, fundraising, and major investor relationships, while remaining involved in shaping the company's direction. Robbie Oppenheimer, previously Chief Product Officer, has also been promoted to Chief Operating Officer and will continue to be based at Loam's Orange, New South Wales headquarters.
Hranac's Background in US Soil Carbon and AgTech
Hranac brings more than a decade of senior executive experience across soil carbon and agricultural technology businesses in the United States, having held CEO, COO, and CTO positions at companies working in soil biology, soil measurement, and enhanced rock weathering. He holds an M.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and will be based in the US — reflecting the continued growth of Loam Bio's American operations.
“Working in the world of soil science, agriculture and carbon, I've admired Loam and what they were doing in the space for years. The company has world-class science, a product that delivers for farmers, and a scalable climate platform. I'm thrilled to be joining at this moment and excited to work with the team to get Loam's products into the hands of farmers globally,” said Rob Hranac, incoming CEO of Loam Bio.
A Year of Commercial Milestones for Loam Bio
The CEO transition follows a period of significant commercial progress for the company. Loam Bio's CarbonBuilder product range — a biological seed treatment designed to convert atmospheric CO2 into stable soil carbon — reached retail distribution for the first time during the past year. The company also completed its first carbon credits issued under a project fully audited under the Emissions Reduction Fund and established its first two commercial partnerships in the US, supported by two foundational US patents.
“Loam was founded on a bold idea — the idea that we could harness microbiology to store carbon in the soil at scale, all while helping farmers improve their land and their bottom line. Over the past few years, we've turned that idea into a reality, with products in market on two continents and growing demand. Rob is exactly the right person to lead the company through this next chapter,” said Guy Hudson, Executive Chairman of Loam Bio.
