Key Takeaways:
- New Leadership Appointments: Moa Technology, an agricultural biotechnology company, announces Dr. Rob Quinn as CFO and Apostolos Klontzaris as CBO, enhancing its leadership for future growth.
- Dr. Rob Quinn’s Role and Experience: As CFO, Quinn will guide Moa’s transition from a research-based organization to a company with a robust pipeline of herbicide candidates, drawing on his extensive biotech financial and operational experience.
- Apostolos Klontzaris’s Impact: Klontzaris, joining as CBO, brings over two decades of agritech and crop sciences experience. He will drive collaborations and commercialization strategies for Moa’s novel herbicides in North America and Europe.
- Moa’s Focus on Herbicide Resistance: Moa addresses the critical global challenge of herbicide-resistant weeds, which significantly threaten food security and agricultural productivity.
- Innovative Approach to Crop Protection: Moa, leveraging its proprietary plant-led discovery engine, is developing next-generation herbicides to improve global food security and support sustainable, efficient farming practices.
Moa Technology, a leader in the agricultural biotechnology sector focused on addressing herbicide-resistant weeds, has recently announced significant enhancements to its leadership team. The company has appointed Dr. Rob Quinn as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Apostolos Klontzaris as the Chief Business Officer (CBO). This strategic move aims to bolster Moa’s leadership, setting the stage for continued growth and innovation.
Dr. Rob Quinn’s appointment as CFO marks a pivotal step in Moa’s evolution. Moa has focused on identifying potential herbicides since its inception as a research-oriented spin-out from the University of Oxford in 2017. With Quinn’s leadership, the company now boasts a strong pipeline of candidates and a growing team and is actively seeking expansion through investor and partner collaborations. Quinn’s extensive experience in biotech finance and operations, including roles at Silence Therapeutics, BenevolentAI, Pharnext, and Aptamer Group, equips him uniquely for this role. His background in life sciences and operational experience in fast-growing businesses will be crucial as Moa advances its innovative biotechnology processes to develop next-generation herbicides.
Joining as the Chief Business Officer, Apostolos Klontzaris brings a wealth of experience from his time in the agritech and crop sciences industry, including senior positions at Bayer and Syngenta and in innovative startups. At Moa, he will be instrumental in forging transformative collaborations and accelerating the development and commercialization of Moa’s synthetic and bioherbicides. Based in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, Klontzaris’s appointment is pivotal for Moa’s expansion in North America and Europe. His previous roles at Oerth Bio and Flagship Pioneering highlight his corporate strategy and business development expertise, which is essential for Moa’s long-term commercial and market strategies.
Herbicide-resistant weeds present a significant challenge to global agriculture, comparable to the threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in medicine. Moa’s innovative approach, focusing on novel herbicides, is critical in addressing this challenge. Quinn and Klontzaris express enthusiasm for Moa’s potential to transform the herbicide landscape and its crucial role in global food security.
Dr. Virginia Corless, CEO of Moa Technology, underscores the importance of these appointments, emphasizing their contribution to the company’s strategic development, commercialization efforts, and industry collaborations.
Moa’s vision extends beyond addressing immediate agricultural challenges. The company aims to revolutionize crop protection, enhancing food security and sustainability. With its proprietary discovery engine and a strong pipeline of potential herbicides, Moa is poised to contribute to the agricultural sector significantly. Its commitment to developing safe, practical solutions for weed resistance and its collaborative approach to integrated weed management underscore its role as a critical player in the future of global agriculture.
Rooted in groundbreaking research and backed by leading investors, Moa Technology is on a path to redefine the standards of crop protection and food production, aligning its scientific innovations with the pressing needs of a rapidly changing world.
