Key Takeaways
- Nofence has appointed Damien Lepoutre as Chairman of the Board, succeeding Stefanie Witte who has served in the role since September 2024.
- Lepoutre is a French-American agronomist and entrepreneur with more than 45 years of experience in agricultural technology, including founding GEOSYS in 1987 and later serving as VP of AgTech at Land O'Lakes.
- The appointment comes as Nofence reports strong growth in the United States and across its six-country operating footprint, with more than 200,000 collars sold globally.
- Nofence is positioning its next phase around data and AI capabilities to help farmers improve animal health, soil health, and operational efficiency beyond the core virtual fencing product.
- GEOSYS, the remote sensing and GPS agtech company Lepoutre founded, was acquired by Land O'Lakes in 2013 after growing into a profitable international operation serving customers in more than 50 countries.
Nofence Appoints Damien Lepoutre as Chairman of the Board
Virtual fencing company Nofence has named Damien Lepoutre as its new Chairman of the Board. Lepoutre, a French-American agronomist and entrepreneur with more than 45 years of experience in agricultural technology, takes over from Stefanie Witte, who has held the Chair role since September 2024. The appointment comes as Nofence reports continued growth in the United States alongside an established presence across six countries and more than 200,000 collars sold worldwide.
“We are seeing strong momentum across our markets, and significant traction among small and mid-sized farms in the United States. His experience building and scaling agtech companies internationally, his deep knowledge of the US market, and his understanding of how data and AI can create lasting value for farmers, make him exactly the right person to help lead Nofence through its next phase,” said Joachim Kähler, CEO of Nofence.
Lepoutre's Background in Agtech and Remote Sensing
Lepoutre founded GEOSYS in Toulouse, France, in 1987, pioneering the use of GPS and remote sensing technology for farmers, agribusinesses, and governments. He built the company into a profitable international business with offices in the US, France, Switzerland, Brazil, and Australia, serving customers in more than 50 countries before its acquisition by Land O'Lakes — one of the largest farmer-owned cooperatives in the United States — in 2013. He subsequently led digital transformation and innovation strategy as Vice President of AgTech at Land O'Lakes, and has been based in Minnesota since 2013.
His career began through a NASA/USDA joint venture in Houston in 1980, followed by work at the French Ministry of Agriculture developing digital solutions for farmers and founding a remote sensing and GIS research laboratory at CEMAGREF.
“I have always seen the potential of virtual fencing to be the next game changer in agriculture. Nofence has built something rare: a commercially proven system operating at scale across multiple continents, with collars for multiple animal species. Joining Nofence as Chairman is a fantastic opportunity to bring my passion and my skills together to support the company in its next moves,” said Damien Lepoutre, incoming Chairman of Nofence.
Nofence's Next Phase: Data, AI, and Farm Decision-Making
The leadership change signals a strategic shift in ambition. Nofence is positioning its next phase of development around data and artificial intelligence capabilities that can help farmers make better-informed decisions on animal health, soil health, and overall farm efficiency — extending the value of the virtual fencing platform beyond containment into farm management intelligence.
Outgoing Chair Stefanie Witte noted the company's progress during her tenure, which included a successful Series B funding round and further international expansion.
