Speakers Profile

Guo Jia Hua

Mr. Guo Jia Hua (Renault Quach), Director and Assistant General Manager of Dongling Grain & Oil Co., Ltd and Guangzhou Green Oil Industrial Co., Ltd
Mr. Guo has more than 20 years experience of commodity trading in China market. He spent initial 13 years in multinational trading houses to sell agricultural commodities to China and remaining 9 years with local company. For his past 22 years, he involved in import and export of agri-commodities to and from China, project development, distribution of feed raw materials in China and currently, he is responsible for business operation section of Dongling Grain.
Dongling Grain is a privately owned limited company in Guangdong province, South China and is being listed on the main board of Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Dongling Grain is in oilseed crushing, vegetable oil refinery and palm fractionation business.

James Fry

James Fry, LMC’s Chairman, was educated at Oxford University, where he obtained an MA in Mathematics and a Doctorate in Economics. After teaching economics at Magdalen College, Oxford University, in 1980 Dr Fry jointly founded LMC International, and is the company’s chairman. He continues to devote almost all his time to the company’s research and consultancy activity and he is in over all charge of its work in commodity-based sectors.

Frans Claassen

Frans A.G.M. Claassen graduated from Wageningen University majoring in Agricultural Economics. Currently, he is the General Manager of Product Board Margarine, Fats, and Oils (MVO) in Netherlands since 2006. He is also the Chairman of the Dutch Task Force for Sustainable Palm Oil and the Chairman of the Dutch Task Force for Sustainable Soy. Prior to the current position, he was an Interim Manager for Reorganization Plant Protection Service of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality in Netherlands from 2005-2006. In 2000-2005, Claassen served Royal Netherlands Embassy in Indonesia as an Agricultural Counselor for Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. He was also the Agricultural Attaché for Royal Netherlands Embassy in China and Hong Kong from 1996 to 2000 as well as the Senior Policy Advisor Department for Trade & Industry Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality from 1992 to 1996.

Fredrik Erixon

Fredrik Erixon is a Director and co-founder of the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE), a world-economy think tank based in Brussels. Since 2006, Erixon has headed the development of the institute. Today it is one of the leading world economy think tanks in the world, and it has been awarded with several prizes. Last year the Financial Times ranked Erixon as one of Brussels 30 most influential people.
Fredrik Erixon is the author of several books and studies in the fields of international economics and economic policy. Erixon has advised and been a consultant to several governments and international organizations, including the European Commission, the World Bank, China’s government and five other governments in Asia. He is a frequent lecturer at conferences.
Prior to starting ECIPE, Erixon was an Adviser to the British government and the Chief Economist of Timbro, a Swedish think tank. He started his career as an economist in the Prime Minister’s Office in Sweden and has later worked as an economist at the World Bank and for JP Morgan as an emerging market analyst. Erixon was educated at the University of Oxford, London School of Economics and Uppsala University.

Dorab Mistry

Dorab Mistry was born in India in 1953 and graduated from Bombay University in commerce in 1973. He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1976, having won the President’s Gold Medal. He started his career at GODREJ, one of India’s leading industrial group, in 1976. Since 1977 Dorab has been based in London handling the vegetable oil buying and trading portfolio for GODREJ. The company’s wide ranging interest in vegetable oil processing, animal feeds, oleo chemicals, alcohols, soaps, toiletries, foods and plantations gives him a unique perspective of the Indian vegetable oil scenario. Since 1996, Dorab has been a regular speaker on vegetable oil Price Outlook and is regarded as a leading analyst of price behavior. He also writes and speak regularly on the Indian economic scene. Since 2001, Dorab served as India’s representative on the managing committee of the International Association of Seed Crushers and was its Vice President from 2006 to 2008.

Datuk Abdul Hamed Sepawi

Datuk Abdul Hamed graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Malaya, Malaysia and a Master’s degree in Forest Products Utilisation from Oregon State University, United States. Currently he is the chairman of Serawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association (SOPPOA). He is also the Executive Chairman of Ta Ann Holdings Berhad since 2 October 1999 and the Chairman of the Risk Management Committee and ESOS Committee.

Datuk Abdul Hamed is a qualified and experienced forester with more than 23 years experience in the forest management and manufacturing of forest products. In the past 16 years, he has been involved in activities relating to forest plantations in Australia and Sarawak. He also serves as the Chairman of Naim Holdings Berhad, Sarawak Plantation Berhad, and Sarawak Energy Berhad, companies listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities, and is a Director of Smartag Solutions Berhad, a company pending listing on ACE Market of Bursa Securities.

He was awarded the title of Panglima Gemilang Bintang Kenyalang on 11 September 1999, and Sarawak Entrepreneur of the Year 2004. He was a finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year Malaysia Award 2005.

Emily French

A 4th-generation US wheat farmer from Northern Idaho, Ms. Emily French has long been active in agriculture. After earning a degree in Agricultural Business from Washington State University, she formally began her trading career as a physical cash trader for Cargill, working for the firm’s Grain, Oilseed Processing and Wet Milling Divisions. Following Cargill, Ms. French worked for the US Grains Council and World Perspectives in Washington, DC. After 5 years in Washington DC, Emily moved to the investment banking and OTC derivatives markets with National Australia Bank in both New York and Sydney, Australia. She subsequently returned to the US to work as a Senior Vice President in Macquarie’s Treasury and Commodity Group. In early 2009, Emily left Macquarie to form ConsiliAgra – an active advice and strategy group covering the world agricultural commodity markets, specializing in grain and oilseeds. Clients include hedge funds, speculative traders, agricultural resources, commercial commodity clients and investment banks. When not on an airplane, Ms. French splits time living in both the US and South America and can always be reached at efrench @ consiliagra . com

Cheah Suan Choo

Dr. Cheah Suan Choo was appointed as CSO in August 2006 to spearhead the establishment of the company as a centre of excellence in genomic science. ACGT’s current research focuses on genome sequencing and analysis in oil palm and jatropha and plantation metagenomics. The objective of the company’s R&D programme is for the development of sustainable agricultural solutions for enhancing food and fuel production.

Dr. Cheah has worked on various aspects of oil palm and palm oil research for the last 28 years. Prior to joining ACGT, Dr. Cheah was with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). During her career, she managed research projects in the areas of microbiology, biochemistry, breeding, genetic engineering and genomics. Her work has appeared in over 120 scientific papers in journals, books and conference proceedings, and she has been named as co-inventor in six patents on oil palm genes and genetic markers and a patent on jatropha.

Dr. Cheah obtained her BSc and MSc degrees in Genetics from the University of Malaya in 1973 and 1976, respectively. She graduated with a PhD in Microbiological Chemistry from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK in 1982, under the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship Award. Following this, she served as a post-doctoral Research Associate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US. In 2004, Dr. Cheah earned an Executive MBA degree from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM).

Michael J. Dwyer

Mr. Dwyer is the Chief Economist of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the primary international trade agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is the Director of its Global Policy Analysis Division. In this capacity, he is responsible for conducting and coordinating analyses on a wide variety of strategic issues that affect U.S. and world agricultural trade, including those that affect the emerging global biofuels market. Mr. Dwyer’s division is active in trade and policy analysis, identifying emerging export opportunities in global agricultural and biofuels markets, and export program analysis. Recently, his efforts have focused on global commodity price volatility, the impact of the EU’s Renewable Fuels Directive on global agricultural markets, establishing sustainability metrics for biofuels through the Global Bioenergy Partnership and ISO, estimating the impacts of trade agreements on U.S. and world agricultural trade, and issues related to U.S. competitiveness, sanctions reform, and global economic and financial issues and how they affect agricultural producers around the world.

Mr. Dwyer received his graduate degree in agricultural economics from The Ohio State University in 1981 with a concentration in international trade and marketing.

Bustanul Arifin

Bustanul Arifin is Professor of Agricultural Economics in the University of Lampung (UNILA) and Professorial Fellow at the International Center for Applied Finance and Economics of Bogor Agricultural University (InterCAFE-IPB). Dr Arifin is also Board of Founder/Senior Economist at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF), an independent research institution aimed at providing assessments on a wide-range of public policy issues related to economics and finance, based in Jakarta-Indonesia. Dr. Arifin has over 25 years experience on comprehensive range of research in agricultural and resource economics, food security, political economy and development strategies. He has a wide range of consultancy experience in the fields of economics and development issues for international agencies such as: World Bank, USAID, JBIC, UNDP, ILO, GTZ, ICRAF, WWF, Danida, RECOFTC, etc.

Dr. Arifin holds a Ph.D. in resource economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA) and sarjana (bachelor plus) degree in agribusiness from Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) in Indonesia. He has served as Director of INDEF, Adviser to the House of Representative (DPR-RI) for the commissions of agriculture, industry, and trade, and Chairman of National Committee of Futures Trading. Dr. Arifin has published 36 titles of books in economics and development issues, including a sole author of 13 books. He has also authored over 75 articles in scientific journals, written and presented over 80 research papers in international conferences. He has been a public speaker on agricultural economics and development-related issues, presenting more than 300 research papers in national seminars, workshops and conferences in Indonesia.

Dr. Arifin is now serving as Executive Council of the Asian Society of Agricultural Economists (ASAE), Indonesian Society of Agricultural Economics (PERHEPI) and Indonesian Economist Association (ISEI). He currently contributes his expertise in civil and community services, such as: National Innovation Council (KIN) in the Office of the President, Head of Expert Group at Food Security Council, and Adviser for the National Team of the International Trade Negotiation, etc. He is also a well-known analyst on economic and development issues for national television and radio stations, and has written over 400 articles and columns in magazines and newspapers.

Jatna Supriatna

After finished his Master of Science (1986) and Doctorate degree (1991) from the University of New Mexico, USA, plus pre and postdoctoral at Columbia University in New York, he serves Senior lecturer at the Biology Dept., Director of Biodiversity and Conservation Studies, Coordinator of Graduate Program on Conservation Biology of the University of Indonesia. He also became a chief editor of Tropical Biodiversity since 1992, Editor of Asia Primate Journal (2008), Board of editor of the International Journal of Wildlife Policy and Law, board of editor of Tropical Ecology, Consulting editor of Biosphere Conservation and board of Advisor of Earthwatch Institute (2002). He also served a member of the board of supervision of Bornean Orangutan Survival Foundation and board of the member of Biodiversity and Development Foundation.

He served several assignments by the Government of Indonesia, member of National Research Council (Dewan Riset Nasional) from 1999-2004, member of Steering Committee on Biodiversity Action Plan at the Min. of Planning (BAPPENAS), Chairman of Biodiversity Taskforce at Min. of Research and Technology (2001-2003), member of Min of Forestry Task force to review logging concession in Indonesia 2003-2005. He has been assigned by Government of Indonesia to be a member of Indonesia delegation to many conferences such as Convention of Biological Diversity, IUCN meeting, World Park Congress, UNFCCC and its SUBSTTA (Bali, Cairns, Bonn, Bangkok) and UN Forest Forum in New York. He is recently active in climate change negotiation for REDD+.

For his dedication at the conservation and environment works, he received a distinguished award from his Royal highness Prince of Berhard of the Netherland in 1999 as an Officer of the most Excellence Order of Golden Ark Award. In 2009, he also received the most privileges Award from President B.J. Habibie, or Habibie Award for outstanding achievements on Natural Science research in 2008. In 2011 He also received Achmad Bakrie Award for his contribution in the field of science in Indonesia.

Currently he serves as chairman of Research Center for Climate Change University of Indonesia (RCCC UI) that assembles research community and observers with their research on climate change problems in the scopes of University of Indonesia, national and international levels. He also serves as CEO of non-profit organization United in Diversity Forum (YUID) that contributes to a united and peaceful Indonesia through synergy amongst the diverse constituents of Indonesia’s society and the international community.

Rosediana Suharto

Dr. Rosediana Suharto is the chairperson in charge of the Indonesian Palm Oil Commission since it was established by the Minister of Agriculture in March 2003. She is a doctorate from the University of Aston, and Master of Science fro the Macquarie University, Sydney – all in the field of Chemistry. As a season diplomat by experience she is been a government for more than 36 years holding such a positions as advisor to the Minister of Trade and Industry and the Head of the Research of Development Agency of Ministry and many position as director. She currently still advises the Ministry of Agriculture, especially the Director General of the Marketing and Processing of Agricultural Products, and Director General of Estate Crops and represents the ministry in international events. She also has experience in production and marketing of agriculture products (rubber, cocoa, coffee, cashew nut etc), she was engaged with Word Bank and ADB as consultant.

Ambono Janurianto

Ambono Januarianto has been appointed as President Director of PT. Bakrie Sumatera Plantations Tbk since June 2000, mainly responsible for general management. He was previously the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Concurrently, he also serves as Commissioner positions within Bakrie Groups of Company. Prior to joining with Bakrie Group in 1999, he held numerous key positions at Philips Ralin Electronics, Motorola, Sony and Satelindo. He graduated from Parahyangan Catholic University in 1986 with a degree in Economics. In addition to company’s commitment as palm oil and rubber producer, he also committed in esteemed plantations organizations. For instance as Member of Indonesia Executive Committee in ASEAN Rubber Business Council (ARBC), Advisory Committee in Indonesia Palm Oil Producers Association (GAPKI), Vice Chairman for North Sumatera Branch in GAPKINDO, Vice Chairman II in Sumatra Planters Association (BKS-PPS) and also Vice Chairman in Asosiasi Emiten Indonesia (AEI).