Bragato Research Institute (BRI) has announced the appointment of Dr Juliet Ansell as CEO.
In announcing the appointment, Chair Mark Gilbert said Dr Ansell is a skilled science leader, that will bring a wealth of experience in research and innovation to lead BRI in its next phase of accelerating research and innovation for the New Zealand wine industry.
Dr Ansell has come to the Bragato Research Institute from her current role as Head of Core and Resilience Innovation at Zespri.
“I am excited to take on this new role and to bring my experience in science and innovation to grow the future of the wine industry,” said Dr Ansell.
Dr Ansell's journey as a scientist has spanned across continents, from the UK to Tanzania, The Gambia, Australia, and finally New Zealand. Her diverse experience includes leading major research programs with government and industry support, involving lab-based research and human clinical trial work. This global perspective and expertise will undoubtedly be a valuable asset to BRI.
She was seconded to Zespri in 2014 as Innovation Leader, initially working on human health and nutrition, delivering scientific substantiation of health communications and claims to marketing, before taking up the role of Head of Core and Resilience Innovation. She has been an elected member of the Executive Council of AgriTechNZ, representing Major corporations.
Dr Ansell will be relocating to Marlborough for the role, with her appointment effective from 15 July 2024. She said she is looking forward to working with the wine industry, making new connections, meeting new people, and getting to spend more time in Marlborough and other wine regions of New Zealand.
Dr Ansell has replaced stand-in CEO Dr Bruce Campbell, how had taken the reins in February. Campbell has been a Bragato Research Institute (BRI) Director for five years and was previously a Chief Operating Officer at Plant & Food Research. He is a recipient of the 2017 Prime Minister's Science Prize, 2017 Horticulture New Zealand Industry Service Award and 2016 Royal Society of New Zealand Thomson Medal for outstanding leadership of agricultural and horticultural science. Campbell has a PhD in plant sciences from the University of Sheffield.
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