Keynote speakers

Mr Ren Wang (Assistant Director General of FAO) 

An entomologist by training, Wang pioneered a program for the biological control of exotic pests in China and later promoted integrated pest management initiatives internationally from various posts, including deputy director of the International Institute of Biological Control of CAB International in the UK.

Wang holds a bachelor of science in plant protection from Shanxi Agricultural University, China; a master of science in biological control from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China; and a doctorate in entomology from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia, USA.

 

Ms Carmel Cahill (OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate)

Carmel Cahill is Senior Counsellor in OECD’s Directorate for Trade and Agriculture, where she is responsible for a wide range of strategic planning, coordination and communication activities covering food, agriculture and international trade issues.

She was previously Head of the Policies and Trade in Agriculture Division, where she worked with an international team of economists and policy analysts on a broad range of domestic and international policy issues relating to food and agriculture; measurement and evaluation of support and protection levels; impacts of domestic and trade policy reform; decoupling; multifunctionality; and the study of the knowledge base and institutions needed for the design and implementation of effective policy reform.

Before joining OECD in 1983, she held various jobs in the ministries of Agriculture and Finance in her native Ireland. She holds B. A. and M.A. degrees in Economics from University College, Cork and a Master of Science degree in Statistics from Trinity College, Dublin. 

 

Ms Loretta Dormal Marino (Deputy Director General, Directorate-General Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission) 

Loretta Dormal Marino graduated in Political Sciences at the University of Padua, Italy in 1973.

She joined the European Commission in June 1983. Between June 1983 and May 1989, Ms. Dormal Martino was Administrator in DG "Economics and Financial Affairs". From June 1989 to March 1993 she was Assistant to the Director General, DG "Coordination of Structural Policies". Between April 1993 and March 1996 she was assistant to the Director General, DG "Task force human resources", presently DG EAC.

 She became Head of unit “Regional Aid” in DG Competition in November 1999 and served in this role until July 2003. She was Director State aid. H ( network industries, liberalized sectors and services) in DG Competition between July 2003 and August 2007.

She was appointed Deputy Director General, DG Agriculture and Rural Development in September 2007, a role she is currently serving in.

 

Prof Laura Alakukka (University of Helsinki, Finland) 

She has a degree in agricultural engineering. Currently works in Department of Agricultural Sciences in University of Helsinki. Her research areas are environmental technology in agriculture, soil management and agricultural engineering. 

 

Prof. dr. Antanas Maziliauskas (Aleksandras Stulginskis University, Lithuania) 

He is rector of Aleksandras Stulginskis University in Lithuania. 

 

Prof. Viktor A. Efimov (St Petersburg state agrarian university)

He is rector of St Petersburg state agrarian university in Russia. 

 

Prof Rando Värnik (Estonian University of Life Sciences)

He is director and professor of the Institute of Economics and Social Sciences of Estonian University of Life Sciences. 

 

Mr Roomet Sõrmus (The Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce)

He is head of Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce.