Plenary speakers annouced for BIO’s 9th World Congress

Feb. 17, 2012, Washington, DC – Company executives, scientists and government officials will bring a global perspective as featured presenters at BIO’s 9th annual World Congress on Biotechnology and Bioprocessing. The world’s largest industrial biotechnology conference for business leaders, investors, academics and policymakers in biofuels, biobased products, renewable chemicals, synthetic biology, food ingredients and biomass comes to Orlando, April 29 – May 2 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center.

The plenary program will include six panel sessions:

• Fostering a Biobased Economy
• A Global Vision for Biomass Utilization: How Biotech Can Get Us There
• The Future of Biocatalysis in Global Manufacturing
• Promoting Biotech Innovation
• Financing Innovation in the Industrial Biotech Space: Creative Models and Future Trends
• What’s Driving Demand for Biotech Products?: A Customer’s Perspective

Featured plenary speakers include:

• Harry Baumes, Director, Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, United States Department of Agriculture
• David A. Benko, Director, Materials Research & Development, Goodyear Tire
• Paul Bryan, Consultant
• James C. Collins, President, DuPont Industrial Biosciences
• Andrew Hagan, Associate Director, Head of Chemicals Industry, Global Leadership Fellow, World Economic Forum
• Jennifer Holmgren, Chief Executive Officer, LanzaTech
• James Levine, President and Chief Executive Officer, Verenium Corporation
• Philip New, Chief Executive Officer, BP Biofuels
• Mark Niederschulte, Chief Operating Officer, INEOS Bio
• Valerie Sarisky-Reed, Acting Program Manager, Biomass Program, United States Department of Energy
• Vincent Schachter, Vice President, Research & Development, Total Oil and Gas
• Scott Vitters, Sustainable Packaging Director, The Coca Cola Company
• Roger Wyse, Managing Director, Burrill & Company

Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO’s Industrial & Environmental Section, said, “Speakers at the World Congress will highlight the growing biobased economy, in which homegrown biomass resources are transformed into consumer products. Some of the most widely used consumer products are joining the biobased economy. We are excited to offer this information-packed plenary program covering high profile topics and providing company executives an unparalleled opportunity to network with their colleagues and learn about the latest developments in the field of industrial biotechnology and bioprocessing.”

BIO’s World Congress will also feature six breakout session tracks over three days, with industry presentations on Advanced Biofuel Technologies; Algae and Feedstock Crops;      Renewable Chemical Platforms and Biobased Materials; Specialty Chemicals; Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering; and Technical Presentations. The full program of breakout panel sessions and speakers is available online.

Online pre-registration for reporters and editors is now open. All programs at the BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing are open to attendance by members of the media. Complimentary media registration is available to editors and reporters with valid press credentials working full time for print, broadcast or web publications.

The world’s largest industrial biotechnology conference for business leaders, investors, academics and policymakers in biofuels, biobased products, renewable chemicals, synthetic biology, food ingredients and biomass comes to Orlando, Fla., April 29 – May 2 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. Online registration for the conference is open. Early bird registration ends Feb. 29, 2012. Please visit www.bio.org/worldcongress/ for additional information, or email worldcongress@bio.org.

About BIO

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIO produces BIOtech NOW, an online portal and monthly newsletter chronicling “innovations transforming our world.”