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“I am honoured to be appointed Chair of IFA because the fertilizer industry has a key role in finding sustainable solutions to some of the greatest challenges the world is facing. As an industry, we need to lead the way to decarbonise food and build resilient and fair food systems,” Holsether said.

Dmitry Konyaev, CEO of Russia’s Ural-Chem, has become the new vice chair of the Association. Both Holsether and Konyaev serve on the executive board of directors, which also welcomed two new appointments: Jeanne Johns, managing director and CEO of Incitec Pivot Ltd, and Tony Will, president and CEO of CF Industries. Mostafa Terrab, group chairman and CEO of OCP, Morocco, remains on the executive board of directors as Immediate Past Chair, along with Zhai Jidong, vice president international for Kingenta, and Alzbeta Klein, director general of IFA.

There are also five new Board Directors elected by the membership: G. David Delaney, CEO, Itafos; Ahmed El-Hoshy, Group CEO, OCI NV; Shakeel Ahmad Khan, CEO, Petronas Chemicals Marketing; Suresh Krishnan, managing director, Paradeep Phosphates Ltd and Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers; and Mayo Schmidt, president and CEO, Nutrien. IFA members also re-elected to the board of directors Raviv Zoller, president and CEO, ICL Group.

Rami Hiulumäki has been appointed vice president and head of Metso Outotec’s Group Tax function. Rami succeeds Jarno Siivola, who left Metso Outotec on June 1st to join a new employer. Rami Hiulumäki joins Metso Outotec from Nokia, where he has headed the Group Tax function since 2018. Prior to that, he worked in various tax roles in Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks and Deloitte. Rami will start at Metso Outotec during 3Q 2021.

The newly launched Global Phosphorus Institute (GPI) has announced the appointment of Dr Amit Roy as Executive Director to develop and lead the Institute. His initial focus will be creating a consortium for cutting-edge phosphorus research projects, building global coalitions, and establishing research hubs around the world.

“We are pleased that Amit joins GPI to direct this new global initiative,” said Hicham El Habti, president of Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and president of the GPI. “His vast experience combined with his enormous breadth of knowledge, research work and experience in managing the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) are valuable assets to GPI. I am confident that his qualifications will make him succeed in building out this Institute”

Amit Roy has been involved in phosphorus research for more than four decades beginning with his graduate work for a doctoral degree. At the IFDC he developed new products and processes for conversion of phosphate rock into fertilizers along with other activities related to food production and agricultural development. As CEO of IFDC, he oversaw a number of major publications including Fertilizer Raw Material Resources of Africa, World Phosphate Rock Reserves and Resources and Sustainable Phosphorus Management, A Global Transdisciplinary Roadmap. These publications helped raise global awareness about phosphorus and inspired similar initiatives around the globe. He also launched more than 20 international IFDC branch offices to establish collaborative global research programs and spearheaded the 2006 Africa Fertilizer Summit held in Abuja, Nigeria.

“I am honoured and excited to develop GPI into the global convener of all things phosphorus,” said Roy. “This platform will be available to anyone from the local dairy farmer to the climate scientist to the chemistry student to the food manufacturer interested industries because we must ensure that phosphorus, a non-substitutable vital element, is responsibly managed and available for future generations.”