Rue de Trèves 61, 1040 Bruxelles
Team
Secretariat
Jennifer Lewis
Executive Director
Jennifer Lewis was appointed as IBMA Executive Director in 2019. Jennifer represents IBMA on FAO and OECD and works with members and other stakeholders to advance biocontrol and the implementation of IPM worldwide.
Prior to IBMA, Jennifer was a member of the Certis Europe Management Board leading Innovation, Development and Regulatory Affairs for 10 years. Before this she was General Manager of Biological Crop Protection Ltd, a beneficial insect production company selling beneficial insects for pest control in UK, Europe and Africa.
Jennifer has worked in crop protection for 35 years in various marketing, regulatory and stewardship roles in the US, Brazil and Europe. Jennifer has always been passionate about IPM and biocontrol and its essential role for sustainable regenerative agriculture. Jennifer is an agronomy graduate with a Masters in Business Administration and a Diploma in Sustainable Business Development. Her broad background allows her to bring a blend of international business experience, biocontrol knowledge and regulatory know how as well as a shared passion for biocontrol,to our industry.
Isabelle Pinzauti Babrzyński
Senior Advocacy and Outreach Manager
With now more than 10 years experience within the Brussels lobbying arena working on sustainable agriculture, Isabelle shares her passion and knowledge, advocating and communicating about biocontrol essential role for sustainable regenerative agriculture within a preventative approach prioritising agronomic and non-chemicals practices, working with nature.
Prior to joining IBMA, Isabelle was a communication and public affairs consultant specialized in food, agriculture and sustainability, both within an agency and as a freelance. She had a very diverse portfolio of clients from large industries to small local NGOs.
During her career, she was employed by an European environmental NGO working to support safe sustainable agricultural methods. For this NGO, Isabelle held the position of Communication Officer and Project Coordinator, doing campaigning, advocacy, events management and administration. In addition, she briefly worked for the French Marketing Agency for Food, Wine and Lifestyle and has also experience in journalism and internal communication.
Isabelle is a French and Italian national and speaks fluent English and Polish. She has a good knowledge of Spanish and basis in German, Flemish and Hungarian.
Isabelle holds a Double Master’s degree in European Affairs from SciencesPo (Political Sciences Institute in Paris) and SGH (Warsaw School of Economics). In addition, Isabelle also holds a one year specializing Master’s degree in Food Culture and Communications from the University of Gastronomic Sciences (Bra, Italy).
Jérémy Belzunces
Technical Project Manager
Jeremy demonstrates nine years’ experience in the diplomatic and agro-food consultancy areas. Jeremy worked for six years as a Policy Advisor in EU Agricultural Affairs for the Agricultural Department of the diplomatic Mission of Israel to the EU. He advised the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and a range of governmental and industry bodies on the development of EU agro-policies and the EU sanitary and phytosanitary framework.
Jeremy acted for six years as national Delegate to the OECD Committee for Agriculture and two associated OECD working parties: the joint working party on agriculture and trade (JWPAT), and the working party on agricultural policies and markets (APM). This experience gave him a good understanding of international and national agricultural policy matters.
Before joining IBMA, he ran an independent consultancy for three years advising companies and consultancies on EU agro-food policies and EU import requirements.
Prior to his assignments in the diplomatic and business area, Jeremy participated to an EU research program on plant protection products operated by the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE).
He holds a master degree in International Business, a master degree in Business management and The Prince2 project management certification. Jeremy speaks French, English and has notions of Italian.
Jeroen Meeussen
Regulatory Adviser
Holding a Master´s degree in plant pathology, Jeroen is a regulatory specialist in biocontrol with over 35 years’ experience. He previously worked in Ctgb, DG SANTE, for the Minor Uses Coordination Facility and for ERM Consultancy. His past experiences are valuable assets to help understand the complexity of the legislation. Jeroen has always had a particular focus on biopesticides and he has provided significant support to Working and Expert groups on biopesticides at EU-level, as well as OECD-level. Jeroen has taken a lead role in the development of guidance documents for several categories of biopesticides like microbials, botanicals and semiochemicals.
Soizick Menais
Office Manager
Soizick is looking after bookkeeping and administrative matters and assisting Isabelle with event organising and website activities. She works from the office in Brussels.
Soizick is French and speaks fluent English.
Niamh Holland-Essoh
Communications Manager
Niamh is responsible for communications at IBMA. This involves managing external communications to a range of stakeholders and the press, guiding member communications to ensure our members are kept up-to-date, overseeing IBMA’s input into events such as ABIM as well as increasing awareness of the importance of biocontrol solutions in sustainable agriculture.
Board
Herman Van Mellaert
President
Herman is the Director Strategic Alliances at Biobest Group NV, with headquarters in Belgium.
Biobest, originally a pioneer in bumblebee pollination and in invertebrate biocontrol agents, is now active worldwide with a complete range of solutions for biological control.
Herman holds a Ph.D. from the University of Leuven in insect physiology. He was Researcher, then Business Development Manager and subsequently founding CEO in the plant biotechnology industry. He also worked at the EU Council Secretariat (Agriculture) and at the European Commission (DG Research and Development). After several years as a consultant and interim Manager in the Life Sciences industry (with assignments in biotechnology, biological control, food ingredients, manufacturing of biomolecules,…) he became Director Business Development and subsequently Director Strategic Alliances at Biobest Group NV since 2013.
Roma Gwynn
Vice-President
Holding a PhD in biological control, Roma is a biopesticide specialist with over 35 years’ experience – initially as a research scientist, then working for biocontrol companies, and now as an international independent specialist. Roma has taken a lead role in the development and registration of many new biopesticide technologies including semio-chemical, botanical and microbial substances. Her expertise lies in facilitating the process of taking biopesticide products to market by streamlining bio-discovery, product development, registration and marketing, with particular expertise in efficacy.
