Tom has been Chief Executive of AgResearch since September 2010, and has worked in New Zealand science for more than 20 years. Prior to joining AgResearch, he spent 17 years with the New Zealand Forestry Research Institute (Scion), as a practising scientist, science manager, and five years as Chief Executive. He has had frequent assignments on advisory boards, external review panels and international science and trade delegations, including the NZ-US Joint Commission on Science and Technology Co-operation and the NZ-EU Joint Commission on Science and Technology Co-operation. He currently holds a number of industry, science and education governance roles including EpiGen, Farmax Ltd, Grasslanz Technologies Ltd, South Island Dairy Development Corp, DEEResearch, ScienceNZ, Waiariki Institute of Technology, and two New Zealand Centres of Research Excellence (Riddet Institute and Gravida – The National Research Centre on Growth and Development). His science background is in genetics and he holds a Bachelors degree from Bucknell University and his PhD is from Pennsylvania State University.

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