Jorge Andrés Puiggros Vogel

– (569) 6498-2506

Agronomist with studies in Business Management and Operations Management, more than 10 years’ experience in management and executive positions in agribusiness. Extensive experience in implementing and starting up projects, forming multidisciplinary teams and external relations with authorities and communities. Broad experience in the seed industry, both locally and internationally, and in establishing contact with regulatory authorities and the community, as well as in adapting international corporate values ​​to local realities. Skilled at leading multidisciplinary teams and budget management. Autonomous, good communication skills.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Semillas Pioneer (DuPont Pioneer)

Research Center Site Manager 2007 to 2012

Responsible for the operation of DuPont Pioneer’s Arica Research Center, managing a budget of over US$17 million, a staff of 1,000+ employees in season and leading the management team of six functional areas. Arica station was considered among the top five worldwide in DuPont Pioneer in the area of ​​Research and Development.

  • Implementation of Arica Research Center, which after five years managed to meet the company’s world-class standards, and going from a budget of US$2 million to over US$17 million and from a staff of about 50 people to more than 1,000 the last season.
  • Implementation of SAP R3 considering different modules (procurement, purchase orders, finance and assets) in Arica Research Center, in a period of three months, training the staff involved and becoming the yardstick for the rest of the national sites due to the results obtained.
  • Leadership in the implementation of world-class DuPont Safety Standards in a location with adverse conditions, reaching accident rates considerably lower than those of the industry in the area and nationwide.
  • Management of capital projects with investments of over US$25 million in five years, covering construction of facilities and acquisition of high technology capital goods, meeting the world-class standards of DuPont Pioneer in quality, safety and regulations.
  • Generation and facilitation of a change in the irrigation strategy in the Center, achieved through the use of different techniques, improving water use efficiency (over 20% decrease of water usage per unit area) and improving the goals set by most of the functional areas.
  • Creation, implementation and monitoring of a production strategy for growing corn under forced conditions, considering the use of new technologies (used later in other Company locations), which made it possibleto shorten production cycles by 25%, and contribute to an increased spectrum of alternative uses for the site.
  • Leadership in developing a relevant industrial strategy for generating a proposal to reconcile the interests of the actors in the Arica-Parinacota seed industry, facing the need to propose changes to SAG, the regulatory authority.
  • Acceptance of a proposal submitted to SAG, which allowed establishing guidelines for future changes in regulations.
  • Positioning of the Company with local authorities and communities, reaching a more popular understanding of the industry and the development of transgenic corn crops, which enabled the successful implementation of a corporate communications strategy with the communities and CSR in the town.

Agrocomercial Mater SA

General Manager (personal entrepreneurship)2005 to 2007

Directly responsible for the production, import and marketing of flowers countrywide and for implementing door-to-door distribution chains in Santiago, Region V and Region X, with a sales turnover of over US$1 million annually.

  • Development and implementation of a distribution chain of cut flowers, channeled directly between national and international growers and florists as end customers, reaching sales of over US$1 million in two years.
  • Opening commercial and logistics offices in Santiago and regions, creating a logistics network for supply and sales.
  • Development of niche market products for caterers.

PacificFlowers S.A.

Chilean, American and Dutch owned company, dedicated to the production and export of cut flowers, focusing on the supply chain and outsourcing producers throughout Chile, with exports of over US$5.3 million.

Production Manager2004 to 2005

  • Developeda sourcing strategy through external producers under production contracts, achieving over 15% growth at lower costs.
  • Development and implementation of technical instructions for outsourced flower growers, creating a standard that waslater adopted by the industry.
  • Introduction of new species in the Chilean export market of cut flowers, constantly innovating in the assortment and packaging of finished products.
  • Development of a logistics system for servicing supermarkets and retail.

Technical Manager1995 to 2004

Responsible for the logistics, operation and export of cut flowers. Introduced several crops such aslilies, tulips, peonies, nerines and several other bulb flowers in Chile, and developed a production system under contract with outsourced farmers.

  • Adaptation and implementation in Chile of the production system for cut flowerbulbs (lilies and tulips mainly), under forced conditions, through the knowledge and expertise of American and Dutch partners.
  • Strategic planning of the productive area in order to supply the flower market in the USA for different holidays each year, efficiently and at the right time.
  • Planning the purchase and importation of bulbs according to a defined business strategy.
  • Participation in the development and implementation of the bulb production industry in Chile, being pioneering leaders for several years.
  • Implementation of high technology in spraying crops under forced conditions, leading to successfully exporting flowers grown in areas sensitive to the presence of quarantined insects.
  • Development of a business and logistics strategy that led to the opening of a commercial office in Miami, USA.

EDUCATION

Agronomist, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile1989 - 1994

Diploma in Operations Management, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez2010 - 2011

DiplomainBusiness Administration, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez2000 - 2001

English, written and spoken.

Andrés Puiggros V.

– (569) 6498-2506