The staff

Jacques du Puy

ECPA President

Jacques became president of ECPA in November 2008. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of Bayer CropScience (BCS) and is responsible for BCS’s Crop Protection business Europe / TAMECIS* based in Lyon, France.

Jacques, who is French, graduated from Agro-Paris (Agricultural Engineering University) and IAE Paris (Business school of the Sorbonne University). In 1982 he joined Rhône-Poulenc Agro in France as Sales Engineer then transferred to various business positions including the management of Cérès, the group seed technology unit. From 1995 onwards he spent 8 years in Asia as country head of India and later on of Japan. In September 2002 he was appointed Deputy Head of the Region Europe, based in Lyon.

* Turkey, Africa, Middle East and Commonwealth of Independent States

E-mail:

ecpa@ecpa.eu

Friedhelm Schmider

Director General

Friedhelm is German and has an educational background in soil science, agriculture, forestry and biology. He obtained his PhD from the University of Hohenheim, Department of Soil Science, Germany. He has been with the crop protection industry for more 25-years holding a variety of technical and commercial leadership roles in both Germany and Asia. His widespread technical knowledge, public affairs experience and political interest have served to provide a solid foundation to his work in managing regulatory activities and relationships with international organisations, associations and authorities.  Friedhelm also has a wide expertise in the fields of environment and nature conservation.

E-mail:

friedhelm.schmider@ecpa.eu

Agata Zagórska

CEE Affairs Manager

Agata is Polish and studied Horticulture at the Warsaw Agriculture University. She started her career with the Polish Crop Protection Association in Poland and furthered her studies at the Warsaw University of Economics.  In June 2008 Agata joined ECPA in Brussels, where her main focus is to develop and support the industry and national crop protection associations in the CEE and CIS countries, helping their understanding and following of EU legal requirements related to crop protection products.  Agata is also involved in ECPA’s programs on waste & recycling and anti-counterfeit.

E-mail:

agata.zagorska@ecpa.eu

Ángel Martín

Governmental Affairs Manager

Ángel is Spanish and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Management. Since 2002 he has worked in EU Affairs in Brussels. As responsible for the EU Office of the Spanish Farming Organisation (ASAJA) he has worked on International and Government Affairs related to Agricultural issues, namely in collaboration with COPA-COGECA (European farmers and cooperatives association) and as a substitute Member of EESC (European Economic and Social Committee). At ECPA a focus of Ángel’s work is following legislative activities of the EU institutions in the field of crop protection and providing them, in particular Members of the European Parliament, with information regarding various aspects related to the sustainable protection of plants against pests and diseases.

E-mail:

angel.martin@ecpa.eu

Aurelie Dhaussy

Regulatory Affairs Manager

Aurélie is French and obtained a degree in Political Science from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques of Aix-en-Provence, and a Masters degree in European Studies from the University of Louvain.  Her previous work experience as Marketing and European Affairs Officer in European associations activities covered communication and institutional affairs.  At ECPA Aurélie is in charge of the coordination and communication of industry views on regulatory affairs and advises members on regulatory requirements applicable to the crop protection  industry.

E-mail:

aurelie.dhaussy@ecpa.eu

Claudia Michel

Director Food and Agricultural Affairs

Claudia is German and holds a degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Bonn. Before joining ECPA in 1999, Claudia has previously worked as Deputy Director General of a Food-sector association and for the European Commission.  In her current position Claudia leads ECPA’s policy-making on the Framework Directive for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides and its implementation, as well as on all areas related to sustainable agriculture and food safety & security.  Her responsibilities include driving ECPA’s advocacy, communications and stewardship programs on these issues, to promote the safe use of crop protection products within technologically modern farming practices that are able to respond to consumer and environmental needs of today.

E-mail:

claudia.michel@ecpa.eu

Doris Schernhammer

CEE Affairs Assistant Manager

Doris joined ECPA in 2010. Doris is Austrian and holds a diploma degree in International Economics and Business Sciences focusing on trade relations and international public management, and a diploma degree in Political Science from the University of Innsbruck. She completed one year of her studies at the University of Siena, Italy. Before starting her studies, Doris also worked one year in Michigan, USA. Prior to ECPA, Doris worked for Knowledge4Innovation, a multi-stakeholder platform, dealing with the relations with EU Institutions and particularly in the organization of the European Innovation Summit in the European Parliament. In ECPA, Doris supports the industry and national crop protection associations in CEE and CIS countries and the Governmental Affairs Manager. Doris is also involved in packaging and recycling schemes.

E-mail:

doris.schernhammer@ecpa.eu

Euros Jones

Regulatory Affairs Director

Euros has worked for the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) since May 2001, and has held the post of Director, Regulatory Affairs since January 2006.  Euros is Welsh and holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. He has worked in Brussels since 1994,having previously worked as Deputy Director of the Brussels office of the UK National Farmers’ Unions, and as Secretary General of the European Council of Young farmers (CEJA). In his current post, Euros’ responsibilities include supporting ECPA’s advocacy on regulatory issues, with a particular focus on the implementation of the review programme under Directive 91/414/EEC, and the implementation of the new Regulation  on the Placing of Plant Protection Products on the Market, which replaces Directive 91/414/EEC in 2009.

E-mail:

euros.jones@ecpa.eu

Gavin Whitmore

eCommunication Manager

Gavin joined ECPA in November 2009. He is English and holds an MSc in European Environmental Policy and Legislation and a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Management (Lancaster University, UK). He previously worked as Senior Project Manager for Eurosite (Netherlands), a European network engaged in the conservation and management of nature and biodiversity. At ECPA Gavin is responsible for the management of online communications and marketing and ECPA ICT infrastructure.

E-mail:		gavin.whitmore@ecpa.eu
Website:		http://be.linkedin.com/in/gavinwhitmore

Kalila Hajjar

Topic: Food quality & safety

Food Affairs Adviser

Kalila joined ECPA in 2007.  Kalila is Belgian and holds a Law degree from the Université de Liège and a Masters of Laws, LL.M., specialising in European law, from the Universiteit Maastricht.  Before joining ECPA, Kalila worked as an Adviser in the cabinet of the Belgian Federal Minister of Public Health with particular responsibilities in legal affairs and food law and policy, and as a researcher in a Brussels-based think tank.  In ECPA, she supports the area of sustainable agriculture and is in charge of all issues pertaining to food law that are related to the crop protection industry.

E-mail:

kalila.hajjar@ecpa.eu

Laurent Oger

Assistant Manager

Laurent is French and holds a Law degree from the University of Rennes 1, a Master in European law from the University of Rennes 1, as well as a Master in European Agricultural law from Panthéon – Sorbonne, University of Paris.  Arriving in Brussels from France, he first worked for the French Agri Cooperatives Association and then joined ECPA in summer 2008. At ECPA, Laurent supports the area related to sustainable agriculture, and is in charge of all issues pertaining to the non-agricultural use of plant protection products (garden and amenity).  Laurent is also involved in ECPA’s stewardship programs related to the sustainable use of crop protection products.

E-mail:

laurent.oger@ecpa.eu

Pascaline Ritrovato

Administrative Assistant

Pascaline is Italian and  studied Hotel Management and Tourism in Belgium.  She started her career at the Conrad Hilton in Brussels at the reception and reservation department.  Since 1995 Pascaline has worked at ECPA where she is responsible for the arrangement and coordination of meetings, travel and events.  She is also responsible for general office management and provides support to visiting ECPA Members.

E-mail:

pascaline.ritrovato@ecpa.eu

Peter Day

Science & Technical Affairs Manager

Peter is from New Zealand and graduated from University in Wellington, New Zealand studying zoology and analytical chemistry.  He started his career at a Crown Research Institute before moving to a Regulatory Agency responsible for environmental quality.  Peter has worked for ECPA since moving from New Zealand to Brussels in 2004.  His main area of responsibility is human health and environmental risk assessment supporting the registration of plant protection products, where he stresses the importance of good quality science in European policy and decision making. 

E-mail:

peter.day@ecpa.eu

Phil Newton

Senior Manager Communications

Phil joined ECPA in September 2008.  He is British-Canadian and has an educational background in both science and communications . He began his career as a science journalist and has maintained an active association with the sciences throughout, with particular attention to health science and pharmaceuticals.  In 2006, Phil won the Blue Wave Award of Excellence in Marketing from the International Association of Business Communicators, as well as the Canadian Public Relations Society’s Premier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Marketing Communications.  He is the author of “Winning: A Celebration of Paralympic Sport”.  Phil is developing ECPA’s  communications strategy to better respond to the European business/political environment.  Phil’s current focus is to widely communicate the contribution crop protection products make to Europe’s quality of life, their essential role in dealing with the coming challenges related to food security and the measures that are in place that ensure they are safe and environmentally sound.

E-mail:

phil.newton@ecpa.eu

Rivka Benatar

Management Assistant

Rivka is South African and studied commerce in Harare, Zimbabwe. She started her career in Texaco, Kinshasa, Congo, heading the import/export department before moving to the banking sector in Cape Town, South Africa, where she worked in the call money market and handled the administration of the Cape Town office of SocGen.  Rivka moved to Brussels in 1994 and has since worked for ECPA where, amongst other tasks, she assists in the smooth running of the office and is responsible for the publication of the annual Statistical Review, organisation of ECPA’s annual conference and the co-ordination of ECPA’s company investment projects, as well as providing daily support to the Director General.

E-mail:

rivka.benatar@ecpa.eu

Sarah Giles

Senior Manager Corporate Operations

Sarah is English and graduated in London and Brussels in Art & Design, with distinctions.  She  started her career as a Buyer, before working as Liaison Manager for UK retailer Next plc.  Sarah then joined the US group VF Corp. (Lee denim) culminating as Product Manager of the key product portfolio for the European market, where she travelled extensively, as well as to Dubai, Morocco and Hong-Kong, developing product lines and managing supplier, national sales heads and key account relations.  Since 2002, Sarah has been working for ECPA where she plays a key role in the Association’s general operations management and, bringing together the company and national association network, positioning of ECPA’s strategic drives.

E-mail:

sarah.giles@ecpa.eu

Stuart Rutherford

Director Environmental Affairs

Stuart is responsible for managing ECPA policy on crop protection product residues in food and for water policy, including regulatory aspects and project work aimed at training and awareness raising among crop protection product users of practical measures to reduce water contamination.  Stuart is English and holds a BSc in Marine Zoology and an MSc in Marine Science.  He has worked in Brussels since 1992. Beginning with a work-placement in the Commission’s Environment Directorate-General, he then worked as a consultant for a legal firm offering EU policy-related services to a variety of corporate clients, and was employed as a Manager for European Affairs with a US specialty chemicals manufacturer.  Since 2000 Stuart has worked at ECPA, and a key goal throughout this time has been to bring together a knowledge of scientific principles and policy-making in order to promote workable, practical and effective governance of the crop protection business.

E-mail:

stuart.n.rutherford@ecpa.eu