Ayana Bio Welcomes Biotechnology Veteran Jill Zullo to its Board of Directors

Dr. Jill Zullo’s extensive experience in scaling new technology will accelerate Ayana Bio’s path to success as a leader in plant cell culture

BOSTON, August 7, 2024 – Ayana Bio, the plant cell technology company dedicated to creating sustainable bioactives for consumer products, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jill Zullo, PhD, former President and CEO of NatureWorks and Global Managing Director Biointermediates at Cargill, to the company’s Board of Directors. Dr. Zullo is an experienced commercial leader with deep technical roots in biotechnology who has built new businesses in several markets.

Zullo brings a wealth of experience in forging strategic partnerships, with an ability to swiftly establish trust and foster collaboration that will accelerate commercialization at Ayana Bio. Zullo created a joint venture between Cargill and HELM AG called Qore^TM that will utilize Geno BDO technology to produce QIRA^TM (renewable 1-4,butane diol) for use in the apparel, automotive, and packaging industries, among other applications. With a keen ability to describe complex scientific concepts and gain buy-in from customers and senior leaders, Zullo will support Ayana Bio’s development platform to deliver innovation and profitable results. As a board member, Zullo will bring a balance of strategic perspective and market discipline to business planning, driving scalable growth at Ayana Bio.

Recognized for her inspiring leadership, Zullo will prioritize inclusivity and empowerment as she develops future talent at Ayana Bio. Zullo is known for creating fun, engaging environments that foster innovative exploration throughout her previous leadership roles at NatureWorks and Cargill. Additionally, Zullo also serves as the Vice Chair of Project Scientist, an educational nonprofit delivering high-quality experiences in science, technology, engineering and math to underserved and marginalized girls ages 4-18.

Frank Jaksch, CEO of Ayana Bio, highlighted, “Jill’s expertise in biotechnology and her customer-focused approach to innovation aligns perfectly with our mission to collaborate with customers and introduce products to the market that solve the challenges in the botanical supply chain.”

“Jill’s extensive career of leading biotechnological advancements across food and industrials will bring a fresh yet valuable perspective to the Ayana Bio board,” said Ena Cratsenburg, a member of Ayana Bio’s Board of Directors.

“I am excited to join Ayana’s Board of Directors as we work to establish Ayana Bio as a leader in the plant cell culture space,” said Dr. Jill Zullo. “Ayana Bio’s customer-centric focus to develop bioactives aligns with my values in bringing sustainable biotechnology innovation to the consumer product goods market.”

This appointment further underscores the focus on establishing Ayana Bio as a leader in the plant cell culture space and assembling a board of directors with diverse backgrounds of expertise to guide the company to commercial success.

About Ayana Bio
Ayana Bio uses plant cell cultivation to grow plant materials without growing them in the ground. Ayana Bio focuses on creating ingredients that leverage plant bioactives for health and wellness products. Plant cell-derived ingredients solve many of the sustainability, purity, safety and ethical concerns in current botanical supply chains. Ayana Bio collaborates with global industry leaders in food, beverage, dietary supplement, sports nutrition, animal care and skin care to bring the power of plant bioactives to the mass market at scale. Ayana Bio has partnered with the global leader in synthetic biology, Ginkgo Bioworks, to select, optimize and scale plant cell-cultivated ingredients. Ayana Bio is backed by prestigious investors, Viking Global and Cascade, to democratize nature’s bioactives.
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Media Contacts
Tyler Ogoshi
ayanabio@missionnorth.com