GreenTech Americas
24 - 25 - 26 March 2026
Querétaro Centro de Congresos, QRO, Mexico

Speakers

Adolfo Minero, Greenhouse and Crop Specialist, Harnois

Proven experience in the GH research and production sector. Competent in statistics, sustainability, agribusiness. Strong professional with postgraduate studies focused on Plant Physiology from McGill University. Greenhouse and Crop Specialist at Harnois, duties include technical support for greenhouse growers, developing, establishing, coordinating and planning greenhouse projects in North America.

Alejandro Ávila, Operations Manager, Bonanza Greenhouses

Studies in computer systems and pure mathematics. Director and consultant in medium and high technology greenhouses for 23 years. During this time, he has managed leading greenhouse projects in the industry, developing from conception to operation more than 120 hectares of greenhouses in various parts of the country. Specialist consultant in production processes, packaging, logistics, administration, quality and certifications.

Alejandro Trueba, Founding Partner, HarvCrest Capital

Investment banker with 30 years of capital markets experience specializing in financing, capital, and equity market transactions. Throughout his career he has covered corporations and investors in the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, and Latin America. Originally from Mexico City, he has worked in Toronto and New York. He has traveled throughout Latin America for more than 15 years, seeking opportunities for the world's leading global financial firms. His expertise extends to public debt placements of different companies through BIVA and the Mexican Stock Exchange. After a successful banking career, at the end of 2018, he decided to follow his passion and create a consulting firm that advises companies on their financial needs, through his expertise in the rapidly evolving funding criteria of investors and Banks, including practices for a sustainable future. He has 5 years of experience advising agribusiness focused companies to obtain financing for their growth, as well as guiding them to strengthen their corporate practices to achieve better financial terms. Member of the Mexican Sustainable Finance Council, Financial Advisor to AMHPAC and CDAAJ, Honorary Member of the Sustainability Committee of the Mexican Food Bank Network.

Alexei Rico, Propagation Grower, Plantanova

Collaborator in the application of the Plant Empowerment concept in Mexican conditions at the agricultural Finca Ahuehuetes. With experience working in propagation greenhouses in Holland and Mexican production. Currently General Manager in the Plantanova propagation centre applying state-of-the-art technology for the optimisation of production processes. I believe that the future of protected agriculture in Mexico is closer than we think. It is the responsibility of those of us who have access to technology to find the balance between the integration of the human and the productive. Nothing is separate.

Annie van de Riet, Presidenta, AVAG

President of AVAG, the Dutch greenhouse technology centre. She has earned her stripes in horticulture and advocacy. Annie is proud of the sector she is privileged to represent: 80 companies with a combined turnover of €3 billion, 80% of which is generated abroad. Through the association, these companies pull together to create quality standards and carry out research and development, for example. Joint innovation in a pre-competitive environment has made the sector strong. A Dutch supplier stands for the application of state-of-the-art techniques with excellent quality.

Birgit de Vos, Consultant Sustainable Agri-Food Value Chains, Wageningen University

PhD in Environmental Policy from Wageningen University and MA in Anthropology from the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands. She has headed the department of sustainable value chains (32 researchers of 8 nationalities) at Wageningen Social & Economic Research. She has been responsible for high quality consultancy for clients such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN), the International Labor Organization (ILO), private sector companies and NGOs. In addition, she has worked as senior project manager for The Sustainability Consortium, USA (www.sustainabilityconsortium.org/), where she developed key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure social sustainability along value chains. She also worked for the Rainforest Alliance as global lead on forced labor, and was responsible for the global strategy on this issue and, together with other global issue leaders, designed the new code of conduct for certification.

Betina Batista von Knoop, Sales Manager Mexico, Dümmen Orange

She studied agronomy at the University of Guadalajara and initially focused on agroforestry ecosystems such as coffee, where she had the opportunity in 2012 to work in the technified production of Phalaenopsis and anthurium plants. After that, he spent a few years advising, importing and distributing these crops to Mexican producers, as well as specialized inputs for their production. A couple of years ago, when the company Dümmen Orange decided that it was important to establish its own entity in Mexico, he accepted the invitation to become part of the team, serving the growers of the different crops that make up its orange catalogue, both cut flowers and potted flowers.

Patrik Borenius, CEO, Green Automation Americas LLC

He joined Green Automation in 2016 and leads its operations in the Americas, where he brings extensive experience in marketing European technologies and products in the North American market, as well as transcontinental project management. After spending 10 years in product management and technology planning positions at Mercedes-Benz in both Germany and the US, he led the ALMACO Group's entry into the field of modular construction, leveraging existing shipbuilding knowledge and techniques for large hospitality construction projects. He has in-depth knowledge of hydroponic lettuce growing systems and their full yield potential and has been involved in the development of facilities that today achieve the highest yields, especially for baby cut lettuce. He is a true citizen of the world, born in Germany to Finnish parents and living in the USA since 2004.

Carolina Vázquez, Senior Sales Representative, Source Ag

Agricultural engineer with more than 10 years of experience in digitization, automation, and use of data in agriculture. Her passion for sustainability and productivity in the sector has led her to implement solutions based on artificial intelligence and precision sensors. Currently, she is Senior Sales Representative at Source Ag, leading SaaS sales for protected agriculture in Mexico. In addition, she is a member of the Guanajuato State Agricultural Council and secretary of minutes in the Association of Agricultural Engineers Parasitologists of the State of Guanajuato, actively contributing to the development of the agricultural sector in the region.

Carlos H Umana, Technical Sales Manager, Nunhems/BASF Vegetable Seeds

He has dedicated his career to the international agri-seed industry. For nearly twenty years, he specialized in vegetable seeds across the Americas while working with Nunhems-BASF Vegetable Seeds. For the past five years, his primary focus has been on leafy crops in North America, particularly lettuce, within high-tech Controlled Environment systems. In addition to his roles in sales, product development, and market development, he is responsible for identifying and assessing new emerging segments of North America's leafy Controlled Environment Agriculture market.

Carlos Visconti, CEO, Red Sun Farms Group

He holds a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering and an MBA from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. He also holds certifications in Senior Management and Quality Control from the University of Michigan. CEO (Canada, USA and Mexico operations) of Red Sun Farms, a leading international greenhouse company. Carlos brings vision and passion, along with over 20 years of executive management experience in both start-up and Fortune 500 companies to every aspect of his work. He joined Red Sun Farms in 2010 from Hella Group (Automotive), where he held the position of Vice President of Product Development in the North America region. Prior to that, he was General Manager at Hella Mexico, where he was responsible for manufacturing operations and oversaw new product development. In 2023, he assumed responsibility for Red Sun Farms Mexico operations, driving significant improvements in efficiency and customer satisfaction. Under his leadership, Mexican operations have been optimized through strategic initiatives that streamline processes, improve productivity and ensure high quality products, meeting the needs of our valued customers and partners.

Claudia Lee, CEO, Ball Akiko.

She holds a degree in Business Administration, with 34 years of experience in the agricultural sector. Founder of companies such as Koppert Mexico (from 97 to 01), Flores y Plantas de Calidad, Semplants, Interbulbos and Grupo Akiko. Commercial Representative of leading companies in the Ornamental Sector, such as: Panamerican Seed, Hilverda Florist, Jan de Wit en Zonen, Kapiteyn, Royal Van Zanten, Bianchieri, Morel, Zaboplant, Philips / Signify for the agricultural sector. She is currently the CEO of Ball Akiko.

Eric Viramontes

Dedicated to Mexican agriculture, he leads VISER Proyecta, a consultancy to professionalize organizations in the primary sector. Specialized in agricultural marketing and communication strategies. Former Executive Director of Meister Media Worldwide and AMHPAC. He participated in the defense of the Mexican tomato before the USA. He was Agricultural Manager at Ciruli Brothers and Director of Commercial Promotion at ASERCA/SAGARPA, promoting international trade. Recognized, he seeks to continue learning and contributing to the agricultural sector. His experience ranges from consulting to industry representation and trade policy development.

Ernestina Serrano, General Director, Cerro Fresh

Actuary by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), with an International Diploma in Protected Horticulture coordinated by INTAGRI, Mexico; in conjunction with the University of Almeria, Spain (2009). He has been trained in various thematic areas focused on the productive optimization of crops in organic agriculture: Cuba (2012), Arizona, USA (2016 and 2018), among others. He started in agricultural activities in 2003 in the Southeast of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. His main work crops were sorghum, corn and peppers in open fields. In the same year he started a protected agriculture project in a 2,000 m2 shed with the cultivation of tomatoes in conventional production. In this year, he formed a family business called CERRO Fresh S.P.R. de R.L., a name he still has today. From 2004 to 2010 they produced tomatoes. In 2011, they started with the organic production of bell peppers. Since 2018, they have started to grow American cucumber and European cucumber in organic agriculture. The target market is for export to the USA. The main functions of Ernestina Serrano Jasso are framed in the Production Management of the company, being a member of the Tomato Product System of the State of Guanajuato and is inserted within the State Agri-Food Council of the State of Guanajuato (CEAG) and in the International Horticultural and Fruit Alliance for the Promotion of Social Responsibility (AHIFORES).

Fausto Serrano, Technical Sales Representative in Mexico for Legro, since 2018

Agronomist graduated from the Autonomous University of Chapingo. With experience in agricultural production processes under soil and hydroponic conditions.
He has participated for over 10 years in the planning, execution, agronomic management, administration, and direction of blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry production projects in the western region of Mexico, in the states of Colima, Michoacán, and Jalisco.
In 2018, he joined to the world of substrates for professional agriculture, gaining knowledge of different industries that require this technology, gathering experience primarily in Mexico, South America, and some regions of Europe.

Felipe Palomares, Head Grower, Jd Agro-Kapital - Ludvig Svensson

Company located in Aguascalientes, Mexico, with 10 hectares of medium-high technology greenhouses, dedicated to the production of tomatoes for export to the United States and Canada. JD Agrokapital is a company in expansion, with three consecutive cycles in the market. It has 8 years of experience in the production of tomatoes under greenhouse of high and medium-high technology, specializing in varieties such as TOV, Cherry, Grape and Campari. Proudly from the municipality of Villa de Reyes, in the state of San Luis Potosi.

Felix Tarrats

Agricultural Engineer from ITESM Querétaro, expert in high-tech greenhouse crops. He was Production Manager at AGROS S.A. de C.V. and co-founder of the Koppert Rapel Research and Training Centre (CEICKOR). Currently, he directs CEICKOR and its University Centre, which offers a degree in Agricultural Engineering in Protected Agriculture. He advises companies in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica and the USA, cultivating 250 hectares of tomato, pepper and cucumber crops. His experience ranges from production to education and international consultancy.

Fernanda Suarez, Sustainability and Social Impact Director, NatureSweet

She leads the sustainability and social impact strategy at NatureSweet. She is committed to creating positive changes within the agricultural industry and has helped implement successful ESG practices at NatureSweet that are revolutionizing the industry. She oversees the company’s B Corp, EFI, and Fair-Trade certifications. She is dedicated to enhancing safety for workers and fulfilling the company’s purpose which is to transform the lives of agricultural workers in North America. She began her career in Human Resources, working for electrical and electronic manufacturing companies such Plexus and USI. She began her career at NatureSweet in Human Captial more six years ago, and her success has led to various positions, managing the company’s sustainability and social impact initiatives. Fernanda has a bachelor´s degree in Education, two master's degrees, one in organizational and human development, and the other in business. She has successfully completed the University of Oxford’s program “Leading a Sustainable Corporation” by the Saïd Business School.

Fernando Alfaro, CEO, GROWA Greenhouse Systems

A leading greenhouse systems company based in Mexico. For more than 12 years, he has been at the helm of the company, which was formerly known as Stolze Mexico. Under his leadership, the company has grown significantly and expanded into the North American markets. GROWA has offices in Mexico, Spain, the Netherlands, and Canada. In Spain, the design and development of projects is carried out, in the Netherlands, to serve Europe and from where specialized materials are supplied for Mexico and North America. Graduate of ITESO and has developed an outstanding career in the horticulture and greenhouse systems sector. His experience and vision have been key to the success of GROWA, which focuses on automation, heating, irrigation and maintenance of state-of-the-art greenhouses. In addition, he has participated in several major industry events, where he has shared his perspective on resource efficiency, growth and automation in the agricultural industry.

Gabriela Rubio, Auditor, SCS

Auditor with a degree in agronomy and advanced training in food safety. Proven experience in the execution of audits and as a course instructor. From December 2021 to date she is subcontracted auditor at SCS Global Services Mexico.

Gerardo Lopez

He graduated from the Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo in 2015 and worked as a Grower Jr. at the hydroponic lettuce producer ‘EVA’ called Next Vegetales in León, Guanajuato. He currently works as a Grower at Finka in San Antonio, managing high-tech greenhouses, testing new substrates and varieties with resistance to TBRFV, making efficient use of water and fertilizer resources.

Gilberto Rendón, Director, Iguana Growers

Agricultural Engineer from the University of Chapingo, with studies at IPADE in Senior Business Management. He was involved in the negotiation of the EU-Mexico FTA. He was CEO of Grupo Visaflor from 1998 to 2000. He is currently the Director of Iguana Growers.

Hans Peters, CEO, Priva

Priva is the global leader in horticultural technology. He brings extensive experience from his previous roles at Unilever, NS, and Eneco. With a focus on customer orientation, digitization, and sustainability, Hans is dedicated to advancing Priva’s mission to support growers with innovative solutions for climate control, water management, and resource efficiency. Under his leadership, Priva continues to drive growth and contribute to a cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable agricultural future.

Homero Ontiveros, Director, AgTech América

Industrial Engineer with graduate studies in International Management from Harvard University. He found his true professional passion in the horticultural industry, dedicating himself for more than 20 years to the generation and dissemination of information on new agricultural technologies to boost the growth of high-value crop exports in Mexico and Latin America. He has extensive experience managing specialised agricultural media and organising congresses and exhibitions in this sector. For 17 years, he directed the growth and consolidation of the magazine Productores de Hortalizas en México y Centroamérica and its website Hortalizas.com. He successfully organised the International Tomato Congress for 10 consecutive years, the Bio Controles Mexico event and the Fresh Connections Mexico and Fresh Connections Central America events in conjunction with the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) in 2012 and 2013. Since 2018 he serves as Founding Director of AgTech America, an agricultural communication consulting firm focused on the dissemination of information and technology through digital media, has advised countless agricultural technology companies in their communication and marketing efforts, and has been a consultant for GreenTech since 2018.

Hugo Escoto, Director General en Gestión de proyectos Hortícolas, Alternativa Agrícola Sustentable SA de CV.

With Master's degrees in Crop Protection (France) and Business Administration (ITESM), he is an Agricultural Engineer from ITESM. His career started in 1984 at Bird's Eye de México. He worked at Monsanto (1991-2002), ASOSID (2002) and Organic Trust Farms (2007-2011). In 2011, he joined Hortigen Produce and in 2014 Finca Ahuehuetes, where he remained until 2023. Currently, he is Consultant at Alternativa Agricola Sustentable. His experience ranges from large corporations to sustainable agriculture projects.

Hugo Rubili GreenHow

Jesús Arévalo

Agricultural Engineer specializing in soils from the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, awarded with honors for his thesis on tomato grafting in 2006. He holds a master's degree from the University of Almería, Spain, with a thesis on organic mini peppers. A Certified Agricultural Consultant by the American Society of Agronomy, he has provided advisory, training, and consulting services on vegetable nutrition in several Latin American countries. He is a member of the Soil Science Society of America and the Mexican Society of Soil Science. He is also a greenhouse vegetable producer and serves as the Director of Innovation at Intagri and Fertilab.

Joost Somford, President, JASA Packaging Solutions - North America

Greenhouse expert with over 10 years of experience in the packaging industry. With a proven track record in providing innovative and efficient solutions, from the evolution of greenhouse technologies to the challenges of maintaining sustainable growth in a rapidly changing marketplace. As a passionate advocate of sustainability, he is committed to integrating green practices into all facets of greenhouse and packaging processes. His expertise extends to optimizing resource use, reducing waste and advancing sustainability goals throughout the supply chain. With a hands-on approach and extensive industry knowledge, he continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in greenhouse innovation and sustainable packaging.

John van der Wilk

Jorge A. González, Technical Consultant, Ridder Group

Specialist in automation for the greenhouse horticulture industry with more than five years of experience in the sector in the Netherlands. His focus is on the development and implementation of advanced technological solutions to optimize production in controlled environments. In addition, he has a strong knowledge of plant physiology, which enables him to gain a deep understanding of crop needs and to apply technologies that support crop development. Throughout his career, he has worked on the integration of technologies such as climate control systems, automated irrigation, crop monitoring using sensors and the use of artificial intelligence to optimize resources. His experience has allowed him to develop a deep knowledge in automation, increasing productivity and reducing the environmental impact in the industry. With a deep knowledge of the horticultural sector in the Netherlands, Jorge has specialized in adapting technological innovations to different types of crops and climatic conditions. His commitment to technological innovation has led him to specialize in the sector, thus contributing to the evolution of greenhouse horticulture

Jose Sabas Urias

Jorge del Toro, General Director, Finka

Agricultural Engineer in Production, Business Administration and Management, by the Tecnológico de Monterrey. He has 23 years of experience in Agroindustry, specializing in Design, Construction, Operation, Administration, Packaging, Marketing and Organizational Development in Agroindustrial companies. He is the founder of the Denomination of Origin of the Habanero Pepper of the Yucatan Peninsula. He was General Director of Hidroponia Maya - 40 hectares of European Cucumber in High Technology, he was General Director of Gear Alimentos 15 hectares of High Technology, advisor and developer of turnkey projects.

Juan Labastida, President, AMSAC

Degree in Marketing and Master in E-Commerce from Tec de Monterrey, with additional studies at the European Institute of E-Commerce (ICEMD) and IPADE. Professional in the vegetable seed industry with more than 25 years of combined experience in national and international companies. Currently and for the last 13 years he has been working with Enza Zaden in the area of Marketing as Manager for Mexico and Central America. He is also President of the Mexican Seed Association until 2026, previously Vice President and member of the Board since 2019. He is a member of the Board of IFPA Mexico since 2022, Advisor for GreenTech Americas and active collaborator with industry bodies such as AMHPAC, Fresh Produce from the Americas (Nogales), among others.

Juan Manuel Daz

Karin van der Eijk, Cultivation & Technical Director, VDE Plant

Born into a family of growers, she grew up in the nursery, surrounded by horticulture from an early age. Her grandfather founded the company, initially growing tomatoes and various vegetables before moving on to cut roses. When her father and uncle took over, they focused on potted plants, laying the foundations of what is now VDE Plant. Her formal horticultural education began at the age of 12, attending junior and senior horticultural schools, with the clear ambition of one day running the family business. After completing her studies, she planned to gain international experience in the United States. However, at the age of 18, she had the unexpected opportunity to take over the company when her uncle decided to leave, and her father did not want to continue on his own. This marked the beginning of his journey as a leader in the horticultural industry. With almost 35 years of leadership experience, she continues to be passionate about driving innovation and sustainability in horticulture.

Kaz Vermeer

Kenneth Tran, CEO, KOIDRA

Founding CEO of Koidra, an AI-enabled autonomous greenhouse control company based in Seattle with a mission of making greenhouse growing more productive and resources efficient. Koidra has received numerous awards for the application of its technology. Before starting Koidra, Kenneth was a Principal Applied Scientist in the Machine Learning Group, Microsoft Research. His expertise includes Physics-informed Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning. At Microsoft, he led the research and development for strategic AI projects such as Deep Reinforcement Learning for real-world control problems, Data Center Energy Optimization, and Autonomous Greenhouses. He received his Ph.D. in Computational & Applied Mathematics from The University of Texas at Austin in 2012.

Luis Carlos Díaz, Sales Director, Comercializadora Greenhow

Agricultural engineer in phytotechnology, graduated from the Faculty of Biological and Agricultural Sciences of the University of Colima. He has been a producer of corn, watermelon, melon and tomato in the state of Colima; he has worked as technical and marketing manager in private crop protection companies; active participant during the last 22 years in several diploma courses, congresses and symposiums related to plant nutrition of multiple crops. He has more than 20 years of experience in the commercialization of plant nutrients for agriculture in Mexico. Currently sales director at Comercializadora Greenhow, a leading company in Mexico in nutrition for high productivity crops.

Marcela Jerez, Professor, UNAM

She holds a doctorate degree in Administration Sciences from UNAM. She is currently a member of the research team for the protected agriculture Water Footprint project lead by the Social Science Research Institute of the UNAM. She has worked as a consultant since 2001, focusing on the intersection of agribusiness and social economy, market research and strategic planning efforts, and development of diverse social enterprises in the agricultural and food sector in Mexico. She has consistently integrated consulting and acaPharis runs Plantanova, a company for the propagation of grafted horticultural seedlings for high-tech hydroponic greenhouses. His work ranges from technology promotion to agricultural production. Horticonnect PL is a Dutch business platform that connects technology, services and knowledge companies for protected horticulture. Its main task is to build bridges of collaboration between the Netherlands and the Mexican horticultural sector, proposing synergistic solutions. In the Netherlands, it promotes collaboration between companies to develop technology and knowledge transfer, seeking efficiency and profitability in Mexican greenhouses, as well as translating the needs of the sector.demic research directed around organizational administration for rural development initiatives and agroindustrial districts. She is Professor in the Accounting and Administration Department and the Social and Political Sciences Department at UNAM.

María Pérez, General Manager, Oleoflor

Industrial Engineer with a Master's degree in Operations Management and Project Management. She is the founder of Oleoflor, a Mexican company dedicated to the sustainable production of cut flowers, and directs Chantli, a community center focused on social development. With specializations in greenhouse horticulture (Wageningen University) and senior agri-food management (IPADE), she has promoted responsible business models in the agro-industrial sector.

Mariska Dreschler, Director Horticulture, GreenTech Global

Mariska Dreschler has more than 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship, business strategy, business development and event management. As Director of Horticulture, GreenTech Global at the RAI Amsterdam, she supports the global food- and flower production industry by organizing trade fairs for these communities to connect, both face-2-face and digital. The GreenTech portfolio consists of GreenTech Amsterdam as the worldwide leading trade show on horticulture technologies and GreenTech Americas as the regional trade show in Mexico.

Maximiliano Dorantes, Technical Director, MicroPrime

Food Industry Engineer from Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM), with a major in Food Biochemistry from the University of Kansas (USA) and a Masters in Senior Management from the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro. With more than 23 years of experience in the chemical and agri-food industry, he has led key projects in advanced formulations, organic synthesis, coatings and technological solutions applied to agribusiness. His track record includes the development of viricidal systems and the implementation of innovative biocide-based microbiological control systems designed to optimize agricultural production. Since 2015, he has been Technical Director at MicroPrime, a company specializing in microbiological control and surface treatment applied to agriculture, where he has worked on the integration of advanced technologies to improve hygiene and productivity in crops both nationally and internationally.

Miriam Castillo

Octavio Perez, Grower, Nature Fresh Farms USA

He has worked in the greenhouse industry since 2005, working in Mexico until 2014, at Agropark Querétaro for about 7 years. At the end of 2014, he decided to increase his international work experience and moved to the United States, currently working at Nature Fresh Farms USA, a company dedicated to the production of conventional tomatoes of all types and organic strawberry production.

Orlando Lopez Alvaplast

Oscar Lara

Oscar Woltman

He oversaw strengthening the growth of Globalmex producers and responsible for developing new partnerships with more producers. Non-agricultural social geographer. Former president of AMHPAC from 2016 to 2019. From 2007 to 2021 he was Director of FreshMex, building a network of suppliers and own production of pepper, cemented by a team of professionals for export to USA and Canada using his trading company Levarht. He is currently a Consultant in Phoenix.

Patricia Toledo, VP Sustainability and Social Responsibility, Consejo Nacional Agropecuario

Executive and transformational leader with a track record of more than 24 years dedicated to driving corporate strategies that foster the commitment and participation of individuals and teams around the values of innovation and sustainability. Her leadership and empowerment skills have led her to high-level positions in the agri-food sector, including her role as Vice President of Sustainability and Social Responsibility for the National Agricultural Council, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability for Syngenta Latin America North, Risk Management and License to Operate Leader for all Latin America. Her experience has led her to reside in countries such as Brazil, Spain, Sweden and the United States, which has given her a unique global and multicultural perspective. She is a firm believer in continuous learning. Her academic background includes a professional extension program as Chief Sustainable Officer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a Master's degree in Agribusiness from the Colegio de Postgraduados, and a Bachelor's degree in Marketing with a specialization in International Business from the Tecnológico de Monterrey, among others. Beyond her outstanding professional career, she is a woman committed to her community. She has been a marathon runner and entrepreneur, demonstrating her tireless spirit and passion for challenges.

Pharis Rico

Pharis runs Plantanova, a company for the propagation of grafted horticultural seedlings for high-tech hydroponic greenhouses. His work ranges from technology promotion to agricultural production. Horticonnect PL is a Dutch business platform that connects technology, services and knowledge companies for protected horticulture. Its main task is to build bridges of collaboration between the Netherlands and the Mexican horticultural sector, proposing synergistic solutions. In the Netherlands, it promotes collaboration between companies to develop technology and knowledge transfer, seeking efficiency and profitability in Mexican greenhouses, as well as translating the needs of the sector.

Ranier Sandoval

Rafael Pizarro

Agricultural engineer graduated from the Tec de Monterrey. He has been dedicated to vegetable production in protected agriculture for more than 20 years. This journey began in Murcia, Spain, where he specialized in the design and installation of greenhouses and fertigation systems. Upon his return to Mexico, he dedicated himself to the production of tomato and cucumber in high-tech greenhouses. He has been production advisor for several companies in Mexico and for the last 10 years he has been managing Natura Quality Foods, a company dedicated to the production of seedlings, cucumbers and specialty tomatoes, certified in Fair Trade, SMETA, Primus, Senasica. Rafael has given several courses and lectures at conferences on Integrated Greenhouse Management, as well as on Perspectives of Protected Agriculture in Mexico.

Roberto Hernández, Sales & Project Engineer, Van der Hoeven

Electronics engineer with experience in protected horticulture since 2018. He has worked at Van Der Hoeven/Patron Agrisystems since the same year, developing practically his entire professional career in this field. He started in the service and installation area, and then moved into project management, assisting in the start-up of high-tech greenhouses in Japan, Egypt, USA, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico. He is currently in sales and management, where he continues his contribution to the industry.

Rodolfo Loyola, Presidente, Banco de Alimentos, Querétaro

A Queretaro native with a solid academic background, including a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, master's degrees in management and computer science, and a doctorate in administrative and economic sciences. His 29-year professional career at Tec de Monterrey includes roles as general director of the Hospital San José de Monterrey and the Querétaro Campus, as well as director of research. His social commitment is reflected in his participation in various organizations, such as Hogares Providencia, the IFE and the Food Bank of Querétaro. He has also been a promoter of education and citizenship, and has chaired the Museo Casa de la Zacatecana and Querétaro Lee, A.C.

Ronald Hoek, CEO and co-founder, Blue Radix

Blue Radix is the market leader in AI-driven solutions for horticulture. He is an experienced leader with over 15 years of senior management experience. Educated at Nyenrode and TIAS Business School, he graduated cum laude with expertise in marketing, technology, and sustainable agri-food solutions. Blue Radix develops AI-driven solutions for nearly all daily decisions and actions in greenhouses, addressing the growing scarcity of skilled growers and sustainably feeding the world's increasing population. With Crop Controller, growers worldwide can produce more healthy food while significantly reducing their water and energy consumption.

Ruud Schulte, Manager Innovation, Sales & Technology Filtration Division, Van der Ende Group

Grew up among tomatoes, as his father owned a tomato nursery in the Netherlands, Westland region. With 30 years of experience in the horticulture sector, both nationally and internationally, he has spent the last 10 years focusing on water treatment systems at Van der Ende Group. In his current role, he is responsible for advising clients, sales, and the product development of water purification systems.

Simon Jones, Business Development Manager, GENAP

Management Studies degree educated at Birmingham University with nearly 40 years of international commercial experience. Focused on the water sector for the last 25 years working globally promoting environmentally sustainable, efficient and effective water resource management with particular emphasis on water collection and storage.

Sonny Moerenhout, Founder, Cultivators

Born and raised in a greenhouse in the Netherlands. He holds a master’s degree in plant science from Wageningen University with greenhouse horticulture as his specialization. Since 2019 he is one of the founders of Cultivators. Committed to grow your business in licensed cannabis and hydroponic lettuce. Growing these crops requires in-depth knowledge and expertise. Partner from the first business idea up to daily operations with our knowhow, people and network. His cultivation experience is strengthened as result of his involvement in trials at Wageningen University & other research institutions.

Tom Stenzel, Executive Director, CEA Alliance

He is the Executive Director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Alliance (CEA Alliance), an organization dedicated to serving indoor vertical farms and high-tech greenhouse producers growing fruits and vegetables in highly controlled environments. The CEA Alliance provides a range of services to support the CEA supply chain, including promoting food safety standards, advocating for public policy to support climate-smart agriculture, offering education and training for growers and supply chain partners, and developing tools to measure sustainability in production. The alliance also focuses on communicating the benefits of CEA production to the media, retailers, and consumers. Before leading the CEA Alliance, Tom served as President and CEO of the United Fresh Produce Association for 29 years. He played a key role in launching the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) by merging United Fresh and the Produce Marketing Association. He served as Co-CEO of IFPA until March 2022 before founding his consulting firm, The Stenzel Group LLC. A frequent speaker on industry issues, Tom works with top companies and associations in areas like strategic management, market development, government relations, and the adoption of new technologies. His expertise in the produce industry and sustainable agriculture helps guide businesses and organizations toward growth and innovation.

Violeta Ruiz, Sales Manager, Europe, Central and South America, Airtray Technologies-Blackmore-Proptek

Studied in Spain as a Tourism Business Technician, Spanish who moved to the UK in 1999. She began her postgraduate studies in Education and is a teacher of Spanish and English as a foreign language. She was promoted to Head of Foreign Language Department at Craven College, the first and youngest foreigner to achieve this position. Until 2007 she started with Proptek until 2021) Fortuitously she discovers her passion for agriculture. Blackmore takes over Proptek in 2021 and becomes Area Manager for Spanish speaking countries.

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