Dr Gavin Ross has a B.Sc (Hons) from the University of Canterbury, and a PhD from the Queen’s University of Belfast (UK). He joined Plant & Food Research's predecessor, HortResearch, as a research scientist and in the late 1990s was central to the establishment of genomics research for major horticultural crops, now integral to the Institute’s scientific programmes. After several years with Genesis R&D Corporation, in 2005 Dr Ross was appointed as HortResearch’s first Vice President Business Development in the USA. In 2010, Gavin returned to New Zealand and for 7 years was the General Manager Business Development, with responsibility for the Institute’s global business effort. For 3 years from 2014, Gavin was Chair of NZBIO, the NZ Industry organisation for Biotechnology industries.

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