Pivot Bio Appoints Melih Keyman to Board of Directors

New director brings deep agriculture and fertilizer experience to leading growth company

BERKELEY, Calif., Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pivot Bio, one of the world's leading innovative agtech companies, announced today Melih Keyman has been elected to the Pivot Bio Board of Directors, effective Dec.1. Keyman brings to the company more than 40 years of leading expertise in the global fertilizer industry.

"I have known Melih for several years and he is one of the most admired leaders in the global fertilizer industry, with significant experience in the broader ag industry as well," said Pivot Bio CEO Chris Abbott. "Melih's vast leadership experience with global operations, strategy and M&A will be important to Pivot Bio as we continue our growth trajectory. Additionally, as Pivot Bio continues to build strategic partnerships, including with our fertilizer partners, Melih's deep understanding of the global fertilizer market and commodity fundamentals will be a significant benefit to our team. I am thrilled to have him join the board and confident that his global experience will be a great addition to our dynamic board leadership."

Keyman currently serves as president and chief executive officer, and founder of Keytrade AG, which is one of the world's leading fertilizer trading companies that caters to the needs of suppliers, distributors, retailers and end users on a worldwide basis and across all fertilizer products. Beside the trading and marketing of conventional fertilizer products, it is engaged in bringing the next generation of fertilizer technologies to market through its subsidiary WeGrow, which provides customers with innovative sustainable crop nutrition solutions.

Keyman has devoted his career to the fertilizer industry. Prior to founding Keytrade, he held leading positions in ENKA Marketing of Turkey and Transammonia. He also has significant board experience, having served on the board of directors for The Fertilizer Institute and as a council member of the International Fertilizer Association. He also served on the board of FertGrow, as well as Transammonia and Ferpro AG, a joint venture between Sinochem and Transammonia.

Keyman was named the first international trustee of Northwestern University, a position he has held since 2012. An active philanthropist, he endowed the Keyman Modern Turkish Studies program at Northwestern University and is funding its Center for Synthetic Biology as it works to develop novel crop nutrition technologies and approaches to farming that will aid in the nourishment of a rapidly growing global population.

Keyman, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the University of New Hampshire, studied at Switzerland's prestigious University of St. Gallen, a research university that specializes in business administration, economics, law, international affairs and computer science. After beginning his professional career, he chose to broaden his educational background as a Kellogg Executive Scholar in Leadership and Management at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.

A native of Turkey and a citizen of Switzerland, Keyman has been living in Zurich since 1984.

About Pivot Bio

Pivot Bio, one of the world's leading innovative agtech companies, delivers to farmers patented crop nutrition technologies that harness the power of nature to reliably and productively grow the food the world needs in the face of increasing volatility. Currently available in North America, and soon in Brazil, the company's products are a breakthrough innovation. They are among the industry's most promising climate solutions. The company's nitrogen is weatherproof, safer to handle, and does not leach or contribute to nitrous oxide emissions. Pivot Bio has been recognized three times by Time magazine on its annual list of best inventions, by Fast Company on its World Changing Ideas and World's 50 Most Innovative Companies lists, by CNBC on its Disruptor 50 list of private companies, by Fortune on its Impact 20 list of startups driving social good and by MIT Tech Review as one of 15 climate tech companies to watch. For more information, visit PivotBio.com.

SOURCE Pivot Bio, Inc