Strategy, Portfolio Expansion, Business Development, MarComm
AgChem, Biologicals, Precision Application, Channel
Strategy, Portfolio Expansion, Business Development, MarComm
AgChem, Biologicals, Precision Application, Channel
What i Do
Strategy
Marketing Communications
Portfolio Expansion
Served on the leadership team that developed an entirely new multi-dimensional strategy to reinvigorate the North America crop protection business leading to 8 consecutive years of record growth.
Have helped develop strategies to enter new businesses such as biologicals, seed treatment, non-crop, Canada, precision application systems.
Hel
Served on the leadership team that developed an entirely new multi-dimensional strategy to reinvigorate the North America crop protection business leading to 8 consecutive years of record growth.
Have helped develop strategies to enter new businesses such as biologicals, seed treatment, non-crop, Canada, precision application systems.
Helped develop strategy for a new approach to profiling, prioritizing, and managing retailers.
Led the process for corporate rebranding strategy.
Participant in past employer strategic development projects with Boston Consulting Group, Bain, McKinsey, Simon-Kucher, Kleffman, The Context Network.
Part of the teams that developed the following precision application systems for enhanced at plant strategies: Capture Liquid Ready System, 3Rive 3D, SIMPAS - sharing in the patents on some.
Portfolio Expansion
Marketing Communications
Portfolio Expansion
Directed the process and led the business development, product development & project management teams resulting in over 45 new products in 10 years at FMC.
Developed, implemented and managed the Innovation Review Committee process at AMVAC leading to “10 in ‘20” new products through acquisition, licensing and internal development.
At FMC
Directed the process and led the business development, product development & project management teams resulting in over 45 new products in 10 years at FMC.
Developed, implemented and managed the Innovation Review Committee process at AMVAC leading to “10 in ‘20” new products through acquisition, licensing and internal development.
At FMC led the product development for North America to integrate CAEB acquisition and Chr. Hansen alliance for several pipeline candidate species and strains of fungicides, nematicides and biostimulants.
At AMVAC led the process to consolidate the global portfolio through nine business units, quantify the global portfolio and articulate the corporate biological portfolio strategy.
Developed complete multi-functional project tracking system at four companies to deliver new product concepts on-time and on-budget.
Business Development
Marketing Communications
Marketing Communications
Completed wide range of business agreements: NDAs, MTAs, supply, MOUs, LOIs.
Completed agreements and deals with most major multi-national agchem company, generics, biological companies, customers
Participated in product and company acquisitions.
“Knocked on doors” in Europe and Japan in search and acquisition of new product acquisitions.
Es
Completed wide range of business agreements: NDAs, MTAs, supply, MOUs, LOIs.
Completed agreements and deals with most major multi-national agchem company, generics, biological companies, customers
Participated in product and company acquisitions.
“Knocked on doors” in Europe and Japan in search and acquisition of new product acquisitions.
Established BD relations for clients with several potential agchem companies for collaboration,
Assessed/rated several potential acquisition candidates for clients in agchem, biologicals, and fertilizers.
Assisted two biological start ups with commercial development due-diligence.
Provided VC firms with investment due-diligence.
Marketing Communications
Marketing Communications
Marketing Communications
Managed the full communications suite and multi-million-dollar budget advertising, PR, database, social, digital, event, tradeshow, CRM and direct response marketing with multi million-dollar communications budgets.
Worked with major, consumer oriented, top-rate agencies, medium shops and independent shops.
Developed metrics to demonstrat
Managed the full communications suite and multi-million-dollar budget advertising, PR, database, social, digital, event, tradeshow, CRM and direct response marketing with multi million-dollar communications budgets.
Worked with major, consumer oriented, top-rate agencies, medium shops and independent shops.
Developed metrics to demonstrate value-add and accountability.
Developed numerous integrated marcom campaigns and Best of NAMA awards.
Numerous product launches.
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Market research studies including positioning, focus groups, pricing and predictive modeling, voice-of-customer, perceptual mapping.
Led the process for new agency selection for three agchem companies.
Reinvigorated the full communications platform at for new corporate branding
Established robust marketing architecture platform and go-to-market strategy including data analytics, market research, supplemental sales staffing, EDI reporting, CRM platform, KAM planning, retailer prioritization, sales staffing.
CLIENTS AND COLLABORATIONS
My Clients Are My Passion
My diversity of experience has allowed me to add value to a variety of clients in synthetic and biological crop protection, precision application, US and International, non-crop, private equity, consulting firms, proprietary basic manufacturers and generic entrants.
Global Reach
Along with several companies throughout the United States, I have provided consulting services to companies in France, UK, Germany, Canada, Mexico, China, and India who want to better understand the US market; providing insights on market opportunity assessments, market access, business development, and portfolio expansion.
how can i put my experience to work for you?
My Approach
I have developed, used, and refined the tools to "find the white space," track and manage active portfolio expansion projects, develop opportunity assessments, and roll up project financials. Having developed and launched several dozen products leading to commercial success, I am confident these processes and tools can work you.
I believe in and practice collaboration, teamwork, and open communication to find the right answer to the questions you have.
Why Me?
Because of my diverse yet connected functional experience, I will give you honest, commercially relevant input and assessment to your needs with recommendations to get results. Chances are I have lived your challenge and can offer a relevant perspective to get you to a solution quickly and efficiently.
I will function like a member of your team, communicate proactively, be resourceful with your time.
I have a diverse network of contacts in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Canada, and Mexico to assist with local expertise when needed. The same for functional experts in product development, regulatory, formulations development and market research.
My Approach
I will work with you as your needs determine - retainer, project, hourly rate. Once we discuss your scope of needs, we can figure out what works best.
my background
Experience
40+ years in the crop protection industry with management positions in sales, marketing, communications, government affairs, business development, product development global business management, crop and non-crop.
Majority of my career (37 years) with FMC Corporation, also Pennwalt Corporation, American Vanguard Corporation.
Participated in strategic business planning projects with Bain, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey. Kleffmann, Simon Kucher
Currently Principal of Neil DeStefano Consulting LLC and Sr. Ag Industry Advisor for The Context Network providing business management consulting in strategy, portfolio expansion, business development, and marketing communications to domestic and international public and private companies in agriculture and venture capital firms seeking to invest in crop protection, biologicals, fertilizers, and precision application.
Education & Professional Training
- University of Maine, BS Natural Resource Management & Plant and Soil Sciences ‘77
- Drexel University MBA coursework (incomplete)
- University of Virginia, Darden Graduate School of Business, Executive Management
- University of Chicago, eBusiness Certification
- Harvard University, Agribusiness Management certification
- Center for Creative Leadership, Business Leadership certification
- Next Level Performance Leadership
- GGI Goldense Group, Inc. New Product Development Certification
- Scotwork Negotiations Certification