FUGEIA Appoints Herman Van Mellaert as CEO

Herman Van Mellaert brings significant experience in building successful technology companies. He was the founding CEO of CropDesign NV, a leading entrepreneurial plant biotechnology company which was acquired by BASF Plant Science in 2006.

12 Feb 2010 --- FUGEIA has announced the appointment of Herman Van Mellaert as Chief Executive Officer. Founding CEO Willem Broekaert becomes the Company’s Chief Technology Officer.

Herman Van Mellaert brings significant experience in building successful technology companies. He was the founding CEO of CropDesign NV, a leading entrepreneurial plant biotechnology company which was acquired by BASF Plant Science in 2006. Herman was instrumental in building CropDesign’s unique technology platform and advancing it into a strong product pipeline. Subsequently, as CEO of RNA-TEC NV, a synthetic oligonucleotide company, he successfully completed a trade sale to Integrated DNA Technologies Inc. in 2006.

"I am very pleased to join FUGEIA” says Herman Van Mellaert, “The Company has developed exciting proprietary ingredients and process technologies, has built impressive partnerships and is supported by a strong investor consortium. I am looking forward to working with Willem and the Board towards commercial launch of our lead products and further broadening of our product pipeline. The food sector is looking for innovation backed by solid science and FUGEIA is uniquely positioned to deliver what food companies are looking for.”

Willem Broekaert commented: “Herman and I have worked together very successfully in the past and I know that he will provide strong leadership for FUGEIA going forward.” Simon Barnes, Managing Partner of Tate & Lyle Ventures and Chairman of the Board of FUGEIA, added: “ The FUGEIA Board is excited that Herman has accepted to assume the CEO role. With the expansion of its activities and the transition from product development to product commercialization, Herman brings the right skills and experience to guide this transition successfully.”

FUGEIA develops proprietary ingredients and processes for innovative value-added foods with health benefits. The Company was founded in February 2008 as a spin-off from the University of Leuven (K.U.Leuven) and the University College Sint-Lieven (KaHo) and has its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. The company’s investor consortium includes Tate & Lyle Ventures, Agri Investment Fund, Gemma Frisius Fund, KBC Arkiv, and Fortis Private Equity Arkimedes.