About
Juan Carlos Motamayor’s work focuses on the application of biological science, systems thinking, and long-term research to the transformation of food and agricultural systems under climate, resource, and supply-chain constraints. His career spans industry, public research governance, large-scale development programs, and executive leadership, with a consistent emphasis on translating scientific knowledge into deployable, scalable solutions.
Juan Carlos is currently part of Episteme Synapsis, where his work centers on knowledge synthesis at the intersection of biotechnology, agriculture, climate, and food systems. He contributes a practitioner’s perspective shaped by decades of experience designing, evaluating, financing, and implementing scientific and technology-driven programs, with particular attention to how evidence, uncertainty, and systems dynamics inform strategic and commercial decision-making.
Until recently, Juan Carlos led the Food Sector at the NEOM project and served as CEO of TOPIAN, NEOM’s Food Company. In this role, he was responsible not only for scientific and technological strategy, but also for business development, product portfolio definition, and the creation of new food and agri-tech ventures. His work spanned the full pathway from research and technology development to infrastructure design, commercialization strategy, partnership formation, and investment structuring across agriculture, aquaculture, alternative proteins, and novel food systems.
Prior to NEOM, Juan Carlos held senior leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company and Mars, Incorporated. At Coca-Cola, he led global research programs addressing Citrus Greening disease, integrating breeding, genomics, agronomy, and regulatory engagement while aligning scientific outcomes with operational continuity and commercial supply-chain needs. Before that, he spent nearly two decades at Mars, where he led international cacao research and sustainability programs across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. This work linked long-term crop improvement and genomics research with farmer productivity, sourcing strategy, and business resilience across global markets.
In parallel with his industry and executive roles, Juan Carlos has served in scientific governance and advisory capacities. He was Scientific Committee Co-Chair for the French National Research Agency, overseeing the evaluation of large portfolios of competitive research proposals across plant, animal, and microbial sciences, including public and public–private research programs. Across his career, he has worked extensively with academic institutions, government agencies, investors, and industry partners, building long-term collaborations that bridge research, policy, and commercial deployment.
Juan Carlos is trained as an Agricultural Engineer. He holds a Ph.D. in Plant Sciences from the University of Paris-Sud and a Master’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Plant Biology from the Institut National Agronomique de Paris (AgroParisTech).
Core areas
Food and agricultural systems under climate constraints
Genomics, breeding, and applied biotechnology
Science-driven strategy, business development, and venture design
Product development and commercialization of food and agri-biotechnologies
Knowledge synthesis across research, practice, and markets
Governance, evaluation, and scientific decision-making
Publications
Juan Carlos is the author and co-author of peer-reviewed scientific publications spanning plant biology, genomics, agronomy, and applied biotechnology. His work has contributed to both academic research and industry practice.
A complete list of publications is available on Google Scholar:
J C Motamayor - Google Scholar