Pierre Broun

Translational Faculty, Office of the Vice President for Research

Pierre Broun is a plant scientist, agricultural-innovation leader and entrepreneur whose career spans academia and global industry. His roles included senior R&D leadership at Nestle and Olam and, most recently, Director of Climate-resilient Agriculture at NEOM, and he co-founded two ventures at the interface of agriculture and food. As director of Nestle’s Plant Science Research Unit and VP Plant Science at Olam/ofi, he led industry-leading R&D programmes on coffee and cocoa spanning over 250 trial sites and impacting thousands of farmers globally; his team contributed to the release of innovative food products and the strengthening of supply chains while reducing reliance on chemical inputs. At NEOM he developed and executed the agriculture strategy for the region, delivering more than 10 hectares of advanced greenhouses and bringing premium produce to major retailers across the Kingdom. He holds a PhD from Cornell University, has authored more than 30 scientific publications and 20 patents, and has served on several advisory and steering bodies in Europe.