Dr Bruce Lee: Director, Food Futures Flagship

Dr Bruce Lee's early scientific research career focused on gene expression in cereals. Prior to joining CSIRO, Dr Lee focused on research, intellectual property, commercialisation and management.

• 11 January 2012

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements

Current activities

Dr Bruce Lee is the Director of the CSIRO Food Futures National Research Flagship. As Director, Dr Lee provides science and business development leadership to a team of more than 250 leading research scientists and technical staff with skills in many diverse areas of scientific research.

Dr Lee's extensive international experience in agribusiness research and development is guiding the Flagship towards its goal of transforming Australia's agrifood sector to increase international competitiveness and add A$3 billion value annually via new technologies and strategic collaborations.

Background

After 22 years working abroad in Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, Dr Lee returned to Australia in 2004 to become Director of the Food Futures Flagship.

Dr Lee brings to this position extensive experience in the agri-business/food sector, particularly in the translation of research into outcomes and realisable impact from the farm to manufacturing industries.

In Germany, Dr Lee completed a Dr. sc. agr. in plant nutrition and plant physiology, followed by three years of postdoctoral work at Rothamsted Experimental Station in the United Kingdom where he worked on gene expression in wheat and barley.

In 1989, Dr Lee joined Ciba-Geigy Ltd (an agribusiness and pharmaceutical multinational) in Basel, Switzerland, in the Business Development function. From 1996 to 2000, Dr Lee held the position of Manager of Licensing and Technology Acquisition with Novartis.

From 2000 to 2003, Dr Lee was Head of Global Licensing Biotechnology for Syngenta AG, also in Basel.

Academic qualifications

Dr Lee has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours from the University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and a Master of Science in Agriculture, also from the University of Sydney.

Dr Lee also holds a Doctor of Science in Agriculture, Plant Nutrition and Physiology (magna cum laude) from the Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.

Achievements

Dr Lee has played a pivotal role in world leading agri-food technology developments. He has a track record of success in research and development, business development and commercialisation in the private sector.

Dr Lee has a record of successful management in large, complex, multidisciplinary, multicultural teams that are geographically spread.

In his extensive international career, Dr Lee:

• utilised his thorough understanding of global seeds businesses as part of the team that brought the first commercial biotech corn product into the US market
• worked across seed, agrochemical and pharma businesses
• negotiated key commercial agreements around a number of breakthrough seed biotech traits, led both in and out licensing activities
• managed collaborations in Brazil, India, China, Hungary, United States, Singapore, Switzerland, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia
• led collaborations in sugar cane in Brazil and India, including a collaboration on the first trial of Bt sugarcane in Brazil
• participates on a number of company boards
• has served on a number of European industry associations
• has managed and led intellectual property protection for germplasm and biotech traits
• has led biotech litigation strategies and settlements.
• is experienced in business development, licensing and commercialisation in the seeds and biotech industries
• played a leading role in a number of projects involving food-related technology transfer to developing countries
• served on international scientific review committees.

Find out more about the Food Futures Flagship.