Management team
Dr. Bjørn Kristiansen, Founder and CEO
Bjørn has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Manchester and is a former Professor of Bioprocess Technology at Strathclyde university. Prior to founding GlycaNova, he was a Director of Research at Borregaard Industries in Norway. Bjørn has substantial insight into fermentation technology and downstream processing and is author of more than 100 scientific papers, 5 books and 35 patents.
Anne Torill Hovland, Head of Process Development
Anne Torill has more than 35 years’ experience at Ostfold University College in the education of students in microbiology and biotechnology. She has been with GlycaNova since it was founded and has been closely involved in developing the technology for production of immune modifiers from medicinal mushrooms.
Lewis Linden, Chief Operating Officer
Lewis, who graduated from The University of Strathclyde business school in Glasgow, joined the GlycaNova team in May 2019. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company including project management, production and business development.
Advisory board
Dr. Ajay K. Agrawal
Dr Ajay K Agrawal is currently the Managing Director Europe and Board Member of Ignite Capital Partners, Inc. USA, and Chairman of Acctena AB, Sweden. He is an experienced entrepreneur in the biotech and pharma industry, serving as a board director of companies in the UK, Europe and USA and playing a vital role in shaping their aims, values, and strategic goals particularly on business development and fund raising. He sits on the editorial board of six peer-reviewed international journals published by Bentham Press, California. Previously, he was a founder of polyMASC Pharmaceuticals plc and special advisor on healthcare for the Commonwealth Business Council, London. Other former roles include director of Immupharma plc, member of the development board of Buckingham Medical School, and director of Ecron Acunova, an award-winning CRO.
Dr. Ron Amen, Executive Vice President (Sales and Marketing USA)
Ron received his doctoral degree in Nutritional Physiology and his Master of Science degree in Food Science from Rutgers University. He did graduate work in business administration at Santa Clara University. He has over twenty-five years of management and consulting experience in the food, nutrition and pharmaceutical industries. For the past twenty years he worked as a Principal in ABIC International Consultants, and as President of Techenterprises, LLC.