He graduated as a teacher in 1966 from the José Abelardo Núñez Normal School. In 1971, he earned a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Chile. He traveled to France to continue his studies, where he earned the degree of Doctor of Engineering at the University of Paris in 1974. In 1986 he obtained the degree of Doctor of State in Sciences at the same university. From 1971 to 2022 he worked as an academic at the University of Chile, where he is a full professor. He is currently Director of Graduate Studies and Research at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of San Sebastián. Since his early days in academia, he has worked in the field of bioclimatology and the ecophysiological modeling of plant species. In 1995 he led the acquisition of an IBM GRANT for the University of Chile, aimed at developing environmental applications of computing. This initiative led to the creation of a multidisciplinary Center in Environmental Sciences (AGRIMED). In 1997, he led the creation of the Natural Resources Engineering program at the University of Chile. In 2000, he spearheaded the creation of the Ph.D. program in Forestry, Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Chile, a program that currently has a population of more than 100 doctoral students. Throughout his academic life, he has been responsible for numerous projects funded by FONDECYT, FONDEF, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, UNDP, and IICA , as well as national organizations such as CONAMA, ODEPA, SAG, COMSA, CIREN, and others. He has been a member of the expert group of the United Nations Convention on Desertification. In 2008, he received an award from the Ministry of Environment of Brazil and IICA for his outstanding contribution to the study of desertification in Latin America. He has carried out numerous international consultancies for FAO, WMM, IICA, UNCCD He has published more than 60 relevant articles, several book chapters from foreign publishers, and two Agroclimatic Atlases of Chile.

Ph.D. in History, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile, 2017. Master of Political Science, with a specialization in International Relations, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. B.A. In History, Catholic University of Valparaíso. He holds a diploma in Defense Policy Formulation and Resource Management from the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, National Defence University, and a diploma in Pedagogy and Advanced Learning from the Laspau Center, Harvard University, both in the United States. He is a Full Member of the Chilean Academy of Naval History, Director of the Valparaiso Foundation, representing the Adolfo Ibáñez University and a consultant on Security and Defense issues for the IHS/Janes Publishing House. He is a professor in the Department of History and Social Sciences of the Faculty of Liberal Arts. He is also a regular adjunct professor at the Naval War Academy, specializing in International Relations, Strategic Thinking, and Naval History.

Mr. Charif Christian Carvajal M. (PhD), is Director of Marketing for Europe, Asia and Middle East of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX), a non-profit private entity whose members represent 90% of the total volume of fresh fruit exported from Chile. The Chilean fresh fruit industry is a world leader in exports of temperate fruit in the Southern Hemisphere and is a strategic sector within the country’s economy. Mr. Carvajal has more than 20 years of experience in international export promotions in Europe and Asia, sectorial branding and O2O retail channel advertising strategies. He is also the immediate past-President of SHAFFE, the Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters, an entity that represents the region’s fruit producing and exporting Associations.

Claudio Vial is the General Manager of Exportadora Rancagua – Ranco Cherries. He holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and a Master’s in Industrial Engineering (MII) from the same university. Exportadora Rancagua was founded in 1989 and specializes in cherries. Claudio Vial has worked at Ranco Cherries since 2001 and has served as its General Manager for the last 15 years, where he has led its growth to position it currently among the top 5 cherry exporters in the country.

Vice General Manager of LVHAI AGRICULTURE, Dong Zhiyong, joined Dalian Green Sea Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. in 2017 as the Marketing Department Manager and currently serves as the Deputy General Manager of the group. “”During my tenure, I organized the establishment of the Liaoning Sweet Cherry Industry Alliance in China, partnered with research entities from universities, research institutes, and enterprises, and led the company in undertaking national-level projects for the joint breeding of cherries with significant characteristics. I achieved significant results in the research and development of breeding and planting technologies for new cherry varieties, as well as in the popularization of smart agriculture. These achievements not only enhance the company’s competitiveness but also contribute positively to the development of China’s cherry industry. During my time as Deputy General Manager of the group, I prioritized brand building as one of the key strategies for the company’s development and personally led the establishment and operation of the “”Art Tree Home”” brand, focusing on standardized brand certification, team building, and brand development. In the brand’s early stages, I led the team in conducting in-depth market research to understand consumer needs and preferences. We proposed the positioning and differentiation strategy of the “”Yi Shu Jia”” brand, aiming to create a high-quality and healthy brand that represents Chinese cherries. In the brand development stage, we placed emphasis on using a variety of communication methods and channels to enhance brand awareness and influence, leading the team in carrying out brand promotion activities. Additionally, we focused on linking and integrating resources with partners, expanding the brand’s influence and coverage through cross-border cooperation and resource sharing. Yishujia has now won the recognition and affection of Chinese consumers, becoming a leading brand in China’s cherry industry.

Konna Mu, General Manager of Joy Wing Mau international procurement platform and head of sales in JWM Asia. Having been working in Joy Wing Mau for over ten years, he has rich experience in sourcing and sales of imported fruits, including in Asian markets. He always adheres to the principle of global sourcing and distribution, with value created for and shared with customers.

Marketing Director at Haiguangxing Premium Fruit Market Kurt has worked in the imported fruit industry for nearly 20 years, his professional experience includes stints at two Chilean companies, with the remainder of his time primarily focused on fruit importation and wholesale market management. Oheng Group, the company Kurt has served, is one of the leading import clearance agents and investors in wholesale markets in China. Oheng Group is also one of the founding parties of the China Int’l Fruit Expo, the event held in Guangzhou in September 2023 attracted over 20,000 professional visitors, making it now the most significant fruit trade fair in mainland China. This year’s event will be on August 28 in Shanghai. Kurt actively participates in exporting Chilean fruit to China by having proposed the first air freight of cherries, negotiating with the GACC to resolve the transshipment issue, and discussing with the GACC the taxation problem for shipments. Kurt is one of the experts in the field of imported fruit logistics and related Chinese policies, which is why he is also a member of the Chinese advisory council of the Chilean cherry committee.

Born in China in 1954, he immigrated to Chile in 1979. A prominent businessman in the Chinese colony in Chile, he became president of the same colony and is currently president of the Chamber of Commerce of the city of Guangdong in Chile. He started in the fruit business in 2018. Together with Chinese fruit entrepreneurs, he founded Gold Anda Chile with a packing house in Curicó. In 2019 the business was expanded with a second packaging plant in Rosario, and that same year the group’s Agrícola was founded, which currently has more than 400 hectares planted with cherries in production. Its main business is the production, packing and export of cherries.

Executive Officer Strategy – Zespri. Tim was appointed Executive Officer Strategy in April 2022. Tim joined Zespri in September 2021 in the role of Global Head of Strategy based in the New Zealand office. Tim has a passion for shaping companies for future success. He brings significant experience having advised companies across multiple industries on large scale projects and leading executive teams through strategic growth agendas that have helped to deliver sustainable value. He has over 25 years’ experience in M&A, corporate finance and consulting in investment banking and Big 4 professional services firms in the UK and NZ and has served as a director of a number of companies in NZ, UK, US and China. Prior to Zespri, Tim spent 8 years in the international fresh produce industry with T&G Global. He was T&G Global’s Chief Strategy Officer for over six years responsible for strategy and project management of transformational change projects. In 2020, he led T&G’s acquisition and integration of T&G’s NZ business and Freshmax NZ and was appointed Chief Financial Officer of the newly integrated T&G Fresh prior to joining Zespri.

General Director of the Innovation and Customer Experience Division at IPSOS (CHINA) -Tonnies has over 20 years of experience in consulting and marketing research, focusing on market entry, strategy and brand communication, return on media investment, new product innovation, and customer experience. -As the leader of the globalization strategy team, Tonnies helps various types of foreign companies to successfully launch their businesses in China and assists Chinese companies in expanding their businesses to the foreign markets. -As one of the strategic marketing partners of ASOEX for over 5 years, Tonnies led an Ipsos research team dedicated to Chilean Fruit to provide consumer insights, understand the local market, and plan effective marketing to grow the Chilean Fruit business in China and Asia.

General Manager of Ele.Me. Mr. Ma works for the Alibaba group and is in charge of fruit industry operations on the Ele.me platform. Mr. Ma has experience managing over 10 billion purchases in the related industry, leading the project to create private brands from zero to one, etc. Additionally, Mr. Ma has nearly 15 years of experience in the retail sector, with deep knowledge and extensive practical experience in category planning, product purchasing, customer insights, and e-commerce operations, especially in two models: distance e-commerce platform and online retail with instant delivery.

Executive Director of the ASOEX Cherry Committee. A professional with more than 20 years of experience in international business and stakeholder relations, focusing on the wine and agricultural industries. Experience in marketing campaigns, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement plans, including clients, partners, trade associations, and governmental agencies (ProChile, FICH, Corfo, Sernatur).