Speakers
Jean Ionescu
CORTEVA
Jean Ionescu is Country Leader for Corteva Romania and Republic of Moldova, leading the company's initiatives in agriculture and promoting sustainable practices. With over 20 years of experience in agriculture and 14 years at Corteva, Jean is a dedicated supporter of Romanian farmers and increasing their competitiveness in the European market. He graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture in Craiova and holds a PhD in Plant Breeding.
Maria Cîrjă
CORTEVA
Maria Cîrjă is an agricultural expert with more than 20 years of experience and a PhD in Plant Protection, working for Corteva Agriscience. As Marketing Manager for Romania and the Republic of Moldova she coordinates the company's development strategy in the markets of the two countries, making a key contribution to business growth. She started her career in agricultural research and is recognized for her skills in agribusiness.
Reinis Bekeris
StoneX
Reinis Bekeris is Risk Manager and Broker at StoneX Financial Europe S.A. Reinis works with customers across the whole agricultural value chain that engage in price risk management via derivatives markets.
StoneX Dublin Grains team that Reinis is part of, has integrated wide variety of customized educational and risk management programs enabling their clients to gain greater control and understanding over the risks they face and how to manage them efficiently.
Previously Reinis Has worked as a Physical Commodity trader at LPKS Latraps, the largest agricultural cooperative in Latvia and Copenhagen Merchants, one of the leading commodity brokerages in Europe.
Reinis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from Stockholm School of Economics in Riga.
Rodica Cata
ROMTEXTIL S.A.
Representing ROMTEXTIL S.A. - the largest packaging factory in Romania, I am in charge of the development and implementation of commercial strategies from the position of Commercial Director, a role I have held since 2003. With more than 20 years of experience in the packaging industry, I am dedicated to providing complete solutions and top quality products, ensuring customer satisfaction and cost reduction through strong and optimized packaging. In an industry increasingly focused on innovation and efficiency, I work with partners who value quality and sustainability in packaging.
Alexandre Bobylov
EURONEXT
Alexandre Bobylov has more than 15 years of experience in the commodities space with knowledge of derivatives, investment, finance and financial markets. He joined Euronext, the pan-European leading market infrastructure in September 2022 as Commodities Products and Business Development Manager to further develop the Euronext MATIF franchise.
Stelian Folică
ECOFOL
Stelian Folică has been the Business Development Manager of Ecofol Romania since 2017, the local subsidiary of the largest producer of foliar fertilizers and biostimulants in the Balkans.
Stelian is an agribusiness professional who knows this sector from all angles, having worked overtime in both the agricultural input distribution segment and in agricultural trading and production. He is also a partner in a crop farm located in Dâmbovița County.
Florian Ciolacu
Romanian Farmers’ Club
Florian Ciolacu is the Executive Director of the Romanian Farmers’ Club. Since September 2018, he has been coordinating the activities of the Executive Unit, as well as the programs and projects aimed at achieving the Club’s objectives.
Florian Ciolacu previously served as the Commercial Vice President of SIVECO Romania. Prior to this, he was a diplomat at the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specializing in relations with the United Nations and Multilateral Diplomacy.
Mihai Niculae
Bunge
Commercial and Oilseed Processing Manager at Bunge Romania
14 years of expertise in commercial strategy for all Bunge operations in Romania.
I manage supply chain, production, and delivery processes, supporting sustainable growth.
I work closely with farmers and partners to deliver high-quality products, fostering innovation and responsibility in agribusiness.
Anahita Hamzeh
AGRINVEST
Anahita Hamzeh is a trader at Agrinvest with a master’s degree in Business Administration and experience in grain trading. She focuses on optimizing procurement and sales processes, supporting local farmers, and fostering stronger connections within the agricultural supply chain. Passionate about agribusiness, Anahita is dedicated to expanding the company’s reach, with the objective of increasing the competitiveness of the domestic agricultural sector.
Octavian Canta
ADM
Octavian Canta has been representing the ADM group in a commercial capacity for over 15 years, operating across multiple markets in the Balkans region. Currently, he serves as the Wheat Trader for this area, focusing on the formulation and execution of commercial strategies. His role also involves leveraging economic and logistical opportunities at a group level, driving value and efficiency in this direction.
Florin Ilie
ING Bank
Florin Ilie has been Deputy CEO and Head of Business Banking at ING Romania since October 1, 2024, with 20 years of experience in the bank.
He joined ING in 2004, working across all three business divisions: Retail, Mid Corporate, and Wholesale. He led financial market operations in 9 CEE countries and was ranked among the top 3 financial analysts in CEE by Reuters-Thompson.
Florin has a PhD in Economics and studied at Manchester and Harvard Universities.
Mircea Baluta
UNCSV
Paul Mircea BĂLUȚĂ is a graduate of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics in Craiova. He worked for six years as an economist at the Albota Agricultural Research Institute.
In 2000, he transitioned to the private sector, managing SC Agrototal Prodcom farm in Buzoești, Argeș County, which operated 2,000 hectares in Costești, Stolnici, and Buzoesti.
He is the Executive Director of the Biosud Agricultural Cooperative, which includes 44 farmers managing a total of 19,500 hectares of agricultural land. Since 2019, he has served as the President of UNCSV.