ipiff white logo

The Executive Committee

The IPIFF Executive Committee is the managing body of the association. It deals with issues of general policy, strategy and governance. In conformity with the IPIFF statutes, the Executive Committee proposes strategic orientations & policy actions for endorsement by the IPIFF General Assembly (i.e. composed of the IPIFF Ordinary Members). Finally, the Executive Committee is entitled to represent the association towards external interlocutors.

The members of the Executive Committee are appointed for a duration of 3 years.

ANTOINE HUBERT

IPIFF’s President – Antoine Hubert (Ynsect – France)

Antoine Hubert is Chairman, CEO and co-founder of Ynsect, a French based company operating in the farming and processing of insects for animal feed and pet food markets. Ynsect was one of the IPIFF Founding Members back in 2012. Antoine holds the position of IPIFF President since April 2015: he chairs the General Assembly and ensures association representation towards relevant EU stakeholders such as the European Commission and professional associations.

ADRIANA CASILLA

IPIFF’s Vice President – Adriana Casillas (MealFood Europe – Spain)

Adriana Casillas is the co-founder and CEO of MealFood Europe, a Spanish company rolled on the production and processing insects for food, feed, pet food and also industry applications. MealFood Europe is the first large industrial scale insect company in Spain. She is managing the company since 2014, and she has and MBA specialised in AgriFood Industry. Adriana Casillas acts as Vice-President of IPIFF since 2018, being a member of IPIFF since 2016.

HEINRICH KATZ

IPIFF’s Treasurer – Heinrich Katz (Hermetia – Germany)

Heinrich Katz is Managing Director and main shareholder of Hermetia Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, a German-based company rearing black soldier fly for animal feed and pet food markets mainly. Hermetia is also involved in R&D activities in the field of insect rearing and the production of derived products. Hermetia was one of the IPIFF Founding Members. Within the association, Heinrich holds the position of Treasurer since April 2015. He is also President of Katz Biotech AG, a German stock-based company rearing insects and mites for biological pest control and ecotoxicological tests.

Executive Committee member – Christian Bärtsch (Essento – Switzerland)

Christian Bärtsch is co-founder and CEO of Essento Insect Food, a Swiss startup developing, producing (including white label products) and marketing delicious and nutritious insect-based food specialties, selling online, via retailers, and to foodservice in Europe. Since 2013 Christian has been the main driver of promoting insects as food in Europe and was strongly involved in changing the Swiss law to legalise insects as food.Since 2020 Christian holds the position of Executive Committee Member in charge of Communication.

JONATHAN KOPPERT

Executive Committee member – Jonathan Koppert (Koppert – the Netherlands)

Jonathan Koppert is Business Development manager at Koppert Biological Systems, a Dutch company active in biological integrated pest management solutions in agriculture. He is also Managing Director of BESTICO a spin off company of Koppert operating in the farming and processing of insects for feed and pet food markets. Koppert was one of the IPIFF Founding Members. Jonathan is also Board Member of the Dutch Insect Farming Association VENIK.

Executive Committee member – Aman Paul (Protix – The Netherlands)

Aman Paul is the director of product development at Protix, a Dutch company commercially producing insects and products derived thereof for a variety of industry applications, including feed, food, plant nutrition, etc. Protix also played a leading role in the original creation of the IPIFF association back in 2012. Aman has a PhD in food technology and is an active researcher in insect technology domain since 2013. He was elected as the IPIFF executive committee member (in charge of research activities) in September 2020.

BASTIEN RABASTENS

Executive Committee member – Bastien Rabastens (Jimini’s – France)

Bastien was about to qualify as a lawyer when he got interested in insects and became an entrepreneur by creating Jimini’s with Clement Scellier in 2012. Jimini’s is a  French startup specialised in the development and distribution of edible insect products.  Jimini’s challenge is to introduce insects into European plates and is now present on the shelf in 9 European countries.
Bastien was previously the Vice President of the novel food task force of the IPIFF and has given two TEDX Talks on the benefits of eating insects.

Executive Committee member – Chloé Phan Van Phi (Innovafeed – France)

Chloé Phan Van Phi is the Head of Value Chains at InnovaFeed, a French biotech company that produces high-quality feed ingredients from insect rearing (Hermetia illucens) for animal feed and aquaculture in particular. At InnovaFeed, her role involves working with all types of stakeholders (from farmers, methanisers, formulators and regulatory authorities to labels and distributors) to build together sustainable and economically sound value chains based on insect protein, oil and frass. Since 2020, Chloé is an  IPIFF Execute Committee Member in charge of Circular Economy.

Menu