Mario Portela Joins Amyris as Chief Operating Officer
EMERYVILLE, CA (December 21, 2009) -- Amyris Biotechnologies announced today that Mario Portela joined the company December 1, 2009 as chief operating officer, strategic relationships & international executive chairman, working out of its Emeryville headquarters.
Portela will serve as chair of the board of directors of Amyris's Brazilian subsidiary, Amyris Brasil, and will oversee Amyris's global business development. In addition, he will provide leadership in executing Amyris's expansion plans in Brazil and will be responsible for strategic partnerships.
"Mario's broad international experience and track record in business development greatly enhance our leadership team in Amyris, strengthening our ability to achieve rapid growth both in Brazil and globally," said John Melo, CEO of Amyris.
Portela brings more than 20 years of expertise in executive leadership roles in the global chemicals industry. He was an advisor to private equity firms on strategy, mergers and acquisitions, restructurings and litigation, working most recently with TPG Capital. He also advises start-ups in the renewable chemicals and fuels space. Until 2008, Portela was vice president and officer, corporate development with LyondellBasell Industries, a leading manufacturer of polymers, petrochemicals and fuel. Prior to the 2007 merger of Basell and Lyondell Chemical Company, he held a similar position in Lyondell, having global responsibility for strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, business development and joint ventures. Portela speaks five languages and holds a degree in mechanical engineering from IMPE Institute in Portugal.
About Amyris
Amyris Biotechnologies Inc. applies proprietary synthetic biology technology to create a portfolio of renewable fuels and chemicals that help reduce the world's carbon footprint. In addition to being environmentally friendly, Amyris's products are designed to be low cost, scalable, and compatible with the existing infrastructure with performance attributes comparable to petroleum-based products. Amyris operates two subsidiary companies: Amyris Fuels LLC and Amyris Brasil. Amyris Fuels is building Amyris's U.S.-based product distribution and marketing capabilities, generating current revenue from an expanding distribution and customer network. Amyris Brasil was established in March 2008 to oversee Amyris's final scale-up, licensing, production and distribution in Brazil. Amyris Brasil has facilities in Campinas, Brazil, including labs, a pilot plant and demonstration facility. More information about Amyris is available at www.amyris.com and www.amyrisbrasil.com.