Pivot Bio Announces Additions to Senior Management

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading innovative agtech companies, today announced the addition of three strategic hires to support the company’s next phase of growth. The new leaders bring expertise across finance, corporate development and commercial agronomy, further strengthening Pivot Bio’s ability to deliver innovative solutions that help farmers improve profitability and performance. The leadership additions are:

• Igor Gelemeev, director, corporate FP&A
• Joe Olson, commercial agronomy lead
• Andrew Weiler, director of growth

“As Pivot Bio continues to grow, retaining and attracting leaders with strong financial, agronomic and operational expertise is critical to our next phase of impact. Igor, Joe and Andrew will each bring deep experience, strategic perspective and proven leadership that will strengthen our ability to scale innovation and create long-term value for farmers,” said Chris Abbott, CEO at Pivot Bio.

Gelemeev will report Bob Houghton, chief financial officer, Olson will report to Chris Turner, chief commercial officer and Weiler will report to Ryan Degnan, chief growth officer.

“Igor’s experience leading financial planning in high-growth environments makes him a strong addition to the team,” said Bob Houghton, chief financial officer at Pivot Bio. “He will play an important role in helping us drive operational excellence, improve visibility across the business and align investments with our long-term priorities.”

“Joe’s leadership is shaped by a unique ability to connect scientific research with real-world application, driving both agronomic performance and commercial success,” said Chris Turner, chief commercial officer at Pivot Bio. “He has consistently demonstrated a commitment to team development, technical excellence and advancing our products across diverse production environments.”

“Andrew brings a thoughtful, strategic approach to growth and corporate development, along with broad experience across agriculture, finance, and business transformation,” said Ryan Degnan, chief growth officer at Pivot Bio. “His ability to identify new opportunities, build strategic relationships and execute growth initiatives will help accelerate our expansion and extend our impact with farmers.”

About Igor Gelemeev

Igor Gelemeev is a strategic finance leader with deep expertise in enterprise planning, financial modeling, and data-driven decision support. He is known for building high-performing teams and partnering closely with executive leadership to drive clarity, accountability, and informed decision-making across organizations.

Prior to Pivot Bio, Igor led Strategy FP&A at SPS Commerce, where he built the function from the ground up, supported M&A integrations, and delivered enhanced visibility to executive leadership and the Board. His career also includes leadership roles at Land O’Lakes and Polaris, where he drove strategic planning, operational finance, and global cost optimization initiatives.

Igor holds a Bachelor of Arts in finance and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas and brings a strong track record of aligning financial strategy with business growth.

Outside of work, Igor enjoys spending time with his wife & two daughters exploring the outdoors through boating, fishing, skiing & traveling.

About Joe Olson

Olson brings more than 15 years of agronomic experience spanning research, retail agronomy, and commercial leadership to this position. Since joining Pivot Bio in 2022, he has progressed from commercial agronomist to regional commercial agronomy lead, where he provided leadership to a team of agronomists across the Western Corn Belt. In this role, Olson has been instrumental in advancing technical product knowledge, supporting grower success, and strengthening collaboration between agronomy, sales, and product teams.

Before joining Pivot Bio, Olson built a strong and well-rounded foundation at WinField United, where he developed deep expertise across both applied research and retail agronomy. Over the course of his tenure there, he led agronomic research programs, launched and managed high-performing field research teams, and played a key role in national initiatives through the Answer Plot system. His experience includes executing multi-state research trials, developing fertility and nitrogen management strategies, and delivering agronomic insights directly to growers and distribution partners.

Olson has completed several leadership and development programs that reflect his commitment to continuous growth, including Pivot Bio’s Core Leadership Program and the ASTA Leadership Academy at Purdue University, and earned his Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Dakota State University. He has also contributed to global agriculture through international work supporting research and development initiatives alongside teams in South Africa and Kenya.

Outside of work, Joe is deeply connected to agriculture and rural life. Based in Bismarck, North Dakota, he comes from a multi-generational farming family with roots tracing back to the homesteading era, which continues to shape his passion for the industry and the customers we serve. He enjoys spending time with his family and has a strong appreciation for the outdoors, including hunting and fishing, certainly interests that further connect him to the landscapes and communities where our growers operate.

About Andrew Weiler

Weiler is a strategy, finance and agribusiness leader with experience spanning corporate development, commercial strategy, operations, and entrepreneurship across North America, Latin America and Africa. Throughout his career, he has focused on helping agricultural businesses grow, scale and create long-term value for farmers and the broader food system.

Prior to joining Pivot Bio, Weiler was an engagement manager at McKinsey & Company, where he advised agriculture and consumer-sector clients on growth strategy, commercial transformation, pricing optimization and operational improvement initiatives. His work included leading cross-functional teams to identify significant growth opportunities, drive sales performance and support large-scale business transformations across the Americas.

Before returning to McKinsey, Weiler held leadership positions with The Perennial Foods Group in Ethiopia, a venture-backed regenerative agriculture company. As director of business operations, he led finance, planning and fundraising efforts across multiple business units. He also co-founded and led Kib Herbal Tea, building the business from concept to commercial scale and securing distribution with major retailers in the United Kingdom and Europe. His experience includes fundraising, supply chain development, commercial leadership, and supporting smallholder farming communities.

Weiler earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, graduating cum laude from the University of Notre Dame.

Outside of work, Weiler enjoys spending time with his wife and kids and staying connected to agriculture through family farming roots in Minnesota and North Dakota.

About Pivot Bio

Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies, delivers patented crop nutrition technologies that harness the power of nature to help farmers reliably and productively grow the food the world needs in the face of increasing volatility. Currently available in North America and soon in Brazil, the company’s products represent a breakthrough innovation and one of the agriculture industry’s most promising solutions. Pivot Bio has been recognized three times by TIME magazine on its annual list of Best Inventions, by Fast Company on its World Changing Ideas and World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies lists, by CNBC on its Disruptor 50 list, by Fortune on its Impact 20 list, and by MIT Technology Review as one of 15 climate tech companies to watch. For more information, visit PivotBio.com.