People

Our Foundation Board

Klaus Ackerstaff

Executive Chairman and Founder

Klaus Ackerstaff established the Foundation and serves as its Executive Chairman, leading the strategy and vision of the Foundation to date. In addition, Klaus serves as Executive Chairman of the Datamars company, where he previously served as CEO for over fifteen years, leading the business as it expanded into a global leader in precision farming and agri-tech as well as championing the company’s sustainability journey.
A physicist himself, Klaus has the unique perspective of having deep engagement with the scientific & technology community as well as key insight and respect for the wealth of knowledge and challenges of farming communities. His passion for regenerative farming and taking a practical, collaborative approach to sustainable agriculture has culminated in this independent, not-for-profit organization focusing on how to accelerate the transition to a sustainable agriculture future in the coming decades. He personally engages with regenerative farming and is Chairman of the Board of Kersia, a global leader in biosecurity and food safety.

Rory Devlin

Board Director

Rory Devlin is a founding board member of the Foundation. In addition, Rory is a co-founder and Managing Partner at Columna Capital, an entrepreneurial lower mid-market private equity firm. He has more than 25 years’ experience in private equity, banking and operational management. Rory has a long track record and passion for building sustainable organizations with positive impact at their core. As a Director of Datamars for more than a decade and active investor in the agri-food sector, he has developed a deep interest in sustainable agriculture, and supporting a greener global food supply for future generations.

Bertrand Millot

Board Director

Bertrand Millot is a founding board member of the Foundation. In addition, Bertrand is Head of Sustainability at CDPQ, a global investment group headquartered in Quebec, Canada that invests in excess of 400 billion Canadian dollars on behalf of 48 pension and insurance plans. He is one of the architects of CDPQ’s climate change strategy and a seasoned investor in infrastructure and emerging markets companies, fields where ESG considerations have historically been at the forefront. At CDPQ since 2015, he has held various positions in risk management and sustainability. Prior to CDPQ, he was CEO and CIO of Cordiant Capital an emerging market fund manager and held senior positions at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Mr Millot is also a member of the Council (Board) of the Sustainable Infrastructure Foundation (www.sif-source.org), a member of the Board of Ceres (www.ceres.org), a leading NGO in the field of sustainability, that is among other things behind Climate Action 100+, and on the Representative Group (shadow board) of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance.

Christian Wille

Board member

Christian provides legal, compliance and administrative insights for the Foundation. He is a member of the board of trustees for various charitable foundations in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. He works full-time as a fiduciary and business consultant at Ganten Group.

Klaus Ackerstaff

Chairman

Rory Devlin

Board Director

Bertrand Millot

Board Member

Christian Wille

Klaus Ackerstaff

Executive Chairman and Founder

Klaus Ackerstaff established the Foundation and serves as its Executive Chairman, leading the strategy and vision of the Foundation to date. In addition, Klaus serves as Executive Chairman of the Datamars company, where he previously served as CEO for over fifteen years, leading the business as it expanded into a global leader in precision farming and agri-tech as well as championing the company’s sustainability journey.
A physicist himself, Klaus has the unique perspective of having deep engagement with the scientific & technology community as well as key insight and respect for the wealth of knowledge and challenges of farming communities. His passion for regenerative farming and taking a practical, collaborative approach to sustainable agriculture has culminated in this independent, not-for-profit organization focusing on how to accelerate the transition to a sustainable agriculture future in the coming decades. He personally engages with regenerative farming and is Chairman of the Board of Kersia, a global leader in biosecurity and food safety.

Rory Devlin

Board Director

Rory Devlin is a founding board member of the Foundation. In addition, Rory is a co-founder and Managing Partner at Columna Capital, an entrepreneurial lower mid-market private equity firm. He has more than 25 years’ experience in private equity, banking and operational management. Rory has a long track record and passion for building sustainable organizations with positive impact at their core. As a Director of Datamars for more than a decade and active investor in the agri-food sector, he has developed a deep interest in sustainable agriculture, and supporting a greener global food supply for future generations.

Bertrand Millot

Board Director

Bertrand Millot is a founding board member of the Foundation. In addition, Bertrand is Head of Sustainability at CDPQ, a global investment group headquartered in Quebec, Canada that invests in excess of 400 billion Canadian dollars on behalf of 48 pension and insurance plans. He is one of the architects of CDPQ’s climate change strategy and a seasoned investor in infrastructure and emerging markets companies, fields where ESG considerations have historically been at the forefront. At CDPQ since 2015, he has held various positions in risk management and sustainability. Prior to CDPQ, he was CEO and CIO of Cordiant Capital an emerging market fund manager and held senior positions at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Mr Millot is also a member of the Council (Board) of the Sustainable Infrastructure Foundation (www.sif-source.org), a member of the Board of Ceres (www.ceres.org), a leading NGO in the field of sustainability, that is among other things behind Climate Action 100+, and on the Representative Group (shadow board) of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance.

Christian Wille

Board member

Christian provides legal, compliance and administrative insights for the Foundation. He is a member of the board of trustees for various charitable foundations in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. He works full-time as a fiduciary and business consultant at Ganten Group.

Klaus Stark

Board member

Klaus provides legal, compliance and administrative insights for the Foundation. He is an economist and member of the board of trustees for various charitable foundations in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. He is a partner at Ganten Group, a financial services firm in Lichtenstein.