“Sustainable solutions for development of global agriculture” - Interview with Mariana Amaral, UPL

In an exclusive interview with AgroPages, Mariana Bittencourt Amaral, new Global Agricultural Research & Development Station Manager at UPL, remembers her trajectory, built with international training, and speaks about her new challenge as the head of global research stations in Brazil, in the global R&D structure of the company of Indian origin.

Mariana Amaral, Global Agricultural Research & Development Station Manager at UPL

Tell us about your trajectory and career and how your international education contributes to your current position.

I graduated in agronomy at the Federal University of Uberlândia, in 2007, and during graduation, I looked for the opportunity to do two international internships. One was at the University of Florida, where I worked with multiple crops, and another was at Dupont's headquarters in the United States (US), where I experienced the area of discovering new products. I mention these two stages because they helped direct my career.

As soon as I graduated, I had the opportunity to be a Master's Scholar at the American Louisiana State University due to the solid relationship network I built in international internships. Once I completed my Master's degree, Dow AgroSciences invited me to start my career as a field researcher in the US and Brazil. I began my work here in Brazil, in my hometown, Uberlândia (MG). Being fluent in English, I could always participate in discussions on international projects, and this differential indeed "opened doors" for me.

Then, I worked hard on product development projects for sugarcane when I moved to Ribeirão Preto (SP). I have always dedicated myself to my studies and tried to extract the most from each opportunity. I started my MBA in business management and was invited to work at Monsanto as a herbicide marketing manager. Monsanto was looking for a professional with technical skills to influence cross-functional teams, and fluency in English. For two years, I participated in global projects and got to know many professionals from other countries. My transparency and satisfaction in working with different cultures in different environments were the keys to building an even more solid network. I was able to work at Bayer as manager of cotton operations in the supply chain and again connected with different regions of the world to build strategies and implement action plans was a strength in this role.

Last year, I had the opportunity to be a doctoral fellow in the US again at Washington State University, where I worked in the field of herbicide development. I was able to move to the US with my family, two daughters, Melissa (11) and Maitê (6), and my husband Daniel. This breadth of perspective on our change, experiencing new cultures, and creating bonds of friendship with different people, made me an even more capable professional, contributing enormously to my current moment.

I arrived at UPL a month ago, and I feel at home, as the environment here is totally globalized, with a highly agile work strategy, which is very much in line with the profile I have developed throughout my career.

What will be your main objective as global research and development manager at UPL?

Today I am the manager of the global research stations in Brazil in the global R&D structure. My goal is to foster a highly suitable environment for my team to work effectively and collaboratively so that together we can support UPL's business strategy. My team's mission is to bring the best solutions to our customers in a technical and structured way.

At what stage is UPL's R&D in Brazil and worldwide?

UPL's R&D is consolidated and operational, with the clear objective of providing sustainable solutions to support the development of Global Agriculture.

What is the importance of Brazil and a Brazilian in charge of this company sector?

We know the importance of Brazil in the world agricultural market, and so for every company in the sector. So, I am very happy to be part of the global R&D team, and the Brazilian market is certainly one of the main focuses of our stations.

What are UPL's plans and goals for this sector?

The plans are related to different markets in different countries, always looking for the best answers and offering the best products to our customers.

What do you project for the future of UPL solutions?

We will continue to work in a simple, agile way, seeking to favor our communities, and focus our efforts on bringing the best solutions to the global agricultural market.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)