Kirk Francis

Kirk Francis is an accomplished professional with extensive experience in agricultural biotechnology, currently serving as the Global Head Field Crops Operational Excellence and Quality Management at BASF since May 2006. Previously, Kirk held various leadership roles within BASF, including Global Head of Indications - Trait Research and Global Head - Pest Control Traits, focusing on gene discovery and mode of action for yield projects across multiple crops. Prior to this, Kirk worked as a Senior Scientist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and as a Postdoctoral Researcher at North Carolina State University. Kirk's academic background includes a PhD in Genetics from North Carolina State University, an M.S. in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a B.S. in Genetics from Iowa State University.