John F. Diener

John F. Diener has a diverse work experience spanning several industries. John F. is currently the Co-Founder and CEO of Vertical Oceans, a company that produces sustainable seafood using vertical aqua towers. Prior to that, they served on the Investment Committee at The Trendlines Group and was an AgFunder Mentor at AgFunder.

From 2017 to 2020, Diener was the Chief Operating Officer at AgriProtein, a leading insect protein company. In this role, they managed various aspects of the business including R&D, engineering, operations, technology development, sales, and software operations. John F. played a key role in building a world-class organization, improving factory design and operating efficiency, developing a factory operating system, and creating new business opportunities.

Before their time at AgriProtein, Diener held the position of Managing Director at Gold Coin Aqua Group, where they oversaw SyAqua Genetics and Gold Coin Aqua Nutrition. John F. was responsible for leading the company's tropical marine aquaculture nutrition and genetics division.

Diener also has experience with corporate development and strategy. John F. served as the Group General Manager of Corporate Development at The Zuellig Group and as the Chief Strategy Officer at Zuellig Pharma. In addition, they were the CEO of PowerBrand HK Ltd and held a leadership position at Monitor Group as Vice President and Managing Director, China.

Early in their career, Diener was the President of Essilor Australia/New Zealand. John F.'swork experience showcases their expertise in various industries including aquaculture, healthcare, corporate development, and strategy.

John F. Diener attended the University of Chicago from 1987 to 1990, where they obtained their Bachelor of Arts degree (Honors) in Economics. John F. then pursued further studies at the University of St Andrews from 2014 to 2017 and completed their Masters of Science degree in Sustainable Aquaculture. In 2019, they participated in an Executive Program at Singularity University, focusing on Future Technology.