KBC Board of Directors

Mark Piper - Director

Mark Piper serves as the Transition Chief Executive Officer of the Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI), the newly amalgamated Crown Research Institute formed on 1 July 2025. In this pivotal role, he leads the organisation through its establishment phase, supporting the Board and staff as four of New Zealand’s major science institutes—AgResearch, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research, and Scion—unite to form a world‑leading bioeconomy research organisation.

Before stepping into the transitional CEO position, Mark was the Chief Executive of Plant & Food Research from 2023 to 2025, where he led scientific innovation supporting New Zealand’s food and biological industries.

Mark’s career spans more than 30 years with Fonterra Cooperative Group, where he spent five years as Director of Research & Development, Category Marketing & Strategy, overseeing a global team of around 400 people. His international leadership experience includes roles in Japan—focusing on customer engagement and technical growth—and in Chicago, where he served as Regional Director for Fonterra Americas