Dr. Navin Sharma

I am a research and development leader with 30 years of sound experience of working with prestigious multinational company - Unilever and also Indian conglomerate ITC Ltd. Later had the opportunity to strengthen my experience working for international organisation CGIAR. I have a strong history of
building institutions and delivering to expectations and promises.
Until July 2020, I worked as Head: Resources and Planning at Bangalore Life Science Cluster (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research – National Centre for Biological Sciences). My role is is to develop strategy and business plan mobilising resources for the cluster members NCBS (Research), inStem (Translation) and C-CAMP (incubation centre). This is an ambitious plan to create a ‘Cluster Fund’ of INR 1000Cr. Have been instrumental in developing vision & mission, branding and communication strategy.
Untill April 2017, I worked as Director (Internationally Recruited Scientist (IRS C7) with an International organisation - World Agroforestry Centre (Nairobi), a part of CGIAR, which allowed me to work with the bottom of pyramid and developing solutions for their stated and unstated needs on Foods and energy security (Managed 3.5Million USD programme). I was also the leader of cluster of activity CoA 5.3 of phase II of CRP FTA in CGIAR. I was the architect of a global programme using agroforestry systems and addressing the livelihood / sustainability challenges (Food-Nutrition & Energy)- demonstrated such system in three continents such as Asia (India), Africa (Kenya) and Latin America (Brazil). I was the observer at GBEP (FAO) and was invited speakers at many international conferences and have contributed to various policy dialogues.
At Unilever, using my research skills in biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology was responsible for 3 product launches in Beverages category and led some international projects with countries such as U.K., Kenya and Japan. I have 15 international patents granted in US and European Union from the work carried out at Unilever and ITC. Was also a science area leader in Biochemistry / Biotechnology working on metabolic engineering of tea. In addition, at least 14 patents full specifications have also been filed. Several patent applications are pending with the lawyers. I was considered for global leadership role in Foods R&D as well as Bioscience with in Unilever before leaving.
At ITC, as Chief Scientist was part of Research Management Committee which took strategic decisions on building research capabilities, strategic hires, intellectual properties etc. As the Chief Scientist of Corporate R&D, led a team of number of internationally trained scientists at ITC to actualize the company's vision of 'convergence' to develop technologies to help 5 major businesses of ITC. I was responsible for setting up Agri and Bioscience R&D at ITC. Also defined R&D programmes for Skin Care and Functional foods and built capability at ITC. I was responsible for carving out a strategy on functional foods by distinguishing Indian population genetics and creating a group to address this specifically.
I was the recipient of prestigious Cambridge Nehru Scholarship to do a Ph D from the University of Cambridge (UK) and was funded by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods (UK) to do a Postdoc at the University of York (UK). I was conferred the Star Alumnus award ‘Jawahar Ratna’ by JN Agriculture University.
I executed several international and Indian collaborations such as with CSIRO (Australia), CSIR (South Africa), EMBRAPA (Brazil), KeyGene (The Netherlands), FuturaGene (Israel), IISc and UAS Bangalore.
Have been a Keynote speaker in at least 25 international fora such as Bio 09, Bio Asia, Biocrats, Molmed, GBEP, World Agroforestry Congress, IEA, IRENA and chaired session in several international conferences.
I was a member of Expert Committee of National Biodiversity Authority, Govt of India in ABS committee (2018).