Calyxt, Inc. announced the appointment of Michael A. Carr as president and CEO, effective July 27, 2021. Carr will also serve as a member of Calyxt’s board of directors. Carr was most recently the vice president of M&A, strategy and innovation at Darling Ingredients, Inc., a global developer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients and renewable energy.
“Michael’s operational, financial, and investment experience, paired with his diverse knowledge across industries including health, nutrients, bioenergy and services will be integral as we advance Calyxt’s vision built around our cutting-edge plant-based technologies,” said Yves Ribeill, executive chair. “We welcome Michael’s leadership and expertise to our management team and board of directors as we strive to grow Calyxt as a leader in the engineering of plant metabolism with further focus on the identification and development of high-value customer and partner-driven targets.”
“I am thrilled to join the Calyxt team in support of the mission to harness plants to generate innovative, high value, and sustainable products for our customer and partner relationships, utilizing Calyxt’s unique biotechnology platform,” said Carr. “Calyxt’s pioneering work is rooted in strong foundational research and a unique understanding of plant metabolism built over the course of a decade. I look forward to working alongside this dynamic and entrepreneurial team to advance and monetize our exciting technologies.”
Carr brings more than 20 years of business, financial, and operational leadership experience to Calyxt. Prior to joining Darling Ingredients, Carr was a partner at BAC Investments, an established consulting, advisory, and investment firm. Previously, Carr held multiple positions at American Capital, a global private equity and asset management firm. Carr also served on the boards of directors for EnviroFlight — a brand of Darling Ingredients, Best Life and Health Insurance Company, ACG Global, and several portfolio companies of American Capital Limited, including United Food Group. He obtained his M.B.A. from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University, and he also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from California State University – Northridge.
