Team

CEO

Petter Østbø

Petter started Atlas Agro with Knut in 2021 to make zero-carbon fertilizer available to farmers everywhere. He has a background on a CxO level from the largest fertilizer producers in the world, having been COO and CFO in Yara International and group CEO in EuroChem AG, after a period as Associate Principal in McKinsey & Co. Petter has overseen the production of more than 50 plants and mines worldwide, as well as the construction of more than a dozen world-scale plants and mines. He’s the author of a book on productivity, and led six major productivity transformations across commercial, supply chain operations, capital projects and support functions in chemicals, metals and mining, with more than a billion USD in demonstrated improvements. Petter spends his spare time cycling or skiing in the Swiss Alps.
Chief Growth Officer, President South America

Knut Karlsen

Knut is an engineer from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and holds an MBA from IMD in Switzerland. He was recently the CEO of Umoe Bioenergy, producing biofuel and electricity from sugar cane in São Paulo in Brazil. Knut also sits on the advisory board of Copersucar S.A., the world’s largest sugar and ethanol trader. Prior to joining Umoe Bioenergy, Knut was the President of Yara Brasil, the Brazilian subsidiary of Yara International.

Knut joined Yara from PwC, where he was a Partner in the firm’s consulting group.

President Capex and Technology

Paolo Fedeli

Paolo is an experienced leader in Engineering, Procurement, and Contracting (EPC), with a wealth of knowledge in both implementation and consulting. Over the past 24 years, he has worked across various industries, including fertilizers, oil & gas, nuclear, power, mining, and basic materials. His expertise spans strategy, commercial matters, project execution, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and organizational management.

During his career, Paolo has successfully managed Megaprojects both as an investor and on the contractor’s side in global markets. He has held key roles such as Group Chief Projects Officer and Management Board member at Eurochem Group AG, Chief Executive Officer of Belleli Energy, and Executive Project Sponsor for the ITER Vacuum Vessel fabrication as part of the AMW Consortium. He has also served as a Senior Advisor in Capital Productivity at McKinsey & Co and as Senior Vice President Commercial at Techint Engineering & Construction.

With a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, earned with distinction, Paolo has authored numerous papers in international process engineering literature. He shares his expertise as a lecturer in Italian business schools and is a proud member of the Italian Council of Professional Engineers.

In 2023, Paolo was elected President of the Italian Association of Process Equipment Producers, representing over 160 companies. Additionally, he serves as an Advisory Board member of AIN, the Italian Association of Italian Nuclear Program stakeholders.

President North America

Dan Holmes

Dan serves as the President of North American operations for our zero-carbon fertilizer startup, spearheading project development and fostering strategic partnerships. His talent for uniting diverse stakeholders is instrumental in addressing some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues. With a rich 17-year career at Siemens, he’s led high-performing teams across numerous industries, from life science and healthcare to data centers and utilities.

A proud Pacific Northwest native, Dan earned his Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Idaho and a Masters in Communication from Gonzaga University. Outside the professional sphere, he’s an avid cyclist, viewing the discipline and resilience required in long-distance rides as a metaphor for his commitment to drive a startup to success. Whether he’s navigating the challenges of the business world or cycling on the tranquil roads of the Swiss Alps, Dan brings his enduring spirit to every endeavor.

CFO

Eduard Uraskulov

Eduard is a seasoned finance professional with 15 years of experience in business development, strategy, corporate finance and accounting. Throughout his career Eduard has been focusing on the broad natural resource and energy sector including agriculture, fertilizers, chemicals, energy and metals and mining.

Prior to joining Atlas Agro, Eduard was Head of Global Business at Tesseract Energy, a UK-based renewable energy startup. Before that he led M&A function of EuroChem Group AG, a leading global fertilizer company based in Zug, Switzerland. He joined EuroChem after 8 years at Goldman Sachs where he was an Executive Director in EMEA Natural Resources, advising clients on various finance and strategic issues all over the world. Prior to that he worked at UBS and Deloitte.

General Council

Elena Kholmanskikh

Chief Projects Officer

Giuseppe Fortuna

Giuseppe spent most of his professional life in the EPC Contractor business, first in Technip (Rome, Rio de Janeiro), then in Tecnicas Reunidas. He covered different leading roles, first in the Commercial Area as Head of Cost Estimating, then in Operations, as Head of Contracts,  Procurement Director, and finally Project Controls Director since 2019. He executed or supervised hundreds of bids and tens of EPC Projects from USD50m up to USD4bn and from 100,000 to 5 million hours, always seeking the best-in-class performance in Plants construction. He loves sailing sports, in line with its commitment with sustainable growth.

Giuseppe is Mechanical Engineer and holds an Executive MBA.

Operations Director

Rodrigo Santana

Director of Policy and Government Affairs

Gina Zejdlik

With an accomplished public sector career in policy development, political and legal strategy, Gina heads policy and government relations for Atlas Agro. Gina most recently served as Chief of Staff for the Governor of Oregon. Her legal background includes statutory drafting, construction, and interpretation for the Oregon Legislative Assembly. She has served in the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office and as interim Elections Director. She has been a trusted advisor in the Governor’s office for the past 8 years, covering a range of policy areas including crisis management, health initiatives, private forest accords, corporate policies, ethics, and public records. Gina excels at navigating complex policy initiatives and bringing diverse groups of interests together to serve a common goal.

Gina was born in Vancouver, BC and while she grew up living all over the world, she calls the Pacific Northwest home. She earned her B.A. from the University of Washington and her J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School. She is always on the go, whether juggling the schedules of her three kids, practicing yoga, or getting lost running Oregon trails.

Head of Electrical Infrastructure

Beatriz Hernández Hoyos

Beatriz is an Electrical Engineer with more than 10 years of experience, first in international EPC (Oil & Gas) projects with Tecnicas Reunidas and most recently managing Renewable Energy projects for Top Tier companies in Spain. She provides Atlas Agro the electrical point of view needed to develop the new fertilizer plants with zero emissions.

Focused on the electrical discipline, Beatriz has experience in defining and managing technical requirements across multiple countries (Saudi Arabia, Peru, Turkey, Spain), as well as in field engineering (Refinery in Perú). She has skills in Project Management, Vendor Management and Team Leadership, during Engineering, Procurement and Construction activities. She is an analytical profile with problem solving mindset and innovation approach.

Beatriz is passionate about electrical engineering and achieving a more sustainable world. She loves nature and enjoys the countryside where she combines the care of her two kids with the practice of ski and golf.

Director Technology and R&D

Roberto Palomino

Roberto is a chemical Engineer with over 20 years of experience into the Fertilizer and Chemical industries, sectors where he has been involved in the design, development  and commissioning of projects related to Nitric Acid, Ammonium Nitrate (solution and low density) Potassium Nitrate, Calcium Nitrate and Nitro phosphate processes in his native Colombia, South Africa and Egypt.

He holds an MSc in Project Management from the University of Liverpool and specialization in Process Engineering from Universidad del Norte, fields of study that he is passionate about.

Before joining Atlas Agro team, Roberto was Production Director at Fertinagro France and previously Senior Technical Manager at Omnia Fertilizer in South Africa. He started his career at Abonos Colombianos S.A. (nowadays Yara) where he held the position of Project Process Engineer for the New Business Development Department.

Roberto is a passionate seasonal age-group triathlete, so it is not surprising to see him competing in medium and long-distance races wherever he is.

Engineering Manager

Lavinia Nardelli

Lavinia is a mechanical engineer with over 20 years’ experience in Engineering, Project Procurement and Site management having served in some of the most reputable Engineering and Contracting firms as Technicas Reunidas, Techint E&C, Tecnimont.

Specialized in EPC Project management in different locations (Europe, KSA, Russian Federation, South America, Egypt). Across her professional life she develop her project execution skills with a close grip on the contractual and strategic implication of the project decisions, with a special focus on risk management.

Lavinia brings to Atlas Agro skills needed to optimize the engineering management, the procurement activities and construction phases of the zero-carbon fertilizer projects.

Sr Mechanical Lead Engineer

David Iglesias

David is a Mechanical Lead with more than 15 years of experience in the Oil & Gas and Petrochemicals EPC Projects. He joined Atlas Agro bringing his extensive knowledge of mechanical design, package units, and solid handling equipment.

David’s career began at one of the most important engineering companies in Spain, where he gained in-depth expertise in managing diverse equipment units, from small ones to considerable packaged ones. His experience led him to specialize in developing modular approaches for new plants in the Oil & Gas sector.

David is a Chemical Engineer having a Master’s degree in Polymer Technology. His academic background and practical experience enable him to offer valuable insights and technical guidance to the Atlas Agro team. He has successfully applied his expertise to projects across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, demonstrating his versatility in adapting to new challenges.

One of David’s keen interests is exploring the potential of Digital Twins in plant design, construction, and operation. He believes that incorporating digital twins into the engineering process can help minimize risks, enhance efficiency, and improve the overall quality of the project. His dedication to exploring new technologies and techniques makes him a valuable asset to the Atlas Agro team.

Mechanical Engineer

Carlos Simal

Project Manager

Derek VanArsdale

Sr I&A Manager

Jose Manuel Negrin

As an accomplished Chemical Engineer with a specialization in Automation and a focus on field instrumentation and control systems, Jose Negrin has enjoyed an outstanding career spanning over 20 years in the global Oil & Gas EPC sector. With a particular emphasis on Automation project management, he has leveraged his vast experience and expertise to oversee and deliver complex automation projects for leading companies in the industry. Throughout his career, Jose has consistently demonstrated his exceptional ability to manage and deliver projects on time and within budget, while ensuring that the technical requirements are met.

He possesses an analytical mindset with a focus on solving problems and optimizing processes to improve efficiency. Jose is passionate about sustainability and is committed to creating automation systems that reduce waste and minimize environmental impact.

Beyond his professional career, Jose is an avid gamer and keeps up with the latest technology trends, always seeking to expand his knowledge in these areas. Driven by a desire to contribute to a more sustainable world through his work, he actively seeks ways to incorporate innovative solutions into his automation projects.

With his extensive experience and deep commitment to sustainability, Jose is a valuable asset to any organization seeking to leverage automation to improve their operations and drive long-term growth.

Project Director

Jose Maria Batllori

Financial Analyst

Shelley Koenig