"Our market was growing rapidly, and our organization was not catching up fast enough. We felt stuck. Than it can help to get somebody in from the outside to look with fresh, open en clear eyes. Gianni was that person for Pop Vriend Seeds. Introducing Gianni as a Project Manager within our organization was not a difficult task. He is easygoing, fun, very knowledgeable about the seed industry, and straightforward. He helped us getting back on track after a period of growth. This process included finding bottle necks, addressing them, working together on solutions and implementing these. It is fun to work on growth together!"

Lara Timmerman – Former CEO Pop Vriend

"Gianni has helped Koppert Cress and the other affiliated companies during a hectic time. Growing companies feel pain. Pain in finance, pain in organisation and pain in managing growth.
Since we know Gianni personally for a very long time the trust from day 1 was easy. Step by step he has helped to makes things transparent and brought the critical issues to the surface. After the major part of the job was done and as Gianni only wants to accept Interim functions he eventually left the company. Not before a successor was found "

Rob Baan - CEO and owner Koppert Cress

In 2013 Agribio Flowerbreeders merged with Dummen , the new group temporarily adopted the name DNAGreenGroup.Both organizations saw themselves for the first time in their history exposed to an intergration process of workstreams, a match of cultures and many, many more challenges. As of today we know a new company came out of this process named Dummen Orange , today the world's leading flower breeder with a clear set of brands and values.

In the early stages of the integration there was an evident need for instantaneous interim leadership.
The search started to identify a balanced leader understanding the world of flower breeding, with a business background in managing international companies and competent to address cultural aspects of business.
This rare and unique combination of competencies was found in Gianni Bernardotto, a man who brought a background from publicly listed Swiss based Syngenta and family owned Ball Horticulture based in Chicago.

Gianni's deep understanding provided trust and overview in these early days. He helped building the foundation for the new company since he is capable to explain the need for change and new direction in a language understood by all.

When Gianni handed over the helm to me in October 2014, the company was out of the eye of the storm , Dummen Orange was ready to embark on a new journey. A journey revisiting its product offering, developing new products/services and traits and meeting evolving customer needs.


Grazie, molte grazie Gianni, for what you have done, Biense.

Biense Visser – Former CEO of Dmmen Orange