Meet Our Speakers

Mr Izaak Breytenbach
General Manager South African Poultry Association , South African Poultry Association

Izaak Breitenbach heads up the Broiler Organisation of the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), an organisation that represents interests of the wider poultry industry.

Dr Sonja de Vries
​Associate Professor, Animal Nutrition Group Wageningen University

As Associate Professor at the Animal Nutrition Group of Wageningen University & Research, Sonja leads research projects and teaches topics in the field of digestive physiology and quantitative nutrition of monogastric animals.

Dr Gemma Gonzalez
Research Manager, AB Vista
Marlborough, United Kingdom
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Gemma is Research Manager at AB Vista since 2015, involved in carbohydrases and functional products development and dedicated in several projects about cereal quality. 

Mr Rick Kleyn
SPESFEED Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Broederstroom

Rick Kleyn received a Master's degree in Poultry Nutrition from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. After spending time in the feed industry, he started his own nutritional consultancy company in 1989. 

Prof Filip Van Immerseel
Ghent University, Livestock Gut Health Team Ghent

Filip Van Immerseel is a Professor at Ghent University and his group is studying host-microbiota interactions in the gut, to reduce pathogen colonization and enhance animal productivity.

Dr Mike Kidd
Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, Division

Mike Kidd serves as Professor in the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science and is the holder of the Adisseo Endowed Professorship in Global Sustainable Poultry Nutrition.

 Dr Kirsty Gibbs
PhD, Poultry Platform Lead, Innovation , Danisco Animal Nutrition (IFF)

Kirsty holds a PhD from the University of Liverpool. Kirsty has an interest in host:microbe interactions, infection biology and implications in livestock production.

Prof Rob Gous
Retired academic (Emeritus Professor), EFG Software
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Rob Gous is an Emeritus Professor at UKZN. He remains active in research, his interests being in the development of simulation models for broilers, turkeys, pigs, laying hens and broiler breeders. 

Mr Peter Chrystal
Nutritionist, Complete Feed Solutions Ltd
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Peter completed his Bachelor of Science in South Africa under Professor Rob Gous in 1982 and is completing a PhD in poultry nutrition at the University of Sydney.