Amyris Biotechnologies
John G. Melo is the Chief Executive Officer of Amyris Biotechnologies, a synthetic biology company working to reduce the cost of curing malaria and producing lower carbon, second generation bio-fuels.
He was previously president of U.S. Fuels for BP, where he led one of the world's largest petroleum marketing, logistics, and trading businesses. While in this role he successfully grew revenues from $25 billion to $34 billion and increased net cash by $1 billion. During this time his team developed one of the world's most successful ethanol blending and marketing businesses. He also worked on the development of BP's "Helios" re-branding.
Prior to his eight years with BP, Mr. Melo was a director with Ernst & Young in San Jose, California, and a management team member for several Northern California start-ups, including Computer Aided Services and Alldata Corporation.
John serves on the Board of Directors for U.S. Oil, a $1.6 billion energy company, and Cilion, a leading low-cost ethanol manufacturer.
John is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, The Chicago Club, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and YPO. He enjoys visiting his home country of Azores, Portugal, as well as skiing, biking, tennis, golf, and time with his children.
Related Links: http://www.amyrisbiotech.com/
Last Updated: Sat, Oct 25, 2008
| Category | Title | Author/Speaker | Organization | Length | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Podcast | Under the Microscope: Socially Responsible Biotech | John Melo | Amyris | 59:07 | 05/2008 |
| Video | Synthetic Biology in Action | John Melo | Amyris | 03:47 | 05/2008 |
| Video | Planning for the Market | John Melo | Amyris | 03:36 | 05/2008 |
| Video | Driving Low Cost and Time to Market | John Melo | Amyris | 05:33 | 05/2008 |
| Video | Comparing Start-Ups to Fortune 500 | John Melo | Amyris | 03:52 | 05/2008 |
| Video | Attracting Promising Talent | John Melo | Amyris | 03:35 | 05/2008 |
| Video | Do What You Like to Get Where You Want | John Melo | Amyris | 03:56 | 05/2008 |
Amyris Biotechnologies CEO John Melo explains his company's endeavors in the sustainable sciences; working both to fight disease and to create renewable energies. Melo also reflects upon his personal career path, from immigrant, to start-up, to Big Oil - and back to start-up again.
From an open-source anti-malarial compound to renewable energy resources, Amyris Biotechnologies CEO John Melo explains his enterprise's corporate acts of altruism, as funded by the Gates Foundation. In his words, it's a win-win situation: His organization undertakes innovative science, saves thousands of lives, and conserves natural resources. 
Even after the first round of financing, budding start-up Amyris Biotechnologies didn't quite realize the potential of its assets or its market possibilities, says company CEO John Melo. The company made a choice. And rather than exploring the limits of the technology simply for technology's sake, they thought instead about exploring the needs of the marketplace. They first looked at the attributes of existing energy sources, and then investigated molecular alternatives that can mesh with current capabilities.
Rather than simply re-invneting the wheel on new energy sources, Amyris Biotechnologies CEO John Melo discusses his company's decision to focus on blended fuels that already meet market specifications. This practice, he points out, can get alternatives competing in the marketplace years faster than starting a formula from scratch. Melo also discusses his enterprises' numerous cost-saving techniques, such as simplified manufacturing, low capital investment, and efficient fermentation toward product growth.
Having worked both for Big Oil and for start-up companies, Amyris Biotechnologies CEO John Melo compares the work environment of the two - particularly when it comes to seeking capital. But the start-up environment offers a unique lure, says Melo - the potential to be on the right side of environmental change. In addition, the Amarys founders, the investors interested in scientific progress, and the potential for technological innovation were all powerful magnets pulling him from the large corporate environment.
After fundraising, John Melo, CEO of Amyris Biotechnologies, says that targeting human resources is his second largest priority. But being a smart candidate simply isn't enough, he reports; what's critical is being able to deliver in a group environment. Melo reports that reeling in the smartest and the best in the field is made easier by having an exciting in-house project on which to work.
John Melo, CEO of Amyris Biotechnologies, enjoyed building oscilloscopes, circuits and transistors - and yet he was a college dropout. In this clip, Melo comments on his non-linear career path and how his passion, personal interest, and sense of independence have propelled him from one episodic position to another. He states that he first looked for opportunities to do the things he loved to do, and then focused on the places he wanted to be.