The AgbioInvestor Team


AgbioInvestor was established in 2017 to provide news and analysis covering the global crop protection and seeds & traits industries. The partners at AgbioInvestor, Fraser McDougall, Allister Phillips, Derek Oliphant and Garry Mabon, have over forty years of combined experience from their history in senior analytical and managerial roles in the industry.

AgbioInvestor has rapidly become the leading source of global crop protection market information and analysis in the industry. As a dynamic and vibrant company, we are able to offer intuitive and interactive methods of accessing this data and analysis whilst delivering the accurate and reliable information with which we have quickly become synonymous.

Fraser McDougall 

Founding partner, crop protection industry analyst

Fraser graduated from Napier University with a degree in business and economics.

He began his career in Edinburgh’s financial institutions before running the Kleffmann Group’s Australian business. He joined Phillips McDougall in 2006 as a senior crop protection analyst, then advanced to the post of associate director at Informa.

Fraser is part of the crop protection team at AgbioInvestor, with a particular focus on company analysis and macro-economic trends.

Allister Phillips

Founding partner, seeds & GM traits industry analyst

Allister gained an honours degree in biotechnology from the University of Abertay Dundee.

Allister began his career at an Aberdeen-based biotechnology firm. Following this, he joined Phillips McDougall in 2007 as a senior seed analyst, then advanced to the post of associate director at Informa.

Allister heads the seeds & traits business at AgbioInvestor, specialising in the GM seed market.

Derek Oliphant

Founding partner, crop protection industry analyst

Derek graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree (with distinction) in Software Technology.

He began his career at Phillips McDougall in 2007, advancing to become a senior analyst at Informa.

Derek is part of the crop protection team at AgbioInvestor, with a key focus on AgbioNews as well as regional and product-level trends.

Garry Mabon

Founding partner, crop protection industry analyst

Garry graduated with a first class honours degree in Ecology from Stirling University.

He began his career at Phillips McDougall in 2011, progressing to become a senior crop protection industry analyst whilst managing the AgrAspire (formerly AMIS Global) database.

In addition to his role as a senior crop protection industry analyst, Garry heads the development and operation of AgbioInvestor and Kynetec’s sigma Select product.

Jack Hopper

Partner, Head of Sales & Client Relations

Jack gained an honours degree in International Business from Kingston University as well as a Chinese language diploma from the Beijing University of Language and Culture. Prior to joining AgbioInvestor, Jack held roles in business development and account management.

Dr John McDougall

Consultant & Advisor

Following gaining his doctorate in botany from the University of Glasgow, John has spent his career involved in animal health, crop protection and seeds. John was a founding partner of Phillips McDougall in 1999 and later a director at Informa. John is now part of AgbioInvestor’s consultancy team and holds an advisory role.

Dr Matthew Phillips

Consultant & Advisor

Matthew gained a doctorate in animal biochemistry and metabolism from the University of Reading. Following a career in animal health, crop protection and seeds, Matthew was a founding partner of Phillips McDougall and later a director at Informa. Matthew is now part of AgbioInvestor’s consultancy team and acts as an advisor to the company.