The team at Ceres Imaging is excited to announce Ramsey Masri as CEO. The former Zendrive COO brings data and analytics acumen in financial services, coupled with farming experience, to lead the company's expansion into new sectors.
A longtime California grape farmer himself, Masri keenly understands the unpredictability and growing risks facing the agriculture industry. He also brings to Ceres Imaging an entrepreneurial mindset; relationships across Europe, Asia, and the Americas; and extensive experience in helping global companies scale.
"I am passionate about Ceres' mission and its focus on growers and helping them create healthier, more sustainable food sources for an ever-growing world," says Masri. "As a father, I care greatly about the world my kids will inherit. I've had the opportunity to be a California grape grower for the better part of 20 years, and I also grew up on farms focused on corn, cotton, and potatoes. So I have great empathy for farmers and the farming ecosystem."
Before joining Ceres Imaging, Masri led and expanded teams outside the U.S, including in South America, Asia Pacific, and Europe—regions where Ceres Imaging is expanding. Most recently, he was Chief Operating Officer at Zendrive, which helps insurers leverage driving data and analytics to help make our roads safer.
"This is a pivotal time for us as we expand into adjacent areas within the agricultural ecosystem, including financial services—one of Ramsey’s areas of expertise," says Ceres Imaging founder Ashwin Madgavkar. "Ramsey brings a unique CV to Ceres Imaging, combining 20 years as a farmer growing grapes with substantial experience growing companies internationally, including one that applied data and analytics to a longstanding problem impacting billions of people. Data hasn’t been tuned to address the problems facing the agriculture industry, which Ceres Imaging is dedicated to changing. We will rely heavily on Ramsey’s strengths as we enter our next phase of growth."
This strategic appointment comes at a time when the need to embrace new, sustainable ways of farming is strikingly evident, as farmers face effects of climate change such as ongoing droughts and severe weather events. Ceres Imaging provides solutions to enhance yields and advance climate resiliency—while facilitating the more efficient use of water, chemicals and fertilizer.
"The ethos of Ceres has always been oriented around the betterment of the farmer," says Hemant Shah, board member at Ceres Imaging and CEO of the commercial property risk platform, Archipelago. "Ramsey will lead Ceres' efforts to help third parties in the farming ecosystem power their data and analytics to improve their products and also provide segment-friendly financial services. This will ultimately help farmers accomplish their primary goal of growing healthier, more sustainable crops at a lower price point."
"Sustainable farming is a global issue. I'm excited to be a part of the initiative to unlock the power of our data to help drive this effort worldwide," says Masri. "Our data can power, for example, suppliers in the industry so their products operate more efficiently leading to less fertilizer and chemicals sprayed on the crops. This is better for the farmer. It's also better for the consumer."