Provincial Council Profile

Yilan Zhang, MSc, MBA., P.Ag.

Yilan has been a passionate agriculturist. She has studied Plant Protection (BSc.) and Pest Management (MSc. level) in China, and Plant Pathology at the University of Manitoba (MSc. 2004). She also received a MBA from the University of Manitoba in 2009.

Yilan has worked in the agriculture, biotech and business sector for over 16 years. With her current role as Operations Lead, Breeding and her previous role as Nursery Operations Specialist, Trait Integration at Bayer Crop Science in Winnipeg, she manages a team of staff to deliver canola research and production pipeline. She is highly experienced in growthroom operations, leading teams, staff engagement, Quality Management System (QMS ISO 9001) and Environment, Safety and Health (ESH) programs.

Prior to Bayer, she managed a $10M national research program (Growing Forward – Science Cluster) and coordinated with grower groups, government and research institutes during her role as Crop Production Research Manager at Canola Council of Canada. She has a strong knowledge of canola agronomics and regulatory affairs related to international trade. 

Yilan has also specialized in developing and assessing business plans to commercialize new technologies and to conduct business development. She has successfully co-founded and managed a non-profit dance school and a local Montessori School (daycare center) in Winnipeg, MB.

Yilan has served on the Audit Committee (2016-present) and Ownership Linkage Committee (2013) and Provincial Council (since 2018) of Agrologists Manitoba and served on the Board of Directors of a non-profit cultural arts group in Winnipeg for more than 10 years. She will bring the provincial council her combined knowledge and experience in science and business, her experience on boards, and her devotion to serving the community and the agriculture industry.

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