Lee Quarles Email & Phone Number

St. Louis, Mo, Us

Leader of global cross-disciplinary intelligence team focused on stakeholder market research programming; online and policy environment monitoring and analysis; as well as the cross-platform application of data science. Leader of global cross-organizational intelligence collaborative focused on understanding the pulse of the operating environment and informing company strategies. Lead nine-person organization and supervise $4 million budget.Designed and led global research and intelligence programs to support Bayer Crop Science, its communications and license to operate (LTO) strategies. Programs focused on its current and future portfolio offerings, its sustainability commitments and its collaborations. Co-led the design, stakeholder enrollment and formation of the company’s first-ever global Horizon Scanning program. The program enabled cross-functional coordination and continuous improvement in global, regional, and country-level trend identification, socialization, and management. Program transformed a historic reactive environment into a proactive issues management culture. Program was nominated for a top organizational award and recognized by auditors as a best-in-class example for enabling improved risk management. Led expansion of insights capabilities and collaborations within the division, including through continued expansion of functions, sources and languages, data science integrations and automation, dedicated insights socialization programs, as well as cross-organizational pilot programs, including new vendors and generative AI. Served as a company speaker at various international and national agriculture and trade association panels and conferences, including International Seed Federation, American Seed Trade Association, The Market Research Event (TMRE), etc.

United States

Served as Interim Chief of Staff for the global executive leader (C-suite) of Public Affairs, Science & Sustainability (PASS), the PASS leadership team and organization, including leading the unit’s communications strategy (e.g. Town Halls, employee recognition and engagement programs, holiday celebrations); led the design and coordination of the management agenda (e.g. weekly meetings and quarterly workshops, speakers) and reporting (e.g. annual goals cycle and reporting, weekly reporting process).Served as Interim Operations Support for the global PASS organization, including the design, development and implementation of global unit and regional teams’ budget - including all identified reporting and forecasting needs; partnered with finance for necessary upstream reporting. Led the full design, management and implementation of the Integration Savings program for the global PASS organization, including the mapping of flex and personnel requirements, cadenced delivery and reporting of the $35 million synergy program. Served as the Information Classification Caretaker for the global PASS organization, including collaborating with the Cyber team on data management and governance, as well as with data privacy on compliance programs.

Greater St. Louis Area

Leader of global intelligence team focused on executing, collecting and analyzing dynamic regional consumer, topical, situational, and online data to proactively inform and improve corporate strategies. Lead nine-person organization and supervise $2 million budget.Designed and shaped the vision for the company’s first-ever consumer and stakeholder insights function focused on driving continuous improvement in communications, reputational and product strategies.Led insights capabilities for global adaptation, including through expansion of functions and skill sets, as well as new languages for the company’s intelligence collaborative model. Led consumer market research projects in the Americas, the EU and Asia focused on improving strategies connected to agriculture, the broader science portfolio, stakeholders and commercial LTO. Utilized innovative approaches to disrupt current market research, data capture and analysis models, with a focus on expanding scale across geographies, empowering more teams with insights while driving cost efficiencies, with savings in the hundreds of thousands.Spearheaded strategy and co-led outreach across the agriculture and science community, including with associations, communications agencies, public and private sector leaders to drive improved current and future engagement strategies (e.g. modern ag, ag technologies, etc.).

Greater St. Louis Area

Leader of strategic communications team focused on transformative executive communications, science and R&D pipeline communications as well as outreach for the Fortune 200 Company. Led sixteen-person organization and supervised $4 million budget.Served as Chief Communications Strategist for the Global Technology organization, including overseeing internal and external communications; strategic R&D collaborations (e.g. CRISPR-Cas genome-editing technology licenses with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Forage Genetics International alfalfa technology agreements) and global restructuring initiatives.Led and expanded the executive communications platform for the CTO, TLT and organizational leaders, managing more than 1,000 engagements which drove billions of earned impressions and represented 70 percent of all engagements across all company leaders during the period.Directed high-profile events such as the Intelligence Squared debate on GMOs and the Food Evolution documentary, as well as key engagements with: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Nye, Clinton Global Initiative, Mother Jones, WIRED, Buzzfeed, etc.Developed the vision, content strategy and expansion of an online executive voice program for CTO, including placement as first ag science leader on the elite LinkedIn Influencer group, as well as across other channels: Twitter, Medium, Periscope, Huffington Post, Fortune, Forbes, etc.Oversaw management of all Annual R&D Pipeline announcements during the period, including development and design of global communications and engagement strategy.

Leader of U.S. corporate team focused on executive communications, corporate communications, product communications, internal communications and issues/crisis communications for the Fortune 200 Company. Led twenty-two-person organization and supervised $6 million budget.Oversaw external communications for global business, corporate strategy, and technology developments – e.g. Climate Corporation ($1B) acquisition, ag industry’s first post-patent trait (e.g. Roundup Ready soybeans), partnered on regional next-generation product launches Intacta, Roundup Ready2Yield, etc.Led strategic communications for high-profile corporate litigation matters – including investigations by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice; the U.S. DOJ Agriculture Competition Workshops – including training company leaders for the workshop and co-authoring company position paper; four distinct Supreme Court cases (e.g. U.S., Brazil and Korea), as well as the $1B DuPont Federal Court case and resulting $1.75B licensing agreement.Led communications support for the Executive Team and secondary business leaders, including placement at more than 250 external venues such as the World Economic Forum, UN Global Compact, Aspen Ideas Festival, etc., and managed more than 1,900 interactions with domestic and international media.Oversaw global internal communications program focused on driving a greater understanding of the enterprise vision and strategy, as well as improving confidence in senior leaders. Program included Global and Divisional Town Halls, Intranet and the first employee app.Partnered with Global Security and Crisis Management Team to develop the Global Crisis Communications and Critical Issues strategy and process for the enterprise. Partnered with HR to support first cross-functional people review for Global Communications & Marketing organizations, drive first career development program for Public Affairs.

Leader of a company-wide proactive communications team aimed at designing and implementing promotional and strategic programs for the Fortune 400 company. Led eleven-person team and supervised $3 million annual budget.Served as primary U.S. communications strategist and team leader for agricultural crops and dairy business units, financial communications, technology-related licensing collaborations, as well as mergers, acquisitions and divestitures – e.g. De Ruiter Seeds Group BV ($800M), sale of Posilac to Eli Lilly and Company ($300M) as well as regional strategic growth acquisitions such as Semillas Cristiani Burkard and Aly Participacoes Ltda.Led communications for the Executive Team and North American Leadership Team, developing strategies aimed at raising the profile of the business, its product portfolio, its leaders and R&D pipeline. This included multiple domestic editorial roadshows and international media visits, as well as proactively securing the first placements in People Magazine, National Geographic, O! Magazine, etc.Team spearheaded adoption of novel practices focused on accelerating proactive communications – including the first online and audio press conferences, ag chats on Twitter, YouTube videos and an executive voice op-ed strategy. Served as primary spokesperson on key business-sensitive topics such as corporate litigation, federal and state regulatory matters – e.g. state Attorney Generals investigation.

Member of a corporate communications team directed at supporting strategic external and internal communications, as well as media relations programs for the agricultural leader. Managed two direct reports and supervised $1 million annual budget. Led financial communications including corporate governance, corporate litigation, technology-related licensing collaborations – e.g. SmartStax (Dow AgroSciences), as well as merger, acquisitions and divestitures – e.g. Seminis ($1.4B) and Delta and Pine Land Company ($1.5B), sale of Swine business to Newsham Genetics as well as regional strategic growth acquisitions for Agroeste Sementes and American Seeds Inc. Served as primary media strategist for CEO, CFO and other leaders. Fostered and maintained relationships, organized editorial board visits, and secured positive media placements in targeted wire, print, broadcast and online outlets; including proactively pitching and securing the first placement on CNBC programs and the first-ever cover story in BusinessWeek.Team developed the first R&D Communications Guide and partnered with world regions to drive more coordinated strategy around the ag industry’s leading R&D pipelineOversaw management of all Annual Reports and R&D Pipeline brochures during the period, including development, design, printing and global distribution. Managed all planning and communications around the Annual Meeting of Shareowners.

Member of a company-wide strategic resource team directed at providing specialized communications and media relations programs for the North America business division.Provided communications support to the North American and U.S. management team, developing and executing strategies designed to meet the goals of the business and strengthen its reputation with U.S. agriculture stakeholders and farmers.Developed proactive and reactive communications strategies, focused on driving awareness around the product portfolio, with direct responsibilities for the corn, cotton, soybean, animal ag businesses (e.g. dairy and swine) and plant-made pharmaceuticals business. Developed, designed and managed comprehensive U.S. trade media program, with a focus on building and maintaining relationships with 400+ local, national, business and trade reporters.Led strategies aimed at supporting key internal and external events, including media tours, trade show support, press conference support, and company functions.Coordinated media training program for North American business division.

Provided communications support for Pharmacia Corporation's corporate teams serving the pharmaceutical and agriculture business units. Initiated and maintained relationships with trade media contacts and industry associations. Pharmacia Corporation spun off its agriculture unit and was later acquired by Pfizer. Provided external and internal communications support for Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON).Coordinated communication strategies to support business and products in the national and international marketplace. Served as media contact for local, national, business and trade reporters.Developed key external communications vehicles including: press kits, press statements, corporate reports, brochures and online materials.

Provided communications support for corporate, employee and environmental initiatives for the Fortune 500 life-sciences company.Developed and led the first protocol and response mechanism for corporate internet site. Researched and served as content author for internal media, including corporate newsletter, intranet sites, and broadcast messages.Managed the media monitoring and clip distribution program.Coordinated third-party research and competitive intelligence searches.Maintained web page on company intranet, regularly updating information for employees concerning news events and issues.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs

Activities and Societies: The University News

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