Solazyme Appoints Jean-Marc Rotsaert as Chief Operating Officer

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Oct. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Solazyme, Inc. (NASDAQ: SZYM), a renewable oil and bioproducts company, announced today that Jean-Marc Rotsaert has joined the company as its Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Mr. Rotsaert will be responsible for leading Solazyme's operations, including the continued expansion of the tailored oils sales and marketing organization with a focus on the industrial and nutritional markets.

"Jean-Marc is a proven leader who has a deep understanding of the international and domestic triglyceride oils market.  His impressive track record of success in leading businesses through rapid growth is ideally suited for Solazyme at a time when we are scaling our commercial operations," said Jonathan Wolfson, CEO, Solazyme. "Jean-Marc brings a rare combination of industry sales, marketing and technology experience in both industrial and nutritional markets. This skill set will positively contribute to Solazyme, delivering profitable and sustainable growth."  

"Solazyme is in a rapid growth phase and I am excited to join the team in commercializing this ground breaking technology that will change the oil paradigm.  As the company builds out production capacity to meet market demand for its tailored oils technology, I look forward to growing the commercial and sales infrastructure and to helping achieve Solazyme's mission to provide new healthy, sustainable oils to the industry and to the world," said Mr. Rotsaert.

Mr. Rotsaert joins Solazyme from AAK where he was the President and CEO of the U.S. business. AAK is a leading global provider of specialty vegetable oils and fats to many industries. The profits of the U.S. business more than quadrupled over his tenure in the midst of the global financial crisis.  Prior to his work with AAK, Mr. Rotsaert was Vice President of Science and Technology at Campbell's Soup. Before that, he was Vice President of Research and Development at Pepsico International (UK and Ireland) where he was a main operating board member accountable for the management of a $2 billion business unit. In addition, he was functionally accountable for new product development, product quality, productivity, product and consumer insights (market research team and analytical laboratories), regulatory compliance, and consumer services and nutrition across multiple food brands of the Pepsico portfolio. Before his time at Pepsico, Mr. Rotsaert was a Managing Director/Program Manager at The Coca-Cola Company where he transformed an R&D group from cost to profit center in the U.S.   

About Solazyme, Inc.

Solazyme, Inc. (NASDAQ: SZYM) is a renewable oil and bioproducts company that transforms a range of low-cost plant-based sugars into high-value oils. Headquartered in South San Francisco, Solazyme's renewable products can replace or enhance oils derived from the world's three existing sources – petroleum, plants and animal fats.  Initially, Solazyme is focused on commercializing its products into three target markets: (1) fuels and chemicals, (2) nutrition and (3) skin and personal care.

Solazyme®, the Solazyme logo and other trademarks or service names are  trademarks of Solazyme, Inc.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements about Solazyme, including statements that involve risks and uncertainties concerning: its commercialization plans; its build-out of capacity; the anticipated demand for its products; the attributes of its products and its ability to deliver profitable and sustainable growth.  When used in this press release, the words "will", "expects", "intends" and other similar expressions and any other statements that are not historical facts are intended to identify those assertions as forward-looking statements.  Any such statement may be influenced by a variety of factors, many of which are beyond the control of Solazyme, that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected, described, expressed or implied in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties. Potential risks and uncertainties include, among others: implementation risk in deploying new technologies; Solazyme's limited history in commercializing products; market acceptance of its products; its limited experience in constructing and operating commercial manufacturing facilities; its ability to obtain requisite regulatory approvals; its ability to enter into and maintain strategic collaborations; and its access, on favorable terms, to any required financing. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what impact they will have on the results of operations or financial condition of Solazyme.

In addition, please refer to the documents that Solazyme files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, for a discussion of these and other risks. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Solazyme is not under any duty to update any of the information in this press release.

SOURCE Solazyme, Inc.