Meet Our Team
Since SifoTEK is innovative and a pioneer in this field, the technology team plays an important role in this stage where we need to mature the technology as well as scale up processes to their best potential solutions. SifoTEK currently has 6 PhDs with expertise in biotechnology, microbiology, chemical engineering, bioprocess, and protein technology. This diverse expertise fosters synergies and enables the generation of the best possible innovative ideas for developing and maturing technology.
Kim Phan, PhD
CEO & Founder
Kim Phan is an accomplished manager with extensive experience in research, entrepreneurship, and leadership. As the founder and CEO of previous successful ventures, she brings a wealth of knowledge to our organization. Kim comes from Vietnam, holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from NTNU, Norway, and has garnered several years of expertise as a specialist, technology strategist, and leader at various firms. She has also earned an excellent Leadership 4.0 certificate, solidifying her foundation and entrepreneurial acumen.
Kim aims to lead a team with a clear vision and a passion for pursuit, while also fostering enjoyment and fulfilment at every stage of development. She emphasizes, “Regardless of who you are or where you come from, with effort, dedication and persistence, you can achieve your dreams. You will receive recognition and opportunities to contribute. Be courageous in reaching for your aspirations.”
Morten Kompen
CFO
Morten comes with a track-record in company financing, structural change, and planning processes, having a background from financial services (Pareto, ProCorp), consulting (Kearney) and as CFO in VC-backed companies. He holds an MSc in Economics from NHH and an MSc in Technology Management from NTNU/MIT.
Khanh Nguyen, PhD
CTO
Dr. Khanh Ng. is an interdisciplinary scientist/R&D manager
with high skills in multiple project management, personnel
management, complex problem-solving, student mentoring,
and staff training. He has led research and product develop
ment in both the biotechnology and food industries. His re
search resulted in 30+ publications and several patents.
He is a phenomenal young scientist in the US and won a
“Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Young
Investigator Award”.
Tor Øyvind Oftedal
Director Business Development & External Affairs
Tor Øyvind Oftedal has 40+ years of experience in busi
ness development and management. Before joining
SifoTEK, he held a variety of supervisory and manage
ment positions in startups and large international com
panies.
Throughout his career, he has focused on creating an or
ganizational culture based on teamwork to develop and
implement new technologies and practices. He has also
been building long trust relationships with governmental
and non-governmental organizations, partners, and cus
tomers.
He believes in SifoTEK technology and not afraid of
challenges. Tor Øyvind wants to accompany SifoTEK
team on its exciting journey of contributing to our planet
by mitigating climate change and food insecurity for the
world’s growing population.
Olufemi Emmanuel Bankefa, PhD
R&D Scientist
Olufemi Emmanuel Bankefa is a seasoned scientist with over ten (10) years of research experience, spanning through microbiology, molecular biology and process development. Having bagged his PhD in yeast development for food security and environmental sustainability in 2018 at the University of Chinese Academy of Science, his advocacy for sustainability research urged him to advance in a postdoctoral position at the Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands, where he harnessed system engineering for sustainable bioproduction
Prior to joining SifoTEK as a research scientist, he advocated for bioproduction in a sustainable manner, which aligns to SifoTEK core aim for food security. In addition, his research background in protein production, bioengineering and fermentation technology, from industrial and academic settings made him a valuable asset towards achieving the company’s goal.
Yedu Prasad, PhD
R&D Scientist
Dr. Yedu Prasad is a protein biologist who has extensive experience with protein biochemistry, yeast genetics, enzyme kinetics, protein engineering and ultra-resolution fluorescence microscopy. He is adept at molecular cloning techniques for the precise design of plasmid constructs for protein production in the various projects underway at SifoTEK. He is passionate about scientific discourse and is always on the lookout for new biochemical strategies for sustainable production of food precursors.
Prior to joining SifoTEK, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Warwick, UK. Here he worked on the protein pathways that regulate fission yeast cell division. Thus, he gained considerable experience in yeast biology and yeast genetics. He is keen on developing new strategies that would contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle, which is also affordable and more practical for a larger proportion of the world population than it currently is.
Prianka Roy, M.Sc
Lab Assistant
Prianka Rani Saha Roy has started her journey with Sifotek AS as a Laboratory Assistant. She is from Bangladesh and hold a Masters degree in Animal Nutrition. She did her second Masters degree in Bioscience from Nord University, Bodø. Expertise in different biotechnology techniques like SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, Plasmid DNA extraction, yeast culture experimentation, and so on.
She has gained experience as a Student Assistant/Lab Assistant under the Faculty of Bioscience and Aquaculture of Nord University, Bodø, Norway where her main responsibilities were to assist the researchers in different lab related works prior to join the Sifotek team. It is an urgency to produce sustainable foods with zero CO2 emission to make the earth more liveable. It is a great opportunity to her to be a part of making the earth more sustainable.