Patist joins the company with a mandate to oversee product manufacturing and commercial operations. With over 25 years of experience, he previously led scale-up initiatives at Geltor and Bolt Threads, managing production capacities that exceeded 75,000 metric tonnes. His immediate focus includes scaling ViaLeaf Reb M and the ProClenz home care enzyme line.

Hicks takes control of technical strategy and R&D, leveraging a background that spans Cargill, Lonza, and Evolva. Her expertise in biopharma process development and high-intensity sweetener production is expected to bridge the gap between Arzeda’s Intelligent Protein Design Technology and the requirements of its Fortune 500 partners. CEO Alexandre Zanghellini noted that these hires provide the specific industrial rigor needed to move beyond protein prototyping and into sustained, high-volume market delivery.