Missouri Biotechnology Association Board of Directors - 2012

Derek K. Rapp

Derek Rapp is CEO of Divergence, Inc., a science-based company finding solutions in the prevention and control of pest infections.  The company’s technologies have applications in plant protection, animal health, and human health.  In his position, Derek’s main responsibilities are developing and implementing the company’s strategy, ensuring suitable financing of the company, implementing relationships with licensees and collaborators, and overseeing operations.  He joined Divergence in early 2001.

Prior to joining Divergence, Derek worked for Monsanto Company for twelve years.  In his years at Monsanto, Derek held several positions.  His final position there was Director, Mergers & Acquisitions.  During his time in that position, he led divestitures with proceeds totaling roughly $2 billion.  Prior to this position, Derek led the company’s acquisition and licensing program in the plant biotechnology and seeds area, leading several major acquisitions totaling more than $2.5 billion, as well as numerous licensing transactions (in-licensing, out-licensing, and cross-licensing).  In the early 1990’s, Derek was Director, Investor Relations for Monsanto, responsible for fostering and maintaining relationships with the institutional investment community.  From 1984-1986, Derek worked in mergers and acquisitions at Lazard Frères & Co. in New York.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association and was Chairman of the Plant and Life Sciences Network for RCGA in 2008.  He is also a Board member of Missouri Biotechnology Industry Association and the St. Louis Life Sciences Project.  Derek served as a member of the St. Louis Regional Competitiveness Initiative Steering Committee in 2005. 

In addition to his work in the for-profit sector, Derek is active in the not-for-profit sector.  Derek is a member of the Board of Directors, the Lay Review Committee, and the Strategic Alliances Committee (which he chairs) for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.  He is also President of the Board of the Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation.  Derek is the current Past-Chairman of the Friends Committee of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.  Derek also serves on the Board of Trustees of John Burroughs School in Saint Louis.

In 1999, he founded St. Louis Cares, an episodic volunteering program facilitating projects in which participants contribute a total of several hundred volunteer hours to the Saint Louis community each month.  The program is part of the United Way of Greater Saint Louis.

Derek holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University with concentrations in Economics and German and a Master in Business Administration from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania with concentrations in Corporate Management and Finance.

Derek is married to Emily Rapp, and they have three children (Helen – 19, Turner – 16, and William – 13).  They live in Saint Louis County.

www.divergence.com