Former Mosa Meat and Cellular Agriculture Europe figurehead Robert E. Jones rejoins Culinary Institute of America in leadership role

Just weeks after stepping down from two of the most prominent roles in Europe’s cultivated meat movement, Robert E. Jones has been named Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Industry Leadership, and Impact at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). The CIA announced the appointment Tuesday, marking a homecoming for Jones, who graduated from its Greystone campus in 2020.

Jones, who most recently served as Vice President of Global Public Affairs at Mosa Meat and President of Cellular Agriculture Europe, had been a highly visible figure in the push for cultivated protein across Europe and beyond. In a May 20 announcement on LinkedIn, he confirmed that his last day at Mosa Meat was 16 May, closing what he called an “incredible five-year run” in cellular agriculture.

“While I remain passionate about the transformative potential of cultivated meat, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity crossed my path that I have to explore – more on that later,” he wrote at the time. That opportunity has now been revealed as a leadership role at the CIA, where Jones will be responsible for advancing the college’s strategic partnerships and global influence, while overseeing its major industry conferences, including Menus of Change, Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives, and the Worlds of Flavor International Conference and Festival.

“I’m truly excited to return to the CIA in this new capacity,” Jones has now said. “There is already a great foundation to build upon, and my past experiences have given me an understanding of the breadth of issues and challenges impacting not just our food system, but also the future of food, the hospitality workforce, and public and planetary health.”

Jones’s time at Mosa Meat began in 2019, a pivotal moment in the company’s shift from laboratory research to public-facing commercialization. During his tenure, he helped shape regulatory and public affairs strategies, building the company’s profile as a leader in the cultivated protein space. He also guided Cellular Agriculture Europe from its founding to its current position as a key trade association representing both startups and global food companies before European policymakers.

Reflecting on his exit, Jones paid tribute to his Mosa Meat colleagues, describing them as “a collective of brilliant, no bull$#!t, social impact-oriented trailblazers.” He also acknowledged several key figures in the cultivated meat world, including Mosa Meat founders Mark Post and Peter Verstrate, CEO Maarten Bosch, and Ira van Eelen, whom he credited as a lifelong friend and personal inspiration.

CIA President Michiel Bakker welcomed Jones back to the institution, citing his international experience and focus on sustainability and innovation. “His proven track record in the fields of sustainability, health and wellbeing, and technology and innovation is ideally suited to reinforcing and augmenting the college’s nearly 80-year legacy of leadership,” Bakker said.

Before his work in Europe, Jones built a career in public policy and government affairs, serving in both Republican and Democratic administrations. As a U.S. Commerce Department appointee, he advised on sustainable seafood policy – a role that deepened his interest in food systems and eventually led him to the CIA’s Accelerated Culinary Arts Program.

Jones holds a Master of Science in Social Business and Entrepreneurship from the London School of Economics and a Master of Arts in Political Management from George Washington University. He also taught political science for ten years at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, and has served as an advisor to organizations including the Food for Climate League and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Jones maintains strong ties to his home state and its food traditions. Outside of work, he spends time cooking, fly fishing, and helping on his family’s cattle ranch. His new position at the CIA places him at the intersection of culinary education, policy, and innovation – a blend that reflects the arc of his diverse and global career.