Who is Raffael Jovine? A biographical overview of his life and work
Raffael Jovine is the founder & chief scientist of Brilliant Planet, a company unlocking the power of algae in the carbon dioxide removal process. Speaking about his work, he once revealed:
I really enjoy improving concepts in the natural system.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Raffael Jovine was once an actor and model.
- He launched Brilliant Planet in May 2013.
- His wife is a member of the House of Lords.
Raffael Jovine’s profile summary
| Full name | Raffael Jovine |
| Gender | Male |
| Birthplace | Munich, Germany |
| Current residence | Camden Town, London, England, UK |
| Nationality | German, British |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Alma mater | UC Santa Barbara, Yale University |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Minouche Shafik |
| Children | 5 |
| Profession | Scientist, author, entrepreneur |
Fascinating details about Raffael Jovine
During a November 2022 interview with Ross Palmer, Raffael shared some interesting facts about himself, saying:
Unlike most accomplished scientists, I did not complete a whole school year until I was 13. My rebellion against my Bohemian family was to study science.
Raffael Jovine’s birthplace and educational background
Jovine was born in Munich, Germany. However, his age and family background remain a mystery as he prefers keeping details about his personal life under wraps.
From September 1982 to September 1986, Raffael attended Yale University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry.
In September 1995, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Evolutionary, Environmental & Marine Biology from UC Santa Barbara. From 1995 to 1997, Jovine pursued his postdoctoral at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Source: Original
What does Raffael Jovine do?
According to Raffael Jovine’s LinkedIn profile, he worked as a sponsored research staff member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from December 1986 to August 1988.
From September 1989 to June 1994, Jovine was a biotechnology & Seagrant trainee at UC Santa Barbara.
In June 1997, he joined ZPM International Limited as the director of biological sciences. Ten months later, Raffael was promoted to vice president and served in that position until November 1999. From January 2000 to November 2002, he served as an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton before his promotion to senior associate.
For one year and seven months (from November 2006 to May 2008), Jovine was Capgemini’s executive consultant. In 2008, he joined Clinerion Limited as the vice president. Two years later, the scientist was promoted to senior vice president.
A look at Raffael Jovine’s company, Brilliant Planet
Brilliant Planet focuses on the production of zero-carbon food ingredients from microalgae. In addition, its work revolves around high land utilisation, negative freshwater footprint and an ultra-low carbon footprint.
Jovine first tested the algae cultivation technology in South Africa, then in Oman, and finally in Morocco.
As per Forbes, Brilliant Planet has received over $20 million from investors such as Grantham Foundation, Toyota Ventures, Hatch, Union Square Ventures, S2G Ventures and Future Positive Capital.
Source: Getty Images
A marriage that spans over two decades
Raffael Jovine and Minouche Shafik exchanged nuptials in 2002. The couple welcomed twins and became stepparents to three children in a single sleepless year. Minouche was previously married to Egyptian-American businessman Mohamed El-Erian.
Who is Raffael Jovine’s wife, Minouche Shafik?
Shafik is a British-American academic and economist. She served as the president and vice-chancellor of the London School of Economics from 2017 to 2023.
From July 2023 to August 2024, Minouche was the 20th president of Columbia University. She has also served as a vice president at the World Bank and as a deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
Shafik was named one of Forbes’ 100 most powerful women in 2015 and received the 100 Women in Finance European Industry Leaders Award in 2019.
Exploring Raffael Jovine’s authoring career
In April 2021, Raffael released his first book, Light to Life: The Miracle of Photosynthesis and How It Can Save the Planet. His second book, How Light Makes Life: The Hidden Wonders and World-Saving Powers of Photosynthesis, was released in 2022. It has a 4.9/5 rating on Amazon.
Source: UGC
FAQs
Raffael Jovine’s specialisation in algae makes him stand out in the field of molecular biology. Here are some frequently asked questions about him:
What is Raffael Jovine’s nationality?
Jovine holds German and British nationality. He currently resides in Camden Town, London, UK, with his wife and kids.
How old is Minouche Shafik?
Shafik (62 as of February 2025) was born on 13 August 1962 in Alexandria, Egypt. Her Muslim parents were both school teachers.
As a child, she attended Schutz American School. In 1983, Shafik graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in economics and politics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
She earned a Master of Science degree in economics from the London School of Economics in 1986, then a Doctorate of Philosophy in economics from the University of Oxford in 1989.
Source: UGC
Who is Minouche Shafik’s husband?
Economist Minouche Shafik has been married to Raffael Jovine since 2002. They have five children.
Raffael Jovine has a long and distinguished career in the field of biotechnology. His research on algae spans worldwide. The scientist coordinates a research team that has thus far developed multiple patents relating directly to his company’s carbon removal process.
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