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Dr. Éliane Ubalijoro
Éliane Ubalijoro, PhD is the Executive Director of Sustainability in the Digital Age and the Future Earth Montreal Hub. She is a member of Rwanda’s National Science and Technology Council. Eliane has been a member of Rwanda’s Presidential Advisory Council. Eliane is a member of the Capitals Coalition Supervisory Board. Eliane is a member of the Global Crop Diversity Trust Executive Board. Eliane is a fellow of the African Academy of Sciences and on the board of the Science for Africa Foundation. She was the Deputy Executive Director for Programs at Global Open Data in Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN).

Dr. Jeremy de Beer
Jeremy de Beer is a Full Professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, where he creates and shapes ideas — about technology innovation, intellectual property, and global trade and development. He is also a Faculty Member of the Centre for Law, Technology and Society, a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, and a Senior Research Associate at the University of Cape Town’s IP Unit. As co-founder and co-director of the Open African Innovation Research network, Open AIR, his current work helps solve practical challenges related to innovation in the digital economy, life science industries, and clean technology sector.

Dr. Chidi Oguamanam
Professor Chidi Oguamanam, Faculty of Law (Common Law Section) Research Chair in Bio-Innovation, Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Global Knowledge Governance, University of Ottawa, affiliated with the Centre for Law, Technology and Society, the Centre for Environmental Law and Global Sustainability, and the International Law Group. He is the director of Access and Benefit Sharing Canada (ABS-Canada) and Co-founder of the Open African Innovation (Open AIR) Partnership and holds senior research fellowships with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), the University of Cape Town Intellectual property Unit and the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law.

Dr. Daniele Manzella
Daniele Manzella is a Policy and Legal Specialist at FAO. He has over 20 years of legal and international governance expertise: in legal departments and in secretariats of international development organizations, and as an independent professional. He has provided legal and institutional advice within complex and evolving operational landscapes. Daniele has specific experience in governing bodies and multilateral processes, contract negotiation and drafting, dispute settlement, IP and data management. As a development lawyer, Daniele has advised on cooperation projects in 40+ developing countries on the implementation of international conventions related to agriculture, trade and the environment.

Dr. Kent Nnadozie
Dr Kent Nnadozie is the Secretary of the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Over the last two decades, Mr Nnadozie has worked on legal and policy matters and intergovernmental processes related to Agriculture and Environment, including the International Treaty and FAO’s Commission for Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Before joining FAO, Mr Nnadozie was in private legal practice and academic research. A lawyer by training, Mr Nnadozie holds a Doctorate in Law from McGill University, Montreal, Canada, with a focus on international relations and international legal issues related to genetic resources. Mr Nnadozie also has a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) and a bachelor’s degree in Law.