Ismahane Elouafi is the first Chief Scientist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, a new position created within FAO’s core leadership structure. 
She has two decades of experience in agricultural research and development in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. 
She is internationally known for her work on promoting neglected and underutilized crops, use of non-fresh water in agriculture, and empowerment of women in science.

Ulrich (Ulli) is an experienced executive manager overseeing the management and operation of CABI’s eleven centres across Asia (4), Africa (3), Europe (2) and the Americas (2). Within this role, Ulli is responsible for fostering collaborations between the centres and international partners, and developing new opportunities to improve agricultural production, alleviate poverty and enhance food safety and food security. He is the professional lead for science within the organization, responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and delivery of CABI’s scientific programme. 
CAB International (CABI) is an international, intergovernmental, not-for-profit organization, established through a UN treaty-level agreement among its member countries. Its mission is to improve people’s lives by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment. It operates from worldwide centres and currently has 49 member countries that guide and influence its core areas of work, including international development and publishing. Its unique multidisciplinary scientific capability positions it ideally for raising agricultural productivity, combating threats to agriculture and the environment from pests and diseases, conserving and making better use of the world's biological resources, protecting biodiversity from invasive species, and improving access to agricultural and environmental scientific knowledge.

Mario Lubetkin, a national of Uruguay, joined the Food and Agriculture Organization ofthe United Nations (FAO) in February 2014 as Director of the Office of Corporate Communication (OCC) and, in 2015, he was designated Director of Cabinet ad interim, Office of the Director-General (ODG). In 2016, he became Director of Cabinet, ODG, and subsequently, in February 2017, he was promoted in the same position to Assistant Director-General (ADG). Since August 2020, he has served as ADG supporting the Director General on various external and internal strategic issues. In July 2022, he was designated Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and The Caribbean.

Secretary General (March 1, 2023).
International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), Paris
Full Professor of Agricultural Chemistry, University of Bari, Italy. Former Vice Rector for International Affairs.
Research periods: US, Germany, Switzerland, Norway.
Former President: Italian Society of Agricultural Chemistry; European Soil Systems Sciences, European Geosciences Union; International Humic Substances Society.
Organized > 50 international events, coordinated projects, participated in Journal Editorial Boards, received various awards.
Senior consultant with CIHEAM. 25 years in educational programs, cooperation projects, Delegate of Italian Government in the CHEAM GB.
Mediterranean Agriculture, Sustainable AgriFood Systems and Innovation, Environment

Mr. Alberto Nussenzveig is a Professor of Physics at Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), working on mostly experimental quantum optics and quantum information science. He earned a PhD from Ecole Normale Superieure / Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, in Paris. He is an Optica Fellow and received a special mention in the Nature Awards for Scientific Mentoring, in 2021. Currently, Paulo is Provost for Research and Innovation at USP.

Marcela Villarreal, Director of FAO’s Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division, leads FAO’s transformative partnerships with civil society, academia, research institutions and UN entities, as well as FAO’s role in UN Reform, Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems, FAO’s policy on Indigenous Peoples, Global Parliamentarian Fronts against Hunger and the UN Decade of Family Farming.
In her 33 years at the UN, Marcela has published extensively, led international missions and served as Director of FAO’s Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development Division; Director of Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division; Chief of Population and Development Service; and Senior Officer for Socio-Cultural Research inter alia.