Press and News Alliance pleased to announce appointment of Ed Mabaya as Chair of the Board of Trustees

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Ed Mabaya to chair the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Board of Trustees. Cornell University research professor and seed-systems expert succeeds Julia Marton-Lefèvre, who has led the Board since before the Alliance was formed.

ROME (Italy) – The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT today announced that Dr Ed Mabaya will become Chair of its Board of Trustees on 1 January 2027. He succeeds Julia Marton-Lefèvre, who has chaired the Board since before the Alliance was established in 2019.

The transition comes as the Alliance begins delivering its 2026–2030 strategy. Dr Mabaya, a Board member since 2024, brings more than two decades of experience in rural development, agribusiness value chains, seed systems and food security across Sub-Saharan Africa.

A founding Chair through a period of transformation

Marton-Lefèvre has guided the Alliance's governance through its creation in 2019. Under her leadership, the Board helped shape the institution's direction and strengthen its global impact during a period of significant change.

She brought to the role a distinguished career in international conservation and science. She served as Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and as Rector of the United Nations-mandated University for Peace. She also held leadership roles with the International Council for Science and LEAD International.

"Julia has been a steadfast champion of the Alliance's mission," reflects Juan Lucas Restrepo, Director General of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. "Her strategic vision and unwavering commitment to sustainable food and land systems have shaped who we are today. Her spirit of collaboration, integrity and ambition has inspired both our governance and our scientific community, and we are deeply grateful for her years of dedicated service."

Scholarship and development practice

Dr Mabaya is a Research Professor in the Department of Global Development at Cornell University. He previously served as Division Manager of Agribusiness Development at the African Development Bank, where he managed continent-wide investments under the Bank's Feed Africa strategy.

He is a former President of the African Association of Agricultural Economists. He is also an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow and an Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow.

"Ed has already become a familiar and valued presence in our governance discussions," said Restrepo. "He combines rigorous scholarship with real-world development practice, and I am confident his leadership will serve the Alliance well as we advance our 2026–2030 strategy."