Dr. Mary Ann P. Sayoc is the Partnerships and Alliances Lead of East West Seed International. She has over 25 years of professional experience in the seed industry. She was former General Manager of East-West Seed Philippines, a Dutch company engaged in research, development, production and distribution of vegetable seeds.

 

Dr. Sayoc is active in the local and international seed sector. She is currently the President of the Philippine Seed Industry Association. She is the current President of the Seed Innovation Protection Initiative (SIPI). She is past president of the Asia & Pacific Seed Association (APSA). She has been elected to the Board of the International Seed Federation (ISF) and sits in various committees.

 

She has held a few international posts including as Executive Board member of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, International Advisory Member of the UC Davis Horticulture Innovation Lab and an Independent Member of the CGIAR’s Champions and Challengers of Genetic Improvement Group.

 

She was conferred Knighthood in the Order of Orange-Nassau by the King of the Netherlands in 2021 for her work and advocacy in agriculture and food and for strengthening Filipino-Dutch relations.

 

She holds the distinction of being the first woman to be conferred an Honorary Lifetime Award by the International Seed Federation during its 100 year-celebration.

 

Mary Ann has a long experience in promoting science-based regulations in the realm of sanitary and phytosanitary measures, intellectual property rights, plant breeding innovations and conservation and use of genetic resources.