H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, from Angola, was elected as the new commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission. Mrs Sacko was the special adviser to the Minister of agriculture, assigned with the responsibility of advising on issues related to international cooperation both bilateral and multilateral.

Maria is an economist and politician from Cape Verde. A leading expert in global development issues, she has worked in public service for over thirty years. Over the last decade, FAO has contributed to a new narrative, one where agriculture features more prominently in addressing increasingly complex emerging global issues– from climate change to conflict. By promoting a systematic integrated approach that takes a more inclusive view, Ms Semedo has fostered cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder exchanges, resulting in greater engagement and stronger strategic partnerships to better position FAO in its role to promote the transition towards sustainable food and agriculture systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Before taking up her current duties in 2013, Ms Semedo gained valuable experience and insight in Africa, first as FAO Representative in Niger (2003-2008), then as Deputy Regional Representative for Africa and Sub-regional Coordinator for West Africa (2008-2009) and Regional Representative for Africa (2009-2013). Prior to her international career, she worked as an economist for the Cabo Verde Ministry of Planning and Cooperation before becoming Secretary of State for Fisheries, then in 1993 Minister for Fisheries, Agriculture and Rural Affairs – the first-ever woman Minister in her country. After serving as Minister for Tourism, Transportation and Marine Affairs from 1995-1998, she became Member of Parliament, a position she held until 2003.

Honors and awards

November 2019:
• Receives the Crans Montana Forum Prix de la Fondation

December 2018:
• The Government of Brazil bestows the honorific Order of Rio Branco
• The Universidade Aberta in Lisbon confers the Honoris Causa doctorate for her work in global
sustainable development

March 2018:
• Named “Woman of the Year” at the commemoration of the 2018 Women Diplomats Day in
Portugal

May 2008:
• Receives the Order of Niger for her distinguished service to the field of agriculture.

Tess has spent over 4 years working in the meat alternative sector within research translation roles, utilising expertise in health psychology and its application to nutritional behaviours, dietary change, and food system sustainability. Prior to her role at Quorn Foods, Tess completed a masters focused on plant-based nutrition in long term conditions, has worked extensively within the hospitality sector, and grew up on a working farm.

David Nabarro is the Co-Director of the Imperial College Institute of Global Health Innovation at the Imperial College London and supports systems leadership for sustainable development through his Switzerland based social enterprise 4SD. From March 2020, David is appointed Special Envoy of WHO Director General on COVID-19. He secured his medical qualification in 1974 and has worked in over 50 countries – in communities and hospitals, governments, civil society, universities, and in United Nations programs.

David worked for the British government in the 1990s as head of Health and Population and director for Human Development in the UK Department for International Development. From 1999 to 2017 he held leadership roles in the UN system on disease outbreaks and health issues, food insecurity and nutrition, climate change and sustainable development. In October 2018, David received the World Food Prize together with Lawrence Haddad for their leadership in raising the profile and building coalitions for action for better nutrition across the Sustainable Development Goals.

Diane Holdorf is Managing Director of Food and Nature at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), based in Geneva, Switzerland, since December 2018.

Before joining WBCSD, Diane was Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer for Kellogg Company. She joined Kellogg in May 2008 as Senior Director, Environmental Stewardship and in 2009 was promoted to Vice President, Environmental Stewardship, Health and Safety. In 2011, she was promoted to Chief Sustainability Officer, Vice President Environment, Health & Safety and in 2015, in recognition of the increasing importance of sustainability across the Kellogg business, became Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer to focus full time on advancing Kellogg’s sustainability leadership efforts.

In addition to her role at Kellogg, Ms. Holdorf served on the Advisory Board of We Mean Business, and on the Executive Advisory Board of the Graham Sustainability Institute at the University of Michigan.

Prior to joining Kellogg, Ms. Holdorf served as vice president for Delta Consultants (now Antea), a U.S.A-based environment, health and safety and sustainability consulting firm. During her 17 years with Delta Consultants, she served in numerous management and consulting roles, based in the US and in the UK, where she worked with many consumer packaged goods, forest products and manufacturing companies in development and implementation of global programs for corporate responsibility, environmental management and risk management.

Diane’s board experience includes serving as a corporate officer during her years as Managing Director of a UK-based joint venture while with Delta, as well as serving as secretary of the board for Inogen Environmental Alliance, a global business of which Delta was a member.

In 2015, Diane was recognized as a Maize and Wheat Super Woman by CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) as part of the United Nation’s International Women’s Day in 2015.  She is also recognized as an Oxfam Sisters on the Planet Ambassador.

Ms. Holdorf received Bachelor’s degrees in Public Communications and in German from Syracuse University. She also completed the Executive MBA Program at the University of St. Thomas.