Dr. Mary Ann P. Sayoc is the Partnerships and Alliances Lead of East West Seed International. She has over 23 years of professional experience in the seed industry. She was former General Manager of East-West Seed Philippines. Dr. Sayoc is active in the local and international seed sector. She is currently the President of the Philippine Seed Industry Association. She is past president of the Asia & Pacific Seed Association (APSA) and currently chairs the Standing Committee on International Trade and Quarantine. She has been elected to the Board of the International Seed Federation (ISF) and sits in various committees. Mary Ann is a strong advocate of public-private partnerships, multi-stakeholder engagement, gender equity and social inclusion, women and youth empowerment and science-based regulations. She is also an Independent Member of the CGIAR’s Champions and Challengers of Genetic Improvement Group, an advisory group that provides high-level strategic advice to the Genetic Innovation management team. 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.