ISSN 2027-1238
E-Newsletter No. 3
April 2009

On 24 March, Dr. Ruben Echeverría officially assumed his position as CIAT's new Director General, marking a milestone in a year of exciting changes taking place at the Center.

"I am honored by this opportunity to serve as CIAT's Director General," Echeverría said. "Together with CIAT staff members around the world, I look forward to helping solve some of the greatest issues facing poor communities throughout the tropics."

Echeverría comes to CIAT with years of international development experience, serving most recently as the Executive Secretary of the CGIAR Science Council in Rome, Italy. Prior to joining the CGIAR, he served as Head of Agriculture and Rural Development at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC, from 1991 to 2004.

"CIAT is extremely fortunate to have someone of the caliber of Dr. Echeverría as its next Director General," said Gordon MacNeil, Chair of the Board of Trustees. "He brings to the position a wealth of experience both in Latin America and globally."

In December 2008, CIAT's Board of Trustees selected Echeverría after a lengthy selection process. He was preceded by Dr. Geoff Hawtin who served as CIAT's interim DG during the selection process. Initially committed to serving in the position for just 6 months, Hawtin later agreed to lead the Center until March 2009. Despite his temporary appointment, Hawtin is credited with successfully confronting several complex challenges facing the Center.

Looking to the future, Echeverría sees a future for CIAT as a center rooted in Latin America with global reach.

"CIAT has extensive, specialized experience with the unique issues which agriculture faces in LAC," Echeverría said. "I believe it's important to continue to build upon this experience, but, at the same time, actively seek out opportunities to make our research applicable in tropical Africa and Southeast Asia."

An Uruguayan citizen, Echeverría is joined in Cali by his wife, María Eugenia Soldevila.

Contacts:
Edith Hesse, e.hesse@cgiar.org
Eduardo Figueroa, e.figueroa@cgiar.org