b"2 0 1 820 MOST INFLUENTIALin the European seed sectorNEAL GUTTERSONCHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER FOR CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE, AGRICULTURE DIVISION OF DOWDUPONTNeal leads the research and development of all plant varieties and traits, crop protection products and predictive agriculture systems to create innovative agricultural products, services and integrated solutions for producers around the world in his role. Neal is a keen promoter of science-based policy making and has been speaking up for dialogue in plant breeding innovation in Europe for many years. Neal is behind the launch of the Open Innovation initiative in his company and is committed to being transparent and proactive about CRISPR and how it is being used to develop innovation and find solutions in the future. Neal has been talking with a wide array of partners in the food industry, listening to public reaction and engaging with multiple stakeholders. He personally participated in key media initiatives in Europe and wrote op-ed articles published in European media. Neal truly has a great positive influence on the European and global agriculture landscape. ANKE VAN DEN HURKDIRK INZGEOFFREY HAWTIN DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT THE DUTCH SEEDSCIENCE DIRECTOR AT VIB AND FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE GLOBALASSOCIATION, PLANTUM PROFESSOR PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND CROP DIVERSITY TRUST Anke has been active in the seed sectorMOLECULAR BIOLOGY AT GHENT Geoff is a world-renowned authority infor many years. Among other things, sheUNIVERSITYthe conservation and utilization of plantrepresents the sector in a multitude of com- Dirk is a plant molecular biologist at the genetic resources. Besides founding theplex international debates on biodiversityVIB in Flanders and professor at Ghent Global Crop Diversity Trust in 2004, he hasconservation and access and benefit shar- University, both in Belgium. In 2002, he also been Director General of Bioversitying. She started that in 2001, long beforebecame scientific director of the world International and the Internationalmost seedsmen considered the policy areafamous VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).relevant. One of her many achievementsBiology. He is one of the world's most cited He was also Deputy Director General ofis that she spearheaded the developmentauthors and his research has significantly the International Center for Agriculturalof a manual and interactive tool to bettercontributed to safeguard food security. He Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), whereunderstand the Nagoya Protocol on geneticwas awarded numerous prizes, including: he started his career as a food legumeresources. As deputy director of Plantum,the Krber European Science Prize; the breeder. He strongly feels that fosteringresponsible for international affairs, sheFrancqui Prize on Biological and Medical genetic diversity is crucial to mankindsalso connects the Dutch sector with theSciences; and in 2017 he received the future and has highlighted the importanceregional associations in Asia and Africa. World Agriculture Prize. In addition to of ex-situ conservation in protecting andhaving promoted innovation for years in his using this diversity. He has been an indefati- leading capacity at the VIB, Dirk has led gable champion for agricultural biodiversitythe coalition of over 90 scientific institutions in general and genebanks in particularfollowing the EU court ruling on mutagene-and has provided years of exemplary andsis, asking for a new regulatory framework visionary leadership to the plant geneticthat evaluates new crop varieties based on resources community. science.12IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM"