Science Leadership Team

HUGO CAMPOS

Title: Deputy Director General for Science and Innovation

Citizenship: Chile

Location: Lima, Peru

Profile Summary: Hugo Campos is Interim Deputy Director General for Research and Development at the International Potato Center. He has 25+ years of international experience working in several Latin-American countries, Sub Saharan Africa, US and UK. Most of his professional career has focused on molecular breeding – the intersection between plant breeding and biotechnology – with an explicit goal of delivering superior varieties and increase the efficacy and efficiency of plant breeding programs, and in developing commercially relevant drought tolerant varieties. He is experienced in diverse crop species such as sugarcane, maize, soybeans, canola, potato, sweetpotato and wheat. He is an advanced practitioner of topics such as innovation and entrepreneurship from a private standpoint. In addition to playing a direct role leading plant breeding international teams, Hugo has written/edited four books to date, which overall have been sold/downloaded in excess of 300,000 times, and is in the process of publishing his fifth book. He is a Chilean national and holds a PhD from the John Innes Centre, UK, an MBA from Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile, and a Professional Certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship from Standord University (USA).

Languages: Spanish, English

HANNELE LINDQVIST-KREUZE

Title: Leader of the Genetics, Genomics and Crop Improvement

Citizenship: Finland

Location: Lima, Peru

Profile Summary: Hannele Lindqvist-Kreuze leads the potato and sweetpotato breeding programs at CIP as of January 2020. Her objective is to drive increased genetic gains of both potato and sweetpotato through the adoption of novel breeding approaches and modernization of the breeding program. The breeding products generated need to respond to customer needs to increase the adoption and dissemination of improved varieties.

Lindqvist-Kreuze has more than 15 years of experience in potato genomics, molecular breeding and pathology at CIP. She is originally from Finland and received her MSc in Agronomy (Plant Pathology) from the University of Helsinki and her PhD in Molecular Plant Pathology from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

Languages: Finnish, English, Spanish

JAN KREUZE

Title: Leader, Crop and Systems Science Division

Citizenship: Sweden

Location: Lima, Peru

Profile Summary: Jan Kreuze, an Swedish national, has been leading the crop protection team, and particularly the virology area, where he develops most of his work. Since joining the International Potato Center in 2003, he has led different projects and activities globally to ensure the delivery of donor commitments and continuity of funding stream.

Languages: Spanish, English, Swedish

VANIA AZEVEDO

Title: Leader of Biodiversity for the Future Global Program and Director of CIP Genebank

Citizenship: Brazil

Location: Lima, Peru

Profile Summary: As leader of the Biodiversity for the Future Global Program and director of the CIP Genebank, Vania Azevedo is responsible for the acquisition, conservation, characterization, and distribution of samples of the world’s largest in vitro collections of potato, sweetpotato, and Andean Root and Tuber Crops (ARTC), for the benefit of humanity. She ensures’ that the genebank team adheres to world-class standards and that the genebank complies with CIP and CGIAR’s mission, and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. She also collaborates with other organizations and genebanks across the globe in areas that include conservation, research, knowledge sharing, and capacity building.

A Brazilian national, Vania joined CIP in 2021, after working as the Genebank Head at the CGIAR International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), in Hyderbad, India. From ICRISAT headquarters, she coordinated activities in India, Zimbabwe and Niger. Prior to that, she worked for the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa, in the Genetic Resources and Biotechnology Unit, in Brasilia. Among her varied responsibilities there, she coordinated a system of more than 140 Genebanks across Brazil and represented Brazil at the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture at FAO. Vania holds a Ph.d. in Molecular Biology and two bachelor’s degrees in biology and business administration from the University of Brasilia.

Languages: Portuguese (mother language), English, Spanish

VIVIAN POLAR

Title: Leader, Social and Nutritional Sciences

Citizenship: Peru

Location: Lima, Peru

Profile Summary: Vivian Polar brings over 15 years of experience working directly with farmers and indigenous groups in rural communities, in agricultural technology innovation, adaptation to climate change, and food security. She has skills in project design, monitoring and evaluation and gender analysis in developing countries. Polar previously worked as a technical manager of PROINPA Foundation for the Altiplano Regional Office and also as a consultant for several well-known institutions such as the International Potato Center, Swiss Contact, World Bank, Samaritan’s Purse, and Bioversity International. She holds a PhD. in Finance and Management from the School of Oriental and African Studies – University of London, UK.

Languages: English, Spanish

MUKANI MOYO

Title: Interim Leader, Urban Food Systems

Citizenship: Kenya

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Profile Summary: Dr. Mukani Moyo, a Zimbabwean national, is an accomplished food scientist with extensive expertise in food chemistry, food quality and safety, food technology, and sensory science. She holds a PhD and a Master’s in Wine Sciences from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Midlands State University, Zimbabwe. Dr. Moyo is currently the Science Leader of the nutritional and quality laboratories for the International Potato Center (CIP) in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on sweetpotato value chains across Kenya, Uganda, and Mozambique. She also serves as the interim Head of Urban Food Systems at CIP, where she leads innovation and research in sustainable food systems.

Dr. Moyo has a diverse background, including work with ICRISAT and Dairiboard Limited in Zimbabwe, where she contributed to quality control, food safety, and product development. She has also coordinated research teams, supported value addition training for stakeholders, and explored waste management options in agricultural production. An advocate for inclusive practices and resilient food systems, she is committed to driving transformative change in the food sciences.

Languages: English, Ndebele, KiiSwahili