Charles Spillane

Title: Chief Scientist

Biography

Charles Spillane is the Chief Scientist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

A national of Ireland, he holds a PhD in Plant Genetics and Biotechnology from Trinity College Dublin, and a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from Dublin City University. He has held scientific positions in leading international research institutions, including the John Innes Centre (United Kingdom), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (United States of America), the Friedrich Miescher Institute (Switzerland) and the University of Zurich (Switzerland).

Prior to his appointment at FAO, he served since September 2009 as Established Professor (Chair) of Plant Science, and Leader of the Agriculture, Food Systems and Bioeconomy Research Centre at the University of Galway, Ireland. From 2017 to 2024, he was Director of the interdisciplinary Ryan Institute, providing strategic leadership for interdisciplinary research by over 100 research teams addressing sustainable development challenges.

Prior to joining FAO, he was a Member of the Board of Trustees of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), within the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) system. He was also a co-founder and Chair of the Irish Forum for International Agricultural Development (IFIAD) multistakeholder platform.

Over the past three decades, he has led interdisciplinary research in agri-biosciences, food security and climate change, overseeing projects, partnerships and capacity-building activities in more than 60 countries worldwide. His interdisciplinary work has consistently focused on advancing science-based, inclusive and sustainable solutions to support agricultural development and global food security.