FAO Philippines welcomes new head
Dr Lionel Dabbadie has been named as new FAO Representative in the Philippines effective 31 January 2023.
Dr. Lionel Dabbadie has assumed the position and duties as the new FAO Representative (FAOR) in the Philippines effective 31 January 2023. He takes over from Ms. Sheila Wertz-Kanounnikoff, who served as FAOR 𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮 from 1 July 2022 until 30 January 2023.
Before this posting, Lionel served as Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer of FAO based in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. In this role, he was responsible for providing support to Gulf Cooperation Council States and Yemen. Prior to this, he has been working at FAO headquarters in Rome where he was responsible for a programme aimed at developing guidelines for sustainable aquaculture.
A doctoral graduate of the University of Paris-Jussieu and an Agronomist Engineer of Montpellier SupAgro, Lionel served for over 25 years as a scientist for the French Agricultural Research Center (Cirad), working in partnership with local institutions in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
He is also a recipient of several recognitions and awards. Among others, in 2015, the president of the Asian Institute of Technology bestowed upon him the title of Distinguished Adjunct Faculty. He also received a Special Distinction from the Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, as well as the Silver Medal of the French Academia of Agriculture.
Lionel has published over 50 scientific and technical publications, translated two aquaculture books into English, and produced an e-learning course on aquaculture.
The FAO Philippines' family looks forward to exciting times ahead in its work in the country with Lionel at the helm 😊.