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With 11 nationalities and 10 languages between them, the ISF Secretariat is a truly international team with a global outlook.

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Based in Nyon, Switzerland and led by the Secretary General, the ISF Secretariat comprises a technical team responsible for key topics highlighted under Our Work, and specialist personnel who manage ISF’s communications, events, accounts and administration.

ISF Secretariat 2024
Michael Keller

Michael Keller

Secretary General

Michael Keller is Secretary General of the International Seed Federation (June 2014 to present), focusing on the vision of a world where quality seed is accessible to all farmers to support sustainable agriculture and food security. In line with ISF’s mission, Michael is engaged in creating through collaboration an enabling environment for the private seed sector. Through long-standing involvement at national and international levels, he has an extensive knowledge and understanding of cooperation within the private sector and with non-governmental and civil society organizations. His field of expertise spans a wide range of topics including seed, agriculture, food security, Sustainable Development Goals, law, policy and advocacy. Prior to joining ISF, Michael worked in the French Senate as a Parliamentary Advisor, as Head of European and International Affairs of the Mayor’s Association of France and in different positions at DuPont de Nemours and Pioneer Seed. Michael studied law in Germany (Law State examination) and holds a post-graduate in law from the Paris-Sorbonne University. He spent time in Switzerland, Tunisia and France for trainings in international law and political science.

Khaoula Belhaj-Fragniere, ISF

Khaoula Belhaj-Fragnière

Regulatory Affairs Manager

Khaoula brings 15 years of experience in the fields of agricultural innovation, private sector and government affairs. Previously she served as government officer within the Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, and then later worked as Senior Regulatory Scientist -Scientific Regulatory Affairs & Standards for Philip Morris International. In her role at the FOEN, she was responsible for law adaptation projects related to regulation of new biotechnologies and synthetic biology. She also represented the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment in the United Nations (Biodiversity convention) and in the European Food Security Authority (EFSA, GMO panel).

Szonja Csorgo, ISF

Szonja Csörgő

Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs Manager

Szonja is Hungarian and holds a degree in Law from ELTE Budapest University, an MA in French and European Law from Panthéon-Assas University (Paris), and an L.LM. in Intellctual Property and Competition Law from the University of Liège in Belgium. Before joining ISF, Szonja worked for nearly 15 years in Euroseeds first at the Legal and Policy Officer and then as the Director of Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs. Prior to that she worked at the Budapest office of the French law firm Gide Loyrette Nouel and at the European Commission. Szonja is based in Brussels, Belgium, where she lives with her husband and three sons.

Rose Souza Richards, ISF

Rose Souza Richards

Phytosanitary Affairs Manager

Ben Rivoire, ISF

BENJAMIN RIVOIRE

Sustainability & Crop Value Chain Manager

Ludivine Thomas, ISF

Ludivine Thomas

Technical Lead - International Seed Health Initiative (ISHI)

Benedicte Lebas, ISF

Bénédicte Lebas

Technical Lead - Regulated Pest List Initiative (RPLI)

Marie Tahmazian, ISF

Marie Tahmazian

Members Engagement Manager

Marie Tahmazian earned her degree in Chemistry specialized in formulation from the French Science University of Montpellier. After spending a gap year in UK, she had the opportunity to work for Syngenta Jealott’s Hill International Research Centre in the UK as a formulation chemist in crop protection. After taking a break from her professional life to raise her two kids while moving to different countries, Marie transitioned back into the workplace and pursued an Accountancy degree in Switzerland. She spent some years in an accounting firm in France before finally joining ISF in December 2013 as an accountant, where her role gradually grew to include engagement with members like national seed associations and seed companies.

Airah Cadiogan, ISF

AIRAH CADIOGAN

Communications Manager

Camille Beronie, ISF

Camille Beronie

Events Coordinator

ANDRÉS GULEED

ANDRÉS GULEED

Junior Communications Officer

Magdalena Rushton

Magdalena Rushton

Adminstrative Assistant

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Meet our members around the world

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Michael Keller 

Secretary General, ISF  

 

 

Michael Keller is Secretary General of the International Seed Federation (June 2014 to present), focusing on the vision of a world where quality seed is accessible to all farmers to support sustainable agriculture and food security. In line with ISF’s mission, Michael is engaged in creating through collaboration an enabling environment for the private seed sector. 

 

Through long-standing involvement at national and international levels, he has an extensive knowledge and understanding of cooperation within the private sector and with non-governmental and civil society organizations.  

 

His field of expertise spans a wide range of topics including seed, agriculture, food security, Sustainable Development Goals, law, policy and advocacy.   

 

Prior to joining ISF, Michael worked in the French Senate as a Parliamentary Advisor, as Head of European and International Affairs of the Mayor’s Association of France and in different positions at DuPont de Nemours and Pioneer Seed.   

 

Michael studied law in Germany (Law State examination) and holds a post-graduate in law from the Paris-Sorbonne University. He spent time in Switzerland, Tunisia and France for trainings in international law and political science. 

Khaoula Belhaj-Fragnière 

Regulatory Affairs Manager, ISF  

 

 

Khaoula brings 15 years of experience in the fields of agricultural innovation, private sector and government affairs. Previously she served as government officer within the Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, and then later worked as Senior Regulatory Scientist -Scientific Regulatory Affairs & Standards for Philip Morris International. In her role at the FOEN, she was responsible for law adaptation projects related to regulation of new biotechnologies and synthetic biology. She also represented the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment in the United Nations (Biodiversity convention) and in the European Food Security Authority (EFSA, GMO panel). 


Khaoula has a degree in Agronomical Engineering-Plant Production & Seed Biotechnology, a Master in Agronomy & Plant Breeding, a PhD in Biology from the University of Fribourg-Switzerland (2009) and a Foundation for Business Leadership Certificate from the IMD Business School (2018) in Lausanne.

Szonja Csörgő

Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs Manager, ISF  

 

Szonja is Hungarian and holds a degree in Law from ELTE Budapest University, an MA in French and European Law from Panthéon-Assas University (Paris), and an L.LM. in Intellectual Property and Competition Law from the University of Liège in Belgium. 

Before joining ISF, Szonja worked for nearly 15 years in Euroseeds first at the Legal and Policy Officer and then as the Director of Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs. Prior to that she worked at the Budapest office of the French law firm Gide Loyrette Nouel and at the European Commission.

Szonja is based in Brussels, Belgium, where she lives with her husband and three sons.

Rose Souza Richards, PhD 

Phytosanitary Affairs Manager, ISF 

Dr. Rose Souza Richards has been the Phytosanitary Affairs Manager (prev. Seed Health Manager) at ISF since March 2020. In this role, she liaises with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and coordinates industry-wide responses to World Trade Organization (WTO) notifications on national phytosanitary regulations. She oversees key ISF initiatives such as the Systems Approach, the Regulated Pest List Initiative, and the International Seed Health Initiative. 


Dr. Souza Richards holds a BSc in Agronomic Engineering from the State University of Bahia, Brazil, an MSc in Plant Pathology from the Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil, a second MSc in Plant Diversity from the University of Reading, UK, and a PhD in Plant Molecular Virology from the University of Nottingham, UK.

 

In addition to her role at ISF, Dr. Souza Richards is the Chair of the ePhyto Industry Advisory Group (IAG). She collaborates with the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and the WTO to enhance global phytosanitary measures and facilitate international trade in seeds. Her extensive experience includes roles at the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in New Zealand and Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in England demonstrating her expertise in plant health and regulatory affairs.

Benjamin (Ben) Rivoire

Sustainability and Crop Value Chain Manager, ISF  

 

Benjamin (Ben) Rivoire joined ISF in March 2022. Prior to that, he served as Head of Seed Sector Cooperation and Regional Development (Africa + Arab Countries) at UPOV.

 

 

Ludivine Thomas 

Technical Lead for the International Seed Health Initiative, ISF  

 

Ludivine joined the ISF Secretariat in March 2022. Prior to that, she was the Seed Health Control Manager in HM.Clause in France for seven years. She also worked as the Team Lead for Proteomics group in Saudi Arabia from 2011 to 2015. She was a post-doctoral fellow in Saudi Arabi and also in South Africa.


Ludivine holds a BSc in Plant Biotechnology and Seed Technologies from France and the Netherlands and a PhD in Plant Biology from Massey University in New Zealand. 


She is based in Valence, France.

Bénédicte Lebas 

Technical Lead for the Regulated Pest List Initiative, ISF  

 

Bénédicte Lebas joined ISF in January 2021 as the Technical Lead for the Regulated pest list initiative.  

 

Bénédicte has more than 15 years’ experience in plant virology diagnostics at the Plant Health and Environment Laboratory of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand. For two years, she was a Senior Adviser in the MPI Plant Import team looking after the Import health standard for nursery stock and conducting audits of offshore facilities. 

 

Prior to joining ISF, she worked three years at the University of Liège, Belgium on the European project, VALITEST, developing guidelines for the use of high-throughput sequencing as a diagnostic test and guidelines for improved statistical analysis of data generated through validation studies. She has a PhD in plant virology from the University of Greenwich, UK. 

Marie Tahmazian 

Finance and Member Engagement Manager, ISF  

 

 

Marie Tahmazian earned her degree in Chemistry specialized in formulation from the French Science University of Montpellier. After spending a gap year in UK, she had the opportunity to work for Syngenta Jealott’s Hill International Research Centre in the UK as a formulation chemist in crop protection. 

 

After taking a break from her professional life to raise her two kids while moving to different countries, Marie transitioned back into the workplace and pursued an Accountancy degree in Switzerland. 

 

She spent some years in an accounting firm in France before finally joining ISF in December 2013 as an accountant, where her role gradually grew to include engagement with members like national seed associations and seed companies. 

Airah Cadiogan 

Communications Manager, ISF  

 

Airah Cadiogan joined ISF in January 2020 as Digital Media Associate before taking on the role of Communications Manager in February 2024. As Digital Media Associate, Airah significantly grew ISF’s online community and implemented wide-ranging enhancements in its digital ecosystem, supporting member engagement and external outreach.

 

Before joining ISF, Airah ran her own strategic communications consultancy, working with clients including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Oxfam, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) while based in Mexico City, Mexico and in Geneva, Switzerland. 

 

Prior to launching her business, she worked as a Global Campaigns Project Manager for Oxfam GB, supporting the launch of the ‘Behind the Barcodes’ global campaign and advancing national policies on food and climate justice. She also worked for the UN Resident Coordinators of the Philippines and other development organizations in her native country.

 

Airah has a background in Communication Research and Development Studies. She is based in Nyon, Switzerland.

Camille Beronie 

Events Coordinator, ISF  

 

Camille Beronie joined ISF in November 2019 as Events Coordinator, after having worked as an intern in the ISF events team from 2016-2017 and supporting the organization of the World Seed Congress in Budapest. 

 

She finished her Gymnase in Economics at Marcelin, Morges and spent six months in England to study English. In 2019, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Management from Ecole Supérieure de Tourisme in Lausanne. 

 

Camille was born in Switzerland to French parents. 

Andrés Guleed

Junior Communications Officer, ISF  

 

 

Andrés Guleed Davoud joined ISF in February 2024. He has experience in events management, communications, and external relations having worked for the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva. 

 

As DNDi Communications and Events Associate, he organized events in support of the 20th anniversary. As WTO External Relations intern, he supported the organization of regular briefings for specific audiences, such as journalists, non-governmental organizations, and private sector representatives. He has also contributed to the organization of key events such as the WTO Public Forum, the annual flagship, which attracts more than 1,500 participants.

 

He also has experience supporting the representation of the national interests of the Dominican Republic and Federal Republic of Somalia at the United Nations Office in Geneva.

 

He is fluent in French, English and Spanish. He completed a Master at the Paris School of International and Political Studies and a Bachelor in Social Sciences from the University Lumière Lyon 2.