Ruth has a PhD in Plant Biology and has held research posts in plant genetics and breeding across the globe. She left the research to pursue a career in science strategy, policy and communication which saw her working alongside government departments and international bodies such as FAO.
Ruth has held several leadership roles including the Executive Director of the Global Plant Council, where she coordinated the activities of 28 national, regional and international plant, crop and soil societies to facilitate the development of research for global challenges.
Ruth was Innovation Director with Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) prior to the merger and she now leads the Innovation Directorate helping to develop solutions to real-world problems that affect everyone’s lives, from climate change and environmental sustainability to productivity gains and disease mitigation.