Mandefro Nigussie is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA). The Agency is an initiative of the Government of Ethiopia, established by federal regulation to promote agricultural sector transformation in Ethiopia by identifying solutions to systemic bottlenecks in key program areas. Prior to joining the ATA, Mandefro served as a State Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and led the Agriculture Development Sub-sector of the Ministry. The Sub-sector consisted of Crop Production, Agricultural TVET, Agricultural Extension, Mechanization, Regulatory and Mega Projects such as the Agricultural Growth Program. Before his appointment to a State Minister, Mandefro was the Director General of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and Country Manager of AGRA and Deputy Regional Director of Oxfam America. Mandefro has led the development of several agricultural policies, various programs in the areas of advocacy, relief, development, climate change, agricultural extension performance management systems. He also published various articles in books, journals, proceedings, and research reports in the area of crop sciences, marketing and entrepreneurship, and biotechnology & biosafety. He has taught and supervised postgraduate students in different universities, and he is also a fellow member of the Ethiopian Academy of Science and was a member of the Independent Science for Development Council (ISDC) of CGIAR. He has also served as Board chair, and board members of various institutions. Currently leading the Agriculture Sector Policy Reform of Ethiopia. He holds BSc, MSc and PhD in Plant Sciences, Agronomy and Genetics and Plant Breeding, respectively. And also holds MBA.