Chairwoman and CEO of IRD
Valérie Verdier is a physiopathologist with has a PhD in Plant Sciences from Université de Paris-Sud (1988), and is accredited to conduct research (HDR). Appointed Chairwoman and CEO of IRD in 2020, she was reappointed in 2024 She studies interactions between plant pathogenic bacteria and tropical plants, where understanding these interactions is crucial for food safety. Co-author of over 100 scientific publications, she has earned international recognition for her fundamental contributions to understanding the bacteria mechanisms that cause disease, particularly in cassava and rice, and the approaches to control them.
Prior to this appointment, Valérie Verdier was Director of the Joint Research Unit on Plant-Microorganism-Environment Interactions (IPME) and was responsible for one of IRD’s five scientific departments: Ecology, Biodiversity and Continental Ecosystem Operations (ECOBIO). Valérie Verdier is a Knight of the Legion of Honor and Officer of the National Order of Merit.