Mehrdad Ehsani joined the Rockefeller Foundation in September 2019 as Managing Director for the Food Initiative in Africa which seeks to enhance access to nourishing food for millions of people on the continent through sustainable food systems. He has an interest in ecosystem approaches to transforming markets for greater inclusivity. He has provided technical leadership and oversight of market development programs in Africa in food systems with Adam Smith International, Palladium Group and SNV with support from DFID, USAID, DGIS, RF and BMGF. Mehrdad holds a BSc in Agriculture from University of British Columbia and an MSc in Agribusiness Management from Imperial College, London. Prior to joining the Foundation, he was in the leadership team of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.