Dieter Josef Schillinger joined ILRI in September 2016 as Assistant Director General, Biosciences.  His responsibilities will include leading ILRI’s upstream research in animal and human health (including vaccines and diagnostics development), animal breeding and genetics, and feed resources development.
He is a veterinarian with 30 years’ experience in the animal health industry that includes experience in applied animal science, tropical veterinary medicine and the development, licensing, marketing and sales of livestock vaccines.
Dieter is also the founding chairperson of the NGO ‘Action Africa Help (AAH)’ and acted as Chair of this not-for-profit humanitarian over 7 years until 2003.
He has extensive private sector experience, and in interacting with top business leaders, government officials and food chain stakeholders from different nationalities and cultures.
Dieter, a citizen of Germany, studied mechanical engineering in Regensburg, Germany, and veterinary medicine in Munich, Germany, where he graduated as Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. He  also holds an MBA from Brunel University, UK.

Abonesh Tesfaye Tulu was appointed as Post-Doctoral Fellow – Economics of Climate Services in Livestock Systems and the Environment  Program (LSE) effective  September 2016. Abonesh holds a PhD  in Environmental Economics from Vrije University in Amsterdam, MSc in Agricultural Economics from Haramaya University  and BSc  in Agricultural Economics from Alemaya University of Agriculture. Before joining ILRI, she was working as an Environment and Climate Change Advisor at the Land Investment for Transformation Program in Department for International Development (DFID). Abonesh is from Ethiopia.