Advisory Council

Advisory Council Members

Ed Seguine - In Memoriam

Ed was the founder of Cacao of Excellence and a highly respected cacao expert whose pioneering vision and dedication made a lasting impact on the cacao sector worldwide. As a founding member of our Advisory Council, Ed's contributions helped shape and elevate our mission to celebrate exceptional cacao and support producers globally. His legacy continues to inspire our work.

Adriana Mejia Cuartas

CEO & Founder, Herencia - Value your Legacy
Harlem, the Netherlands

Andrea Doucet Donida

Cacao Barry Global Brand Leader, Barry Callebaut
Montreal, Canada

Brigitte Laliberté

Strategic Advisor, Cacao Value Chain, Multistakeholder Collaboration
Rome, Italy

Catherine Entzminger

Director General, European Cocoa Association (ECA)
Brussels, Belgium

Gary Guittard

President, Guittard Chocolate Company
San Francisco, USA

Johanna Schmidt

Global Project Manager - Cocoa, Fairtrade International
Bonn, Germany

Juan Lucas Restrepo

Global Director of Partnerships and Advocacy, CGIAR and Director General, Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
Rome, Italy

Michel Arrion

Executive Director, International Cocoa Organization (ICCO)
Abidjan, Côte d'lvoire