Temina Lalani-Shariff

Temina Lalani-Shariff is Regional Director, South Asia, CGIAR, and a trusted leader who brings over 20 years of diverse management and business development experience in the research and innovation industry, energy, tech, telecommunications, non-profit and government sectors. She is an adaptable leader and team-builder, deeply committed to fostering an environment of creativity, inclusion, and innovation where people can do their best work.

After having established and grown a boutique public relations firm, she joined the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) where she served as Director of Global Advocacy and Brand for the past five years. Here, she has led the development of an institution-wide advocacy strategy to increase and diversify IRRI’s profile and supporters as well as intensify support for broader global issues of climate change adaptation and mitigation, nutrition security and equitable access to technology. In each role, she has generated support for the organization’s mission from governments, private funders and stakeholders.

She is passionate about the potential of knowledge to transform communities. This has led her to work with the Aga Khan University in Pakistan, Bow Valley College and the University of Calgary in Canada, as well as research institutions, development organizations and professional associations in South and Central Asia, East Africa and North America.

An avid community volunteer, she has served on the Board of the Calgary Public Library and Ten Thousand Villages. She holds joint MBA degrees from the Kellogg School of Management and Schulich School of Management, an MA in Communication Studies from the University of Calgary and a BA in International Political Science from the University of Alberta.