Professor Mario Caccamo has accepted a new international leadership role at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) as one of the inaugural Translational Professors, a newly established senior faculty track designed to accelerate KAUST’s strategic shift toward impact-driven, applied research.
Mario joined AIRTO member Niab in 2015 as Head of Crop Bioinformatics, later becoming Managing Director of NIAB EMR before being appointed Chief Executive in 2021. Over the past decade, he has played a key role in expanding Niab’s research capabilities, strengthening its service provision, and guiding the organisation through a period of significant transformation.
His leadership has been central to Niab’s recent transformation programme which has aligned the organisation more closely with its mission of translating scientific advances into practical, robust solutions for farmers and growers. Niab is now positioned to deliver even greater impact across the agri-food sector.
Reflecting on his time at Niab, Mario said:
It has been an honour to have led Niab through a period of positive transformation – firstly at East Malling and then across the entire organisation. I’m grateful to colleagues and partners for their support as we ensure a smooth handover.
Image Credit: Niab
