Global Institute for Food Security at USask announces retirement of Chief Executive Officer 

The Board of Directors of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) today announced the upcoming retirement of its Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Steven R. Webb (PhD). Webb’s last day at GIFS will be in the first quarter of 2026, following more than 30 years of impactful leadership in public-private partnerships across the agriculture and food sector in Canada and internationally.

“We are deeply grateful for Steve’s visionary leadership, which has helped transform GIFS into a strong innovation catalyst that drives collaboration to boost Canada’s agricultural productivity, expand the impact of the agri-food sector and enhance global competitiveness,” said GIFS Board Chair Alanna Koch.

“Under his leadership, GIFS has strengthened its ability to deliver innovation that advances global, sustainable food security.”

During his time at GIFS, Webb led the design and refresh of the institute’s strategy and launched a number of flagship initiatives, including GIFS’ FCC Breeding Acceleration, Biomanufacturing and Innovation Thought Leadership programs. He championed the development of its platform technologies including Engineering Biology, High-Throughput Genotyping and Bioinformatics, while helping secure more than $44 million in investments over the past four years to strengthen agriculture and food innovation in Canada and beyond.

“Serving at GIFS has been the greatest honour of my career, as together we have advanced meaningful change within the institute and strengthened its role in the global innovation pipeline. What sets GIFS apart is its unique model—unmatched in Canada and uncommon globally—combined with world-class capacities and talented people who are redefining how innovation is realized and delivering on the vision of our Founders,” said Webb.

“I remain fully committed to driving GIFS’ strategy and delivering on our Mission, and I am confident the institute is well positioned to continue delivering value for Saskatchewan, Canada and the world.”