Diego Risso got his degree in Agronomy in 1997 and in 2001 completed a postgraduate degree in Marketing and in 2013 a postgraduate in seed technology.He has been the Executive Director of URUPOV (Uruguayan Plant Breeders Association) since 2001, and is responsible for developing royalties’ collection systems and enforcing plant breeder’s rights in Uruguay.In 2005 he took the position of Executive Director of the National Seed Institute (INASE-Uruguay) and returned to URUPOV in 2006.He also represents Uruguay at the International Seed Federation where he participates as a member of the Working Group on Royalty Collection.He is also the Secretary General of the Seed Association of the Americas (SAA) which headquarters are located in Montevideo, Uruguay. He is responsible of assisting the 4 working groups in SAA (Biotech, Phytosanitary, Seed treatment, IP).He interacts with the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) and with the Southern Cone Plant Protection Organization (COSAVE) where several workshops have been organized with successful results.On behalf of SAA, he attends UPOV meetings and the International Plant Protection Convention (at FAO) meetings as an observer member.He also organizes congresses and workshops where seed industry and governments representatives gathers to address common agenda items in order to agree on a joint work plan.