Mrs. Veronica Waiyaki is the Director, Human Resources & Protocol with direct oversight of the Human Resources Unit and will be based at icipe’s Duduville campus. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree in International Business from Alliant University in San Diego, USA, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya. She is also a Certified Professional Coach through the Coach Development Institute and has completed a counseling certification at the Amani Counseling Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.

Veronica has held senior HR leadership positions in globally recognized institutions, including the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and the Capital Markets Authority (CMA). Throughout her career, she has provided high-level strategic HR counsel to various directors and Executive Management Teams, particularly in navigating workforce challenges in complex environments. She has played a pivotal role in streamlining HR structures across multiple research centers, in shaping HR policies, fostering a culture of excellence, implementing strategic reforms that align with institutional goals, and ensuring organizations remain adaptive and responsive to evolving workforce dynamics while maintaining employee engagement and well-being to support research excellence, policy development and institutional strengthening.