Merlyn Casanova Loor

Executive Director, ANECACAO

Merlyn Casanova has dedicated much of her professional career to strengthening Ecuador’s cocoa sector with a strategic, human, and transformative vision. With over 14 years of experience in the business field and 9 years leading ANECACAO – the National Association of Cocoa Exporters of Ecuador – she works to build a more sustainable, innovative value chain with greater prominence for producers.

She currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board of the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) and has been recognized as Ambassador of Guayaquil 2025–2028 for her contribution to projecting the city through fairs, events, and productive development platforms.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Management and two Master’s degrees in Administration and Strategic Management. She is certified as an Independent Director and also teaches courses on strategic planning and managerial skills.

Her approach is focused on driving transformation with impact: from the territory to global markets, from academia to producers, from collective effort to sustainable development.

Her purpose is to create positive impact through empathy, collaboration, and the commitment to always give the best. She strongly believes in the power of ideas that turn into actions and in the value of building with purpose, step by step, together with others.