Santiago Lyon oversees the AP's global photo department and more than 400 staff photographers and editors. The AP photo department holds the record for the most Pulitzer Prizes in photography than any other news organization.

Born in Madrid, Spain to U.S. parents, Lyon was raised in Ireland and Spain. He began his journalistic career in Madrid in 1984 as a translator for the English Language Service of the Spanish state news agency EFE before deciding to become a photographer later that year. He began freelancing for UPI in Madrid and subsequently for Reuters where he was hired as staff photographer in 1987.

In 1989 Lyon was named Chief Photographer/Photo Editor for Reuters in Mexico and Central America, based in Mexico City and in 1991 he joined the Associated Press as a Cairo-based roving photographer.   He was named AP's Chief Photographer/Photo Editor for Spain and Portugal, based in Madrid in 1995. Lyon, who speaks fluent Spanish and has a basic understanding of French, Portuguese and Italian, has photographed multiple news and sports events in over 50 countries and has won numerous awards for his coverage of wars and conflicts.

In 2003 Lyon took a break to become a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University and later that year became AP's global Director of Photography.

 Under his leadership, the AP won its 29th and 30th Pulitzer Prizes for photography.

 A member of the board of directors of the Overseas Press Club and the Eddie Adams Workshop, Lyons has taught photojournalism seminars in Madrid, Barcelona, and at the International Center of Photography in New York. Married to former journalist Emma Daly, now Communications Director at Human Rights Watch, they have two children and live inManhattan.