All Speakers

Salem ALZAHMI

College of Engineering Assistant Dean for Research & Graduate Studies

United Arab Emirates University

Dr. Salem Alzahmi is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the United Arab Emirates University, where he has served as a faculty member since July 2015. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemical…

Matthew GOULD

CEO

Zoological Society of London

Matthew is currently CEO of the Zoological Society of London, a conservation charity which runs London and Whipsnade Zoos, a global network of conservation projects, and the scientific Institute of…

Maria MANCERA

Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre

María Mancera is an environmental scientist specialized in biodiversity management and restoration. She worked as an environmental educator at the Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre, where she contributed…

Joaquín Humberto GUTIéRREZ SáNCHEZ

Cheikh MOHAMEDOU

Ecologist

IUCN

Senior Ecologist with over 10 years of experience in ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience. Brings a systems perspective that links biodiversity outcomes with…

Paula BUENO

Regional Vice Chair

IUCN WCPA

Regional Vice Chair, South America. M.Sc. in Sustainability Science, Resilience and Global Change. With over 18 years of experience and an on-going career in biodiversity conservation at the…

Catherine MUNGAI

Senior Programme Officer - Climate and Biodiversity Engagement

IUCN Commission on Education and Communication 2021-2025

As a Senior Programme Officer, Catherine provides policy advice to IUCN Kenya, focusing on (i) aligning climate and biodiversity management and economic development and private sector investments; (…

Georges IBRAHIM

VP of Ecosystem Services

Nabat

Georges brings 18+ years of experience leading transformative environmental and technology initiatives across the UAE and MENA region. He has a track record in building capabilities for large-scale…

Luther Bois ANUKUR

Regional Director, IUCN ESARO

IUCN Secretariat

Luther Anukur took up the position of Regional Director – Eastern and Southern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya on 1 August 2014. Luther has over 18 years’ experience in the development sector serving from…

John KAMANGA

Director

SORALO

With a background training in Anthropology and community development, John has worked with various communities across the country, especially in rural areas of Kenya, for over fifteen years.…

Prescilia KAPUPU

Indigenous Expert

ANAPAC – DRC

Role: Community Facilitator and Program Officer, ANAPAC – DRC andFacilitator, COSPAB SecretariatFields of experience: Nature conservation and biodiversityPrescillia is an Indigenous woman from…

Olivier BESSON

Communications Associate

GEF

YUKO TANAKA

President

National Geographic Japan

Thomas PIENKOWSKI

IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 2021-2025

Dr Thomas Pienkowski is a Research Fellow at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology and a member of the E3 Sharing Space for Nature initiative.His overarching aim is to produce research…

Hanneline SMIT-ROBINSON

BirdLife South Africa

Dr Hanneline Smit-Robinson serves as the Head of Conservation at BirdLife South Africa, where she oversees the organisation’s diverse Conservation Division. Hanneline holds a PhD in…

Faria TARUS

Program Officer- Species Conservation

IUCN

Faria Tarus is a conservation professional with over 10 years of experience in biodiversity and natural resource management. She currently serves as a Programme Officer with the International Union…

Niila-Juhán Valkeapää

Lewis Cocks COCKS

Aquarium Curator

The National Aquarium

Working with aquatics since the age of 15, i have steadily been involved with aquariums, conservation and fieldwork for 20 years and have spent the last 13 years in the GCC. Currently the Curator of…

Mike GILL

President

Global Conservation Design

Mike Gill is the President of Global Conservation Design Ltd, an Honorary Fellow of UN Environment’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre, and the former Co-Chair of the Group on Earth Observations…

Carl Gustaf LUNDIN

Advisory Board Member

MSC Foundation

Carl Gustaf specializes in ocean investment strategies for philanthropic organizations as well as equity funds. Carl Gustaf has worked with Mission Blue as Managing Director and CEO and Senior…

Arsène Alain SANON

Regional Head, Protected Areas & Biodiversity

IUCN

Arsene Alain Sanon holds a PhD in Environmental Geosciences, which he obtained in 2009 from Nancy 1 University (France). Prior to that, he obtained a DESS (postgraduate diploma) and then a DEA (…

Xiaofan WANG

China Land Surveying and Planning Institute

Senior Natural Resources Engineer with 9+ years of experience in ecological protection line delineation and land ecosystem assessment. PhD-qualified expert leading national-level environmental…

Ilena ZANELLA

Presidente

Misión Tiburón

Ilena Zanella is a marine biologist and a Master in Wildlife Management andConservation from Institute for Wildlife Conservation and Management,Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica. She is the co-…

Yuuko IIZUKA

Executive Officer, Deputy Head of Corporate Division, Head of Sustainability

Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.

Yuuko Iizuka is executive officer, deputy head of Corporate Division of Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd. as of January 2025, where she oversees the Sustainability Department as general manager since 2015…

Wataru SUZUKI

Director, Biodiversity Strategy Office

Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Wataru Suzuki is Director of the Biodiversity Strategy Office, Biodiversity Policy Division, Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of the Environment of Japan. He holds master's degree in…

Jiayi Xu

Programs Director

Beijing Greenovation Institute for Public Welfare Development

Xu Jiayi, Programmes Director at Greenovation Hub, is responsible for formulating the institutional strategy on biodiversity, climate, ocean and emerging thematic project strategies. Meanwhile, Jiayi…

Michael Esgro

Senior Biodiversity Program Manager & Tribal Liaison

California Ocean Protection Council

Senior Biodiversity Program Manager & Tribal Liaison at the California Ocean Protection Council/California Natural Resources Agency

Prachi JADHAV

Regional Manager

WWF

Prachi Jadhav is the Regional Programme Manager with WWF, leading Mekong in BALANCE (MiB), a Sida-funded initiative that aims to deliver inclusive and equitable biodiversity governance across…