Bringing extensive experience in both the private and public protected area management sectors, Andrew has worked as CEO of both Welgevonden and the Sabi Sand Private Nature Reserves in South Africa. He joined African Parks in 2013, firstly as Operations Director, then as Conservation Director driving the growth and development of African Parks across the continent. After five years, he joined Conservation International (CI) as Senior Director of Conservation for Africa; then promoted by CI to Vice President of Strategy and Programs for Africa.

In March 2020 he turned his full attention to leading the development of Conserve, driven by a sense of urgency to address the crisis unfolding around vacant concessions.

Qualifications include an MSc degree in ecology from the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa). Andrew believes firmly that conservation must be part of Africa’s development agenda and is committed to promoting the value of the continent’s wildlife and wild places as a source of enduring value for her people.

He has recently been awarded a Henry Arnhold Fellowship with Mulago Foundation

Matt began with grassroots community conservation work in Namibia under the tutelage of Garth Owen-Smith, a globally acclaimed pioneer in this field.

This work was critical in establishing one of the most successful conservation programmes in Africa that today represents 86 conservancies covering 166,000 km². He later applied this experience in building Northern Rangelands Trust in northern Kenya. He was involved in the design, creation and executive management of Chuilexi Conservancy within Niassa Reserve in northern Mozambique – Africa’s largest tourism holding under private management; and initiating a new conservation programme for Fauna & Flora International in South Sudan. He has also been involved in diverse conservation contexts and projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Conservation at scale has been one of the hallmarks of Matt’s career.

Bridging the domains of science, management, and policy, and promoting practical evidence‐based research as the basis for effective and impactful strategies to conserve Africa’s rich biodiversity.

With an early career focussed on large carnivore conservation, Harriet is passionate about the role of conservation evidence and applied science in driving effective action. She also understands that good decision making is both a science and an art. Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Harriet spent the last 23 years at the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa, driving its strategic direction and later building its Conservation Planning and Science Unit. Harriet sits on various national and international advisory and technical committees and is an active member of the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group. She has published over 50 scientific papers and book chapters covering topics from large carnivore ecology and conservation, natural resources governance and policy, the wildlife economy, road ecology, and restorative justice.

Qualifications include an MSc in Tropical Resource Ecology from the University of Zimbabwe, and a Doctorate on African Wild Dogs from Oxford University’s WildCRU. Harriet is excited by the opportunity to assist Conserve in delivering enormous conservation impact across Africa.

With a background in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Environmental Planning, Project Management and Commercial Development, Stuart has spent the past 30 years operating across Africa seeking innovative ways to conserve the biodiversity of Africa he so loves, and to do that in an authentic manner that is in relationship with communities that so depend on the same resource.

Stuart has in depth experience with both socio-economic development projects and large-scale commercial investments that span a range of sectors that include tourism development, community enterprise developments, aquaculture, fisheries, agriculture, large scale apiculture, structuring innovative funding and investment models, and carbon project development. Stuart is driven to find innovative investment and funding solutions towards achieving financial sustainability of protected areas.

Donatella joined Conserve Global in January 2023 as Head of Business Development. With a background in programme design, overseas project management, grant oversight and team leadership, Donatella focuses on the intersection of programme funding, philanthropy, and sustainable development. She brings to Conserve Global extensive fundraising experience ranging from high-level income generation, strategic planning, transformational partnerships development, and stakeholder engagement.

Donatella holds an MSc in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and a postgraduate certificate in climate change management from Birkbeck University. She has over 15 years of experience working in the international development sector for organisations such as the Green Belt Movement, VSO, ActionAid and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women where her work primarily centred on women’s rights and the environment. She is particularly interested in sustainable environmental management and waste reduction as integral parts of biodiversity conservation.

Born in Italy, Donatella now lives in London with her family.

Throughout his career, Mark, an ecologist by training, has been dedicated to exploring natural resource management as a competitive and sustainable land use. His experience spans various roles in Tanzania, including forester, environmental practitioner, and community conservation area manager. Mark’s passion lies in restoring landscapes to a natural and healthy state, believing it is essential for human prosperity and resilience. Currently, in Tondwa, he is actively implementing Conserve’s vision of vibrant Game Management Areas and community conservancies, aiming to create thriving societies in Nsama Chiefdom and beyond.

With a diverse academic background in anthropology, international human rights law, and conservation, Fanny’s career has taken her across countries and critical issues. She has worked on addressing internal displacement and community resistance during the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, establishing a community department in a Protected Area in Chad, and designing mechanisms for local communities’ Free Prior and Informed Consent for new protected areas in Liberia. Fanny’s passion centers on navigating complex landscapes and diverse stakeholders to achieve conservation while upholding human rights. Currently her focus is on the dynamic yet fragile Faro landscape in Northern Cameroon. As she sets up Conserve’s operations in Cameroon, the long-term vision is to restore the Faro ecosystem, facilitating communities to thrive on its unique economic and natural values.

Meet Simon, a seasoned wildlife conservation professional with a remarkable 30-year career in tourism. Starting as a guide for andBeyond at Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa, Simon quickly expanded his expertise across East Africa, setting up and managing their guide training school in the Serengeti. From there, he ventured to Botswana as Operations Manager for andBeyond’s luxury mobile camping safari operation.

In 2004, Simon returned to Phinda Private Game Reserve as Conservation Manager, overseeing all aspects of wildlife and reserve management, community relations, and groundbreaking translocation projects. His achievements include relocating white rhinos to Botswana, Rwanda, and Garamba National Park, as well as reintroducing lions to Rwanda and pangolins to Zululand.

Simon’s commitment to conservation extends beyond his work. He is an active member of numerous conservation NGOs and wildlife interest groups. With extensive travel experience across Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America, Simon provides valuable input and consultancy for diverse conservation projects.