All Speakers

Speaker Kolawolé Saïd HOUNKPONOU
Kolawolé Saïd HOUNKPONOU

Directeur Général de l'Eau

Direction Générale de l'Eau / Ministère de l'Energie, de l'Eau et des Mines

Mr. HOUNKPONOU Kolawolé Saïd, a Beninese national, began his professional career as a research assistant at the National Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in 2004 after obtaining his Agro-...
Speaker Ram NARAYAN
Ram NARAYAN

Principal - Land and Biodiversity (Onshore)

Exxon Mobil Corporation - Management Support Services

Ram Narayan, is currently the Principal for Land and Habitat (Onshore) with Exxon Mobil Corporation in their corporate Global Operations and Sustainability organization. He is based in Houston, Texas...
Hiba AL SHEHHI
Hiba AL SHEHHI
Speaker Viviana Elsa Figueroa
Viviana Elsa Figueroa

Consultant

International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB)

Viviana Figueroa, Omaguaca indigenous women, has over 20 years of professional experience working on traditional knowledge, indigenous people’s rights and women empowerment and rights. She is the...
Speaker Jenny GRAY
Jenny GRAY

Chief Executive Officer

Zoos Victoria

Jenny Gray has been Chief Executive Officer of Zoos Victoria since 2007, leading its transformation into one of the world’s most respected zoo-based conservation organisations. Under her leadership,...
Speaker Francisco Ramiro BATZIN CHOJOJ
Francisco Ramiro BATZIN CHOJOJ

Director

Ruk'u'x Balam

Maya Kaqchikel, Pensum Cerrado en la Maestría en Gestión Ambiental Local, Licenciado en Ciencias de la Comunicación, Periodista. Cargos: Director Ejecutivo Asociación Sotz’il, Coordinador del Foro...
Speaker Abir BEN ROMDHANE
Abir BEN ROMDHANE

Environementalist

Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel

Abir Ben Romdhane is a senior expert in water, biodiversity, and sustainable development, with over 13 years of experience in environmental policy advice, project coordination, and strategic planning...
Speaker Mark OTTERLEE
Mark OTTERLEE

Sr. Director of Engineering

Ai2

Speaker Marina Demaria Venâncio
Marina Demaria Venâncio

Legal Officer

IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law 2021-2025

Marina Venâncio is an environmental lawyer with over ten years of experience in the field of environmental law research and practice. She is currently working as a legal officer at the United...
Esther Nesthivhongweni
Esther Nesthivhongweni

Chair

Conservation International

Speaker Ahmed GHEDIRA
Ahmed GHEDIRA

Président de l'association Notre Grand Bleu

comité UICN Tunisie

Ahmed GHEDIRA is the President of the IUCN Tunisia National Committee and an emeritus senior secondary school teacher at Bourguiba High School in Monastir. He holds a Master’s degree in Technical...
Speaker David EMMETT
David EMMETT

Head of International Biodiversity

Hempel Foundation

I am a tropical nature conservationist with almost 30 years of experience from East Africa, Madagascar and the Asia-Pacific. I specialise in strategic planning, landscape-scale conservation,...
Speaker Nomindari ENKHTUR
Nomindari ENKHTUR

CEO

Mongolian Nature's Legacy Foundation

Ms. Nomindari Enkhtur currently serves as CEO of the Mongolian Nature’s Legacy Foundation (MNLF), an environmental trust fund established in 2024 with the mission to provide...
Speaker Alain Sandy Liva RAHARIJAONA
Alain Sandy Liva RAHARIJAONA

Senior Advisor

SPACES Program

Alain Liva Raharijaona is a professional in economics, international trade, and biodiversity finance. He held notable positions as Economic Counselor at the Embassy of Madagascar in Brussels, non-...
Speaker Eduina GUGA
Eduina GUGA

Director

Wild River National Park Vjosa

I am Eduina Guga, born on 8 July 1988 in Gjirokastër, Albania, and I currently serve as the Director of the Vjosa Wild River National Park. This position represents both a professional responsibility...
Speaker Muneeswaran MARIAPPAN
Muneeswaran MARIAPPAN

Geospatial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Officer

IUCN

Muneeswaran Mariappan is a Geospatial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Officer at IUCN, with over fifteen years of experience advancing technology-driven solutions for conservation, climate...
Speaker Julien Pierre
Julien Pierre

CEO of Fair Play For Planet

Play For Nature

My name is Julien Pierre, and I am 43 years old. For almost 20 years, I had the opportunity to pursue a career as a professional rugby union player, during which I experienced many memorable moments...
Speaker Peter LEIMGRUBER
Peter LEIMGRUBER

Director of Conservation and Science

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Peter Leimgruber is the Director for Conservation and Science of the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI).Previously, he served as the director of NZCBI's Conservation Ecology...
Speaker Guilherme OLIVEIRA
Guilherme OLIVEIRA

Scientific Director

Vale Institute of Technology

Dr. Oliveira’s current work focuses on describing the biodiversity of the amazon, from a molecular perspective, with the use of DNA barcoding, genomics, and proteomics approaches. Extensive use of...
Speaker Kevin SMITH
Kevin SMITH

Head of Programme, Invasive Species and Wildlife Health

IUCN

Kevin Smith is the Head of Programme Invasive Species and Wildlife Health, for IUCN. His work focuses on supporting countries and civil society in meeting global, regional, and national targets...
Speaker Mike BINGLEY
Mike BINGLEY

Education Director

Canadian Wildlife Federation

Mike Bingley is the Director of Education at the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF), where he leads national efforts to connect Canadians with nature through formal, non-formal, and informal learning...
Speaker AYESHA AL DHAHERI
AYESHA AL DHAHERI

Advisor

United Arab Emirates University

Professor Ayesha Al Dhaheri serves as an Advisor to the Vice Chancellor's Office at the United Arab Emirates University. Her previous roles include Associate Provost for Student Affairs (2020-2022),...
Speaker Isla HODGSON
Isla HODGSON

Research Fellow/Communicator

Save Our Seas Foundation

Isla Hodgson is a conservation social and political scientist specialising in qualitative research and the management of conservation conflicts. Her research interests include the role of politics...
Speaker Jose Luis POSTIGO SANCHEZ
Jose Luis POSTIGO SANCHEZ

Green List Officer

IUCN

Jose Postigo is a passionate environmentalist with a strong background in biodiversity management and international conservation research. His expertise includes endangered and invasive alien species...
Speaker Liliana NÚÑEZ VELIS
Liliana NÚÑEZ VELIS

Presidenta

Fundación Antonio Nuñez Jiménez de la Naturaleza y el hombre

Liliana Núñez Velis  Born in Havana, she graduated in History. Currently, she is the president of the Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation (FANJ), which is based in Havana and has several...
Speaker Dongho Kim
Dongho Kim

Team Leader

Suncheon city

I am a public servant in Suncheon City, Republic of Korea. I am in charge of ecological civilization transformation and support Nature-based Solutions.
Speaker Leigh Morris
Leigh Morris

Chief Executive Officer

The Wildlife Trusts

Leigh’s career began in horticulture, working and managing in plant nurseries, then teaching in land-based colleges, before 10 years at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, where he managed education...
Speaker Monika BOHM
Monika BOHM

Freshwater Conservation Coordinator

Global Center for Species Survival, Indianapolis Zoo

I am the Freshwater Conservation Coordinator at the Global Center for Species Survival at the Indianapolis Zoo, supporting the freshwater work of the IUCN Species Survival Commission across the...