Mmboneni Esther MATHOBO

A post-graduate of University of Venda and University of South Africa – School of Business Leadership (SBL), who holds Bachelor of Commerce, Honours Bachelor of Commerce, Master’s degree in Commerce and; Post-graduate Professional Management and Advance Professional Management Diplomas. Esther studied International Finance in Singapore with Singapore Institute of Banking and Finance. She has over 30 years of management consulting experience from which 22 years was in executive management with public and non-public organisations. She has 14 years’ experience in community development in the international conservation sector. 

Esther is a traditional leader (a Chief) and a community conservation activist (CCA) who is a known active woman defending indigenous community position in the conservation space. She is a founder and the chairperson of African Community Conservationists (ACC). Esther served as a member of the High-Level Panel of Experts which advised the South African Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Environment (DFFE), and as a Council member of South African National Heritage Council. She is the founder of Community Guardianship Initiative CGI – training initiative for FPIC and ABS in international community nature markets. She is the chairperson of the International Environment Guardianship (IEG) representing seven socio-cultural regions of the globe safeguarding the rights of nature and the rights of Indigenous Peoples (IPs), Local Communities (LCs) and Afro-Descendants (Ads) actively participating in the development of the nature markets in partnership with UNDP. She is the Co-Chair of Demand Integrity and Stewardship and Self-Determination Working Groups of the Biodiversity Credit Alliance (BCA) – the UNDP Initiative at global level. Representing IEG she developed and launched the nature market High Level Principles in partnership with EU, World Economic Forum and UNDP. She is currently a Senior IPLC Advisor for Accounting for Nature, Australia. 

She is currently a member of Nature Finance Action Group launched by His Majesty, the UK King and the initiative which reports to His Majesty. She a founder and the Chairperson of Community Association of South Africans in Natural Resources which an affiliate and member of the Southern African Community Leaders Network (CLN) which Esther is an Exco member