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 (master's degree), both focusing on biodiversity conservation and restoration of degraded landscapes. Arsene has some 20 years of experience, the last 15 of which he spent with the IUCN Protected Areas and Biodiversity Programme in project and program coordination and management positions in the field of nature conservation and sustainable development. Previously, he worked for the IRD as an Associate Researcher, where he participated in the implementation of several research projects for development on biodiversity and ecosystem services, soil health, environmental risk assessment, ecological engineering, etc.
Since March 2025, Arsene has been appointed as the Regional Head, Protected Areas and Biodiversity Programme and is responsible for implementing the IUCN's technical program on protected areas and biodiversity in West and Central Africa, where he provides the support to define and operationalize the strategic direction and priority actions of the IUCN's commitment to biodiversity conservation and socio-ecosystem resilience in the region.
Arsene is a member of several IUCN expert commissions and the West African Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Experts Network (WABES Experts Network).
Speaking at
Oct 13 2025 (11:00 - 11:40)