Tony NELLO

Tony Nello is a French economist based in Costa Rica since 2013. He currently serves as Senior Programme Coordinator – Urban within IUCN’s global programme staff, leading international efforts to promote nature-positive urban development. He also works as an expert in business engagement for nature-positive actions and ecosystem restoration at the IUCN Regional Office for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Tony is the regional focal point for the Bonn Challenge Secretariat and the Restoration Barometer, supporting countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica in their forest landscape restoration and monitoring efforts. He contributed to the design of the GEF-8 Mesoamerica Forest Integrated Program and plays a key role in integrating urban dimensions into conservation strategies.

He has hands-on experience with innovative tools for conservation planning and impact assessment, including the IUCN Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) metrics and InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs), used to evaluate ecosystem services and guide nature-positive investments.

Before joining IUCN, Tony worked with local and international NGOs on energy efficiency, carbon finance, sustainable agriculture, and inclusive business models.

Tony holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Caen and an MBA from 3A Business and Development School. He is fluent in French (native), Spanish, and English.