Kavita Prakash-Mani appointed WWF’s new Global Conservation Director

Posted on January, 11 2019

Kavita has been instrumental in evolving how WWF harnesses the power of the market to deliver conservation outcomes.

WWF International is pleased to announce that Kavita Prakash-Mani has been appointed as the organisation’s new Global Conservation Director.

Since joining WWF in November 2016 as its Markets Practice Leader, Kavita has been instrumental in evolving how WWF harnesses the power of the market to deliver conservation outcomes. In addition to pioneering new approaches to shift consumer demand for illegal wildlife products in Asia, tackling the plastics crisis, and providing market access for sustainable community based products from critical habitats, Kavita has helped further develop WWF’s strong work in building corporate demand for sustainable commodities and linking it to landscapes. In 2017, Kavita also took on the interim leadership of WWF’s Food Practice.

WWF International Director General Marco Lambertini said: “After an extensive search over the last six months, I’m delighted to announce the appointment of Ms. Kavita Prakash-Mani as WWF’s Global Conservation Director. This role is critical in driving the organisation’s strategies, developing and implementing our key initiatives, and ensuring integration and alignment across WWF to achieve conservation impact globally.

“Kavita brings strong leadership and passion to this role, a proven track record of designing and implementing impactful initiatives, and a deep understanding of WWF.”

Kavita Prakash-Mani said: “Nature underpins all life but is in crisis. We have a choice - to either secure a new deal for nature and people and safeguard the future of our planet for all its inhabitants, or watch nature disappear in our lifetime, along with all we need and use for our own lives. The need for action has never been greater.  At such an exciting and challenging time in conservation, I am energized to be taking on the role of WWF Global Conservation Director and look forward to working with my colleagues and partners around the world to create conservation impact at scale.”

Prior to joining WWF, Kavita founded and was Executive Director of Grow Asia (a WEF initiative) in Singapore, worked as the Global Head of the Food Security Agenda at Syngenta International, and as Executive Director of SustainAbility in London. She has also worked at the World Resources Institute in Washington DC, and Glaxo SmithKline in India.

Kavita is an advisory member on influential boards such as the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan Advisory Board, the Advisory Board of SustainAbility Inc, and Volans. She is also a member of the Tropical Forest Alliance Steering Committee. Previously, she was a board member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Food Security and Nutrition and the Institute for Human Rights and Business.

Kavita will be based in New York, and commences her role on 1 February. She will also be a member of WWF International Senior Management Team.

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Kavita Prakash-Mani
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