Deon is the CEO of the Global Resilience Partnership. Previously, he held the position of Executive Director for Conservation at WWF International, where he played a leading role in the strategic refocus of WWF’s global conservation programme across more than 100 countries. Deon is a South African by nationality and previous roles include Director of Conservation for WWF’s Africa Programme as well Conservation Director in WWF South Africa. He also led the Ecosystems and Water Competency Areas at South Africa’s national Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). He holds a Ph.D. in ecology, masters degrees in conservation biology and environmental law and an MBA.