SSC Leadership

Ehab Eid is a leading expert in biodiversity and wildlife conservation, with over 23 years of experience across West Asia. He has shaped national and regional conservation agendas through scientific research, policy development, and field-based programs. Holding a Master’s degree in Multilateral Environmental Conventions, he brings strong expertise in international environmental law and global policy processes, reinforcing his ability to support countries in aligning with worldwide biodiversity and conservation frameworks. He has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications covering species conservation, protected areas, invasive species, genetic diversity, and wetland ecology, establishing a strong scientific footprint that supports evidence-based decision-making in the region. Ehab has served on multiple IUCN steering committees and editorial boards, contributing to global conservation standards, reviewing strategic guidance, and supporting the development of SSC knowledge products. His extensive work with IUCN, UNDP, the World Bank, and other international partners spans threatened species management, ecological surveys, National Biodiversity Strategies, and biodiversity monitoring systems. Recognized for his leadership in West Asia, Ehab is committed to advancing collaborative conservation, strengthening regional scientific capacity, and promoting the integration of biodiversity into national planning under global environmental agreements.

Nunia Thomas-Moko is a passionate advocate for the conservation of Fiji’s natural heritage and environmental sustainability. In 2007 Nunia joined the newly formed NatureFiji-MareqetiViti - Fiji’s only local membership-based organisation working solely for the conservation and sustainable use of Fiji’s biodiversity. In 2008, the organisation published Nunia’s first project: The Endangered Species of Fiji Compendium, and she has been instrumental in its early years of development. NatureFiji-MareqetiViti has since become the most active terrestrial biodiversity conservation organization in Fiji, responsible for 10 of the 12 active endangered species conservation projects currently being undertaken in Fiji. In 2013 she was appointed Director, a position she currently holds, leading a team of 10 early career professionals in biodiversity conservation, species research and conservation action, advocacy, community engagement and policy contributions. Nunia has conducted over 40 assessments of Fijian herpetofauna biodiversity, over 12 scientific publications and was a recipient of the 2nd Pacific Islands Environment Leadership Awards in 2020 (National leadership in environmental sustainability & conservation award).

PhD from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), United Kingdom. For the past 40 years, has been a researcher at the Center for Biological Research of the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos (UAEM) Mexico, where he is responsible for the Conservation Biology working group. Author of 34 scientific articles, 62 Red List publications, four books, and contributions to 43 books, as well as 37 outreach publications. Participates in numerous international scientific committees. Is currently Co-Chair of the IUCN/SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee, as well as a member of the Steering Committee of the Species Survival Commission. Was President of the Mexican Society of Zoology, Director of the Center for Biological Research, General Director of Research and Graduate Studies, and Academic Secretary of UAEM. Served as Secretary of Sustainable Development of the State of Morelos from 2012 to 2018. Recently received the Sir Peter Scott Award, the highest recognition awarded by the Species Survival Commission for a career in conservation.

Axel Hochkirch is Head of Conservation Biology at the National Museum of Natural History in Luxembourg and associate professor in the Department of Biogeography at Trier University, Germany. He is an expert in insect biodiversity and conservation genetics, and the author or co-author of > 200 publications dealing with a broad field of biodiversity-related topics. His main interest is invertebrate conservation. 

Gregory Mueller is Chief Scientist Emeritus at the Chicago Botanic Garden.  He is also a Research Associate at Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago and an Adjunct Professor at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. He served as Negaunee Chief Scientist and V.P., Science at Chicago Botanic Garden for 14 years. Before joining the Garden, Dr Mueller worked for more than 23 years at The Field Museum as the curator of mycology in the Department of Botany.

Dr Paul Smith is the Secretary General of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). BGCI is the largest plant conservation network in the world, comprising 650 member institutions in 100 countries. With a career spanning 25 years in conservation, Paul joined BGCI as Secretary General in March 2015. During his time at BGCI, the organisation has launched a global botanic garden accreditation scheme, published two new global databases (ThreatSearch and GlobalTreeSearch), grown its membership by >70%, and disbursed over $10 million to support botanic gardens around the world. In addition, BGCI has opened new regional offices in Kenya and Singapore, and its International Advisory Council has established itself as the senior voice of the global botanic garden community. Prior to joining BGCI, Paul was Head of the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank (MSB). During his nine years at the helm there, seeds from >25,000 plant species were conserved in the MSB and, in 2009, the MSB achieved its first significant milestone, securing seed from 10% of the world’s plant species, prioritising rare, threatened and useful plants. Paul trained as a plant ecologist, and is a specialist in the plants and vegetation of southern Africa. He is a Trustee of the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Chairman of England’s Arboreta Advisory Committee and is the recipient of the New England Wildflower Society’s Medal for Services to International Plant Conservation and the David Fairchild Medal for Plant Exploration.

I am Ibukunoluwa, I am an insect conservationist and a nature lover. My research focus is on the conservation of insect pollinators in urban and agricultural landscapes. I am interested in how insect pollinators respond to floral and nesting resources in urban green spaces and biodiversity-friendly farms. 

Over the years, I noticed the extensive problems that plagued conservation in developing countries like mine, and I was super intrigued and determined to contribute my quota in propagating conservation. This led me to be more active in conservation activities, where I volunteered in major conservation NGOs and embarked upon several educational campaigns on conservation on my social media pages. Hence, I am interested in how conservation research translates to actions and policies. So, I volunteer in various activities of conservation groups.

Luigi Boitani is Honorary (Emeritus) Professor of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology at the University of Rome, Dept. of Biology and Biotechnologies. He has been Chair of the Department of Animal and Human Biology for 10 years (2000-10) and President of the Society for Conservation Biology (2009-11). Founder and Director of the Master program “Conservation of animal biodiversity” at the University of Rome, 2002-14. Affiliated Professor at the Department of Natural Resources, Idaho University, Moscow and member of the College of Graduate Studies, 2000-2011.

His main scientific interests are on a) the social ecology of carnivores, particularly wolves and bears on which he has been working since 1972; b) patterns and models of species distributions based on GIS tools; and c) planning and conservation of protected areas, with emphasis on Africa and Europe where he has contributed to the management plans of more than 30 national parks. He has lectured widely in North America and Europe.

He has been member of the IUCN’s SSC Steering Committee since 1994. He is the Chair of the Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe, a SSC Specialist Group; Chair of the IUCN Red List Scientific Committee; CEO of the Fondation Segré in Geneva; founder and president of the Institute of Applied Ecology in Rome. He received the WWF Conservation Award and the IUCN Peter Scott Award for Conservation Merit in 2012. He is author of more than 400 scientific papers and 10 books. 

Russell A. Mittermeier is currently Chief Conservation Officer of Re:wild (formerly Global Wildlife Conservation), a position he has occupied since 2017. Prior to this position, he served for three years as Executive Vice Chair at Conservation International and as President of that organization from 1989 to 2014. Trained as a primatologist and herpetologist, he has traveled widely in 169 countries on seven continents and has conducted field work in more than 30 − focusing particularly on Amazonia (especially Brazil and Suriname), the Atlantic forest region of Brazil, and Madagascar. Since 1977, Mittermeier has served as Chairman of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group, and he has been a member of the Steering Committee of the Species Survival Commission since 1982.

Simon served as Chair of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from 2008 to 2016. He has undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the University of Cambridge, with fieldwork in Tanzania and Cameroon. He has 40 years of experience with the IUCN and the SSC, having started work on the African Bird Red Data Book in 1983. He joined the IUCN Secretariat in 1986, and was Head of the Species Programme (1990-2000), Acting Director General (2000-2001), Head of the Biodiversity Assessment Unit (2001-2005), and Senior Species Scientist (2005-2008). He was elected as Chair of the SSC at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona in October 2008. Simon recalls “My interest in conservation started as a child, earlier than I can remember. A fascination for wild animals and plants has always been in my blood. A career in conservation was the only option for me. The SSC is in many senses my home.” He played a key role in developing the quantitative IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, and he conceived and led the Global Amphibian (2001-2004), which highlighted the worldwide amphibian crisis. He has also produced numerous high impact reports and books. While SSC Chair, Simon was instrumental in founding the Amphibian Survival Alliance and the IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP). After completing his term as SSC Chair, he joined Synchronicity Earth as Director of Strategic Conservation (2017-2020), and then became Executive Director of A Rocha International (2020-2022). In 2020 he won the Blue Planet Prize in recognition of his work on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and his promotion of amphibian conservation. He is currently Advisor to the SSC Steering Committee, Chair of ASAP, Chief Scientific Advisor to Synchronicity Earth, Senior Advisor to Conservation Programmes for A Rocha International, a member of the International Selection Panel for Future For Nature, and a board member of Fondation Segre, Mandai Nature Fund, and Mandai Nature International.