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NAIROBI, KENYA: Miles Geldard has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI), a leading anti-ivory trade campaign lobby group.
Geldard, an economist, has been described as a committed conservationist.
The economist who is based in Kenya, has decades of experience in finance having served as an adviser to the Central Bank of Botswana, global multi-asset investment manager in Europe and Asia with JPMorgan.
He recently served as Head of Strategy at Jupiter Asset Management.
The Chairperson of the EPI Foundation, former President of Botswana Ian Khama congratulated Geldard describing him as a passionate conservationist.
“I am delighted by this appointment. Miles has a passion for Africa and conservation, as well as unparalleled expertise and contacts in the world of finance. He is ideally qualified to achieve the EPI’s most significant challenge: securing the finance for the implementation of NEAPs,” Khama said.
In his acceptance remarks, Geldard pledged to rally efforts for the conservation of elephants in Africa.
“I am enormously excited by the opportunity to play such an important and unique role in elephant conservation. The EPI brings together an extraordinary range of African countries, united in their desire to save their elephants. I will do my utmost to help them achieve that goal,” he said.
In April this year, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta agreed to serve on the Board of the EPI Foundation alongside the First Lady of Sierra Leone, Fatima Maada Bio.
First Lady Kenyatta who is also the patron of the “Hands off Our Elephants” initiative, an anti-poaching campaign, has since 2015 supported EPI initiatives.
Founded in 2014 with an initial membership of Botswana, Gabon, Ethiopia, Chad and Tanzania, EPI now has membership in 19 countries.
Its membership has since grown to include Angola, Congo, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia and Malawi.
The foundation is set to raise money to implement National Elephant Action Plans (NEAPs) in the 19 African countries.
NEAPs are designed to ensure a sustainable future for Africa’s elephants and a better future for the communities who live alongside them.
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