CHRIS DIAZ APPOINTED TO WILDLIFE DIRECT BOARD ALONGSIDE OTHER NEW MEMBERS
(Posted 06th May 2017)
[From Left: Jim Karani (Legal Affairs Manager), Dr. Kamau Gachigi, Dr. Paula Kahumbu (CEO WildlifeDirect), Mr. Ali Daud Mohamed (Interim Chair), Ms. Sophie Kinyua and Joy Omulupi (Outreach and Education Officer)]
The Interim Chairman of the Board, Mr Ali Daud Mohamed recently announced the appointment of new members to the WildifeDirect Kenya Board, namely Dr. Kamau Gachigi, Mr. Edward Muriu, Dr. Margaret Kinnaird, Ms. Sophie Kinyua and Mr. Chris Diaz.
The new members were officially welcomed during the first board meeting of the year, which was held on April 12th at a Nairobi hotel. Dr. Gachigi and Ms. Kinyua were the two new members present as the other members were welcomed in absentia.
Dr. Gachigi and Ms. Kinyua bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise in the fields of innovation and fund raising respectively.
Dr. Kamau Gachigi is the Excutive Director of Gearbox, a company that provides an open space for design and rapid prototyping. WildlifeDirect has been working with Gearbox for 6 months. Last year Gearbox partnered with WildifeDirect and held an innovation camp in Amboseli that took a human-centered approach to solving human wildlife conflict. Dr. Gachigi is also the founder of Fab Lab at University of Nairobi, which is part of the international Fab Lab network started at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He has a doctorate in Solid State Science from Penn State University.
Speaking during the board meeting Dr. Gachigi said, ‘I am honored and humbled to join the WildlifeDirect Kenya board. Gearbox has worked with WildlifeDirect for over six months and I look forward to providing my expertise on innovative technology‘.
Educated in Kenya and the United States, Ms. Sophie Kinyua is a successful and innovative business woman and the owner and manager of the River Café – Karura Forest. She also owns several complementary businesses including a local coffee roastery. Sophie has a degree in Environmental Refugee Studies and her multi-cultural background and experiences have played a strong role in influencing the management and style of her businesses. She has a good connection with the local business and political community and is a very successful in fund raising for conservation charities.
Chris Diaz is a well known conservationist and a Honorary Game Warden with Kenya Wildlife Services. He has been working with international wildlife bodies and is also on the board of Elephant Rescue organization and Brand Kenya Board.
He is the former Marketing Director for Kenya Airways and is currently the Group Sales and Marketing Director on the board of Bidco Africa. Chris has been supporting sponsorships and fund raising to support wildlife protection. He brings a wealth of knowledge and access to Kenyan and international corporates, and will help develop long term sustainability strategy for the causes that WildlifeDirect champions.
Margaret Kinnaird formerly with Wildlife Conservation Society and the Executive Director of Mpala Research Center is the Global Wildlife Practice Leader at World Wildlife Fund – International and a recognized scientist with extensive experience in Africa and Asia. Margaret joins the board to help WildlifeDirect align its strategies to global agendas and promote the publication of WildlifeDirect’s accomplishments in recognized scientific journals.
Edward Muriu Edward Muriu is the Founder Partner of MMC Africa Law, One of the Largest Indigenous Commercial Law Firms in Kenya, where he seats as the Team Leader. He is a Member of Boards of Directors in a number of Companies with interest in Finance, Horticulture and Real Estate.
