Thomas Vellacott is CEO of WWF Switzerland. WWF‘s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. WWF challenges unsustainable practices and builds solutions-based alliances for transformation. WWF Switzerland has 290,000 supporters and over 4,000 volunteers. Worldwide, more than 5 million people support WWF in over 100 countries.
Thomas has been passionate about nature for as long as he can remember. He joined WWF as a member and volunteer when he was eight years old. Prior to taking on the role of CEO in 2012, Thomas was responsible for developing WWF’s partnerships with the private sector and subsequently spent nine years heading up WWF Switzerland‘s national and international nature conservation projects. Before joining WWF, he worked in private banking for Citibank and as a consultant and engagement manager for McKinsey & Co.
Thomas holds degrees in Arabic and Islamic studies from Durham, in International Relations from Cambridge and in Business Administration from IMD. He serves on the boards of several nonprofits and startups in the sustainability space. Thomas and his family live in Zürich, from where he enjoys exploring nature on land and under water.