Tribute to retired CEO, Robert Napier
Robert Napier, WWF-UK's Chief Executive for the past eight years, retired in 2007. Christopher Ward, our Chairman, pays tribute to him.
When Robert Napier joined WWF-UK in 1999 he was a successful businessman who also happened to be a committed conservationist. By the time he left us earlier this year, he had become a passionate environmentalist who used his business skills to help WWF make an important contribution to the survival of the planet: not just by boosting its income but also by managing its conservation work more efficiently.
It was on Robert's watch that climate change became widely accepted as the important issue it is today. He was one of the first to recognise this, understanding the delicate relationship between species and their surroundings. And thanks to his experience in business, he saw industry as an opportunity rather than a threat and found a way to develop ethical partnerships that brought not just financial benefits but changes in working practices and attitudes, too.
Robert understood that humanity's footprint on the planet demanded a global approach and he worked hard within the WWF international network to leverage the power and experience of the whole organisation. He continues to have boundless energy, matched only by his fierce integrity to do the right thing. He leaves WWF-UK in better shape than when he joined, and I wish him well in his retirement.