WWF International Director Generals 1962-present

James P Leape

2005-

Leape, a 49-year-old American, has worked in nature conservation for more than 25 years. He began his career as an environmental lawyer, working on environmental protection cases in the United States, advising the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and co-authoring a leading American text on environmental law.

Leape joined WWF-US in 1989 and for ten years directed its international conservation programmes, serving as Executive Vice-President. In that role, he helped shape the global strategy of the WWF network and represented WWF in numerous international fora. Since 2001, he has directed the conservation and science initiatives of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, one of the largest philanthropic associations in the United States.

Dr Claude Martin

1993-2005

A Swiss national, Claude Martin was born in Zurich in 1945. His WWF career started in the early 1970s, when he lived in Central India studying the ecology of the threatened barasingha deer in Kanha National Park. From 1975 to 1978 he served as director of several protected areas in the Western Region of Ghana, before becoming director of WWF-Switzerland in 1980. Under his leadership, WWF-Switzerland emerged as one of the strongest of the National Organizations within the WWF Network.

Claude Martin joined WWF International in 1990 as Deputy Director General (Programme). Three years later, in 1993, he was appointed Director General of WWF International. Since then, he has initiated several new approaches in conservation, such as the Target Driven Programmes, as well as partnerships, for example with the World Bank and business/industry groups. He is a member of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) – a high level advisory body to the Chinese Government – as well as a board member of numerous other environmental bodies.

Charles de Haes

1975-1993

An economist and a lawyer, Charles de Haes was born in Antwerp in 1938. He first became involved in WWF in the early 1970s when asked by International Trustee Anton Rupert to help create “The 1001: A Nature Trust”. Through this, HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands – WWF founder President – and one thousand other influential individuals agreed to each contribute US$10,000 to WWF. This was designed with a view to achieving financial independence for the secretariat.

From 1975, Charles de Haes went on to serve 18 years as Director General, including two and a half years as Joint Director General with his predecessor, Fritz Vollmar. During this time, he helped initiate international fundraising and awareness campaigns, and further develop the WWF network through initiatives such as the partnership with IUCN and UNEP in the World Conservation Strategy, which links conservation and development.

Dr Fritz Vollmar

1962-1978

Born in 1926 in Lenzburg, Switzerland, Fritz Vollmar studied economics, political science and business administration. Prior to joining WWF, he worked as a journalist in industry, held a senior position with the International Committee of the Red Cross, before moving into business and university administration.

In 1962, Fritz Vollmar became the first Secretary General of what was then known as the World Wildlife Fund. During this time, he was responsible for establishing an international secretariat and building up the network of fund-raising national organizations from the “founder members” (Switzerland, UK and USA).

At the time of its 10th anniversary in 1971, WWF had set up 16 national organizations and financed 550 projects in 59 countries. Fritz Vollmar was then appointed to the new post of Director General and served with the organization until he retired in 1978.