David Obura chairs the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), is on the Earth Commission and is a Founding Director of the Kenyan coral reef research and conservation organization CORDIO East Africa. David has 30 years of experience researching coral reefs, their vulnerability to climate change and importance to coastal communities and economies, and highlighting these issues across local to global scales. To motivate the societal changes needed, he is pivoting to a new focus on sustainability and equity, linking challenges and solutions across scales, and working with diverse teams to identify pathways to a safe and just world for present and future generations. 

Francoise is a Marine Ecologist from Venezuela, working in the interface between academia, policy and applied science. She is interested in improving the way we assess and monitor biodiversity, especially rare, threatened species within a management framework that incorporates socio-ecological systems.

Francoise was born in Venezuela, where she obtained  a Licenciatura in Marine Biology, a MS in Experimental Ecology, completing a Doctorate programme focused on  conservation and management. Throughout her career, Francoise has been always committed to training the next generation of marine scientists and practitioners.