Jakarta, December 17, 2019 - WWF International Director General Marco Lambertini announced the appointment of Rizal Malik as Asia-Pacific leader of the New Deal for Nature and People global initiative on Tuesday, December 17, 2019.

"New Deal for Nature and People" is WWF's initiative to protect and restore nature for the benefit of people and planet. As Asia-Pacific leader, effective January 1, 2020, Rizal Malik will be tasked with driving agreement and commitment from Asia-Pacific countries at the government, business and civil society levels to act immediately to address the world's habitat and biodiversity loss. This new agreement is critical to ensuring the sustainability and availability of natural raw materials that are essential to the lives of people around the world.

The year 2020 is set to be a milestone to oversee sustainable development that is aligned with the global agenda on natural biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable development goals. WWF will utilize at least four important moments of global forums in 2020, namely the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources World Conservation Congress (IUCN WCC) in July, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA-75) in September, The Convention on Biological Diversity - Conference of the Parties (CBD COP) in October, and The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCCC-26) in December to gain support and commitment from country leaders.

Marco Lambertini said, "We face an enormous challenge to halt and reverse biodiversity loss in the midst of this global climate crisis. It is therefore with great deliberation that we have appointed Rizal Malik to lead this important role. Rizal Malik will undertake key advocacies for the 'New Deal for People and Nature' initiative in the most dynamic and decisive part of the world. The global community needs to urgently close ranks to secure the future. I am very confident that Rizal's experience and passion will enable WWF's contribution to achieving this ambition."

The Chairman of the Board of WWF Indonesia, Alexander Rusli, expressed his enthusiasm for this appointment. "As an organization, WWF-Indonesia will certainly be missed. However, we are also proud that Rizal has been given the confidence to lead at a regional level that directly contributes to a mission for the world to achieve a better future."

WWF-Indonesia's Board of Directors, Alexander Rusli, expressed his enthusiasm for this appointment.

"Rizal's mandate is a noble task given the urgency of the biodiversity extinction challenge across the globe. We thank Rizal for his dedication and commitment to WWF-Indonesia. Furthermore, WWF-Indonesia will immediately prepare for the succession process of new leaders early next year," Alex concluded.

Previously, Rizal Malik served as the CEO of WWF Indonesia Foundation. With more than 30 years of experience in sustainable development, Rizal has filled several strategic positions such as Senior Technical Advisor for Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations Development Program; Senior Communications Advisor at the World Bank; and Secretary General at Transparency International Indonesia. He obtained his first degree in Communications from Padjadjaran University, Bandung, Indonesia, followed by an MA in Development Studies from the University of East Anglia, UK and completed postgraduate programs at Cornell University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.

WWF has been working in Indonesia since 1962 and continues to be committed to working with all parties in achieving the nation's progress and building a future where people live in harmony with nature.

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Note to Editor:

Full information on the "New Deal for Nature and Global" initiative can be found at: https://explore.panda.org/newdeal.

For further information, please contact Ency Mataniari, Brand, Media & PR Manager WWF-Indonesia emataniari@wwf.id | 0822-2199-8207.

About WWF-Indonesia

WWF-Indonesia is an Indonesian-incorporated civil society organization engaged in nature conservation and sustainable development, with the support of more than 100,000 supporters. WWF-Indonesia's mission is to halt environmental degradation and build a future where people live in harmony with nature, through the conservation of the world's biodiversity, the sustainable use of renewable natural resources, and support for the reduction of pollution and overconsumption. For the latest news, visit www.wwf.id and follow us on Twitter @WWF_id | Instagram @wwf_id | Facebook WWF-Indonesia | Youtube WWF-Indonesia | Line Friends WWF Indonesia.