RSPB CHIEF EXECUTIVE MIKE CLARKE TO STEP DOWN

                                       

Mike Clarke - lifetime commitment to nature conservation

RSPB chief executive Mike Clarke is to step down at some point next year.

He has  announced his intention in good time to enable the society to appoint a successor by the time of its  AGM in October 2019 

In a statement this week, he said: “I first joined the RSPB in 1972 and very soon became a volunteer, sparking my lifetime commitment to nature conservation.

“Now, after a long, and very fulfilling career as an executive member of the team, it is time for me to step down and return to my roots, supporting the charity in other ways as both a member and volunteer once more.

“I was fortunate enough to be one of the society’s first conservation officers and have been privileged to be its chief executive  since 2010.

“During my time at the RSPB, I have been lucky enough to play a role in establishing strong laws to protect threatened species and habitats across the UK and Europe, developing partnerships that have grown our impact on the ground and building the evidence base for the state of nature in the UK and key sites for biodiversity worldwide.

“I am proud to be leaving the society with its highest level of support. It has grown to over 1.2 million members who share, with volunteers and staff, our commitment to save nature.”

Chairman of the RSPB council Kevin Cox, commented: “The RSPB owes a huge amount to Mike from his time as a volunteer to his current position as CEO.

“During his 20-year tenure as a board member, he has helped drive the society’s growth and impact, more recently steering us with great care and thought through a challenging period of change for both the charity sector generally and for nature conservation. 

“He has been instrumental in driving significant growth in membership, while modernising our mission to ensure we remain relevant in a changing world and fostering a new era of collaboration on behalf of nature conservation.

“When Mike hands over the reins, he will do so leaving the RSPB ready to take on the challenges of the future as an organisation that is shaping conservation here in the UK and around the world. It is a legacy he should be proud of.

“I am confident that we will find a new chief executive who will build on Mike’s contributions over these last four decades”.