Chris has nearly 30 years experience in leading and developing initiatives and programmes around the topics of Nature-based Solutions, regenerative agriculture and natural resource management, with a particular focus on people centered and rights based approaches with farmers organisations and Indigenous Peoples groups. With long and short term work in over 45 countries Chris has coupled this field experience with engagement in global, regional and policy fora, with a strong emphasis on mobilizing innovative finance that responds to local needs. In his previous role at IUCN he had overall responsibility for the IUCN Centre for Economy and Finance including the Economics, Climate Change and Multilateral Business Development (GEF / GCF) thematic teams (whilst directly leading he Agriculture and Enterprise & Investment teams) with a portfolio over U$500m in direct programme funding from a range of government and private sector investments Before that role he led the Forest and Climate Change & Gender and Rights Programmes in IUCN, co-led the Nature and Nature Based Solutions thematic areas for the UNFCCC COP26 High Level Champion, and was the co-lead of The Forests Dialogue.