Conservation International Names Julius Court as New Chief Operating Officer
March 8, 2023
ARLINGTON, Va. (March 8, 2023) – Today, Conservation International announced Julius Court as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective March 22, 2023.
Court brings extensive experience in international environment and development to his new role at Conservation International.
As COO, Court will oversee the organization’s $260 million annual budget, people, operations and multi-year planning and strategy to protect nature for the benefit of people. Conservation International works globally, in partnership with both public- and private-sector organizations, peer nonprofits and Indigenous peoples and local communities.
“I’m thrilled to join Conservation International with its people-focused mission,” said Court. “Throughout my career, I’ve seen firsthand how community-led conservation drives positive impact for both people and nature. Today, I see a world where global ambitions have never been higher – or more urgent. I’m eager to get started.”
“Now that world leaders have agreed to ambitious climate and biodiversity goals, this decade is all about delivery. As Chief Operating Officer, Julius Court will help Conservation International grow with intention and harmonize our operations around the world,” said Dr. M. Sanjayan, Conservation International’s Chief Executive Officer. “He has an impressive track record of turning large investments into impact, delivering results on behalf of the people of the Global South and building strong relationships with public- and private-sector leaders. He will be an enormous asset in the challenging years to come.”
Court joins Conservation International from the government of the United Kingdom (UK), where he served as the Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director to Kenya. He’s previously held other senior positions within the UK government, including heading both the Prosperity Fund and the Department for International Development’s Strategy Unit. Prior to joining the civil service, Court worked for the United Nations and the Overseas Development Institute.
Court’s work has taken him around the world, including many of Conservation International’s field areas, and to posts in South Sudan, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Japan. To help concentrate impact with and for the Global South, Court will be based in Conservation International’s Kenya office.
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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Go to Conservation.org for more, and follow our work on Conservation News, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
