Mr Steven Johnson

Conservation Leadership Expert

Mr Steven Johnson is a career biodiversity conservation and sustainable development specialist with over 45 years of experience in the field – in executive management positions as well as in senior technical advisory roles across southern Africa and globally.

With a Masters Degree in Environmental Education from Rhodes University, his deep knowledge and understanding of biodiversity, conservation, and sustainable development issues allow him to work as a technical advisor and executive management expert with a deep passion for strengthening leadership in all spheres of environmental management. Having gained his early career experience in the Hwange National Park area, he has always had a soft spot for the wildlife economy of the current KAZA TFCA landscape as the ‘engine’ of the wildlife economy, having pioneered the formation of many of the key transfrontier conservation areas existing in the region today.

Steve has headed numerous, large wildlife-focused donor projects over the last 26 years, including USAID’s VukaNow Program which serves to combat wildlife crime across the southern African region, with a focus on protecting endangered species with high economic value, such as elephant, rhino, wild lion and pangolin. Steve further is the Founder and CEO of GrowthLeaders Africa – dedicated to facilitating greater environmental consciousness in leaders around the world. Walking the talk, he has recently qualified as an Executive Management Coach through the University of Cape Town, become a member of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa (PSASA) and is a certified Lumina, human development specialist.

Currently and in partnership with AWEI, Steven is researching the historical wildlife economy around the trade in ivory and associated drivers, for a book he is currently writing on the subject.. His interest is in understanding the extended cyclical economic trends, globally, that have driven the demand for ivory over the past five thousand years, as well as the economic influences that the trade in ivory has had on economies around the world, through the ages.