Founder of RI's WWF program steps down<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Russel Betts left the post at the World Wide
\nFund for Nature-Indonesian Program (WWF-IP) which he nurtured for
\nseven years with the emotion of a father letting go of his child.<\/p>\n
\"The current WWF-Indonesian Program is rather like a child to
\nme,\" Betts confided in an interview. \"I created it and nurtured
\nit through its early years, but now it is time for it to go
\nforward on its own.\"<\/p>\n
Betts accomplished many things during his term as the
\nIndonesian Program chief executive officer, including the
\n\"Indonesianization\" of WWF's representative office here.<\/p>\n
His place was filled, starting on Feb. 7, by Agus Purnomo, who
\nhas experience leading various non-governmental organizations
\n(NGOs) in this archipelago.<\/p>\n
\"I'm pleased with it. Agus Purnomo has long been one of my top
\ncandidates as an Indonesian to eventually replace me as the
\nleader of the WWF-IP, and I'm proud of my role in recruiting him
\nfor the position,\" he said.<\/p>\n
During his leadership, Betts considered finding and building a
\nstaff capable of dealing with the large, sometimes immensely
\ncomplex activities which form the basis of WWF-IP's work in
\nIndonesia, as the most difficult problem.<\/p>\n
Under the new chairman, he said he expects the program to
\ncontinue to seek more and better ways of achieving WWF's global
\ngoals and objectives in the Indonesia setting.<\/p>\n
Although now under Indonesian leadership, the WWF-IP is
\nexpected to continue to maintain an international posture with an
\noptimal mix of national and international staff.<\/p>\n
\"I expect the program to maintain a cosmopolitan international
\nperspective, and to maintain the highest possible international
\nstandards of excellence in project and program design and
\nimplementation, in financial management and in assessment and
\nevaluation,\" Betts said.<\/p>\n
He said changes in the WWF Indonesian office are forthcoming.
\nThe most important of these are the creation of a new legal basis
\nand governance structure for WWF-IP, including the establishment
\nof a WWF foundation and the creation of a new Indonesian board.<\/p>\n
The \"father\" of the WWF-IP will remain in Indonesia for a few
\nmore months to ensure a smooth transition, remaining with the
\norganization as a senior advisor.<\/p>\n
In July he will move to Geneva to take up his new position as
\npresident and director of a new WWF conservation consulting firm.<\/p>\n
\"I'm honored that WWF International has asked me to undertake
\nthis assignment. If it works, then a global
\nconservation\/environment consultancy network will have been
\ncreated in direct affiliation with the world's largest non-profit
\nconservation NGO,\" Betts said. (ste)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/founder-of-ris-wwf-program-steps-down-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}