ORANGUTAN - Key Persons
Chrissie Hynde is the lead singer of the band The Pretenders and is a dedicated activist, also supporting chariti es including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Greenpeace.
Biriti sh actor Dominic Monaghan, who has appeared in Lost, Lord of the Rings and most recently stars in and produces the wildlife documentary Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan says:
Iding is a forester by training and a wildlife conservationist by passion. He has spent more than two decades working on species conservation, research and management in Indonesia. He has strong scientific and analytical experience with a D.Phil in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Oxford. Working on the ground is always his passion and assisting young conservationists to learn more on the field always recharges his energy. His aspiration remains on implementing science-based wildlife and nature conservation and management across Indonesia and SE Asia but also bringing in sustainable financing from the global market to boost ecological and economic benefits for wildlife and the local people.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Director of Size of Wales
Elspeth is the Director of Size of Wales. Prior to that, she was a barrister at the environmental law NGO ClientEarth, where she works on innovative legal actions designed to protect the environment. Elsepth was a valued members of the Board of SOS from 2015-2019.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Partnerships Manager
Emma joined the SOS team in 2024, bringing her expertise in corporate partnerships and a genuine love for the environment. She finds joy in collaborating with businesses to support their environmental goals, aligning with their CSR and ESG objectives. Through these partnerships, Emma hopes to contribute to conservation efforts, striving for a future where our planet and its precious wildlife can flourish together. To explore potential collaboration opportunities for your business, reach out to Emma today at emma@orangutans-sos.org. She looks forward to discussing how we can work together towards our shared goals!
Gary has recently retired from Plan International, a global children's development not for profit, where he was Director of Global Assurance. Prior to that he was head of Internal Audit at Oxfam GB, and has also worked in the UK commercial sector. He has travelled several times to Indonesia for both Plan International and Oxfam, including time on the 2004 Aceh tsunami humanitarian response. He became a trustee of SOS in 2009.
Hana is an ESG Analyst in a global investment bank with a background in International Relations and Environmental Conservation. Through her interdisciplinary work, she developed various skills including stakeholder engagement, carbon reporting, policy briefs, and research on topics around climate issues. Prior to her full-time job, she volunteered during COP24-26 and interned at the UNFCCC in Bonn, Germany for 6 months. Currently, she is interested in learning more about impact investing and ESG integration.
Helen has been leading SOS since 2005. She has been responsible for developing several programmes and partnerships which are making a substantial contribution to the protection of Sumatran orangutans, their forests and their future, and is passionate about breaking the link between development and deforestation. Helen has a Masters degree in Primate Conservation, has conducted research examining the impact of the expansion of oil palm plantations on the conservation status of orangutans.
"We're thinking long-term, big-picture, striving to bring about fundamental changes to the way that Sumatra's forests and wildlife are valued, managed and protected. "
Job Titles:
- Chartered Accountant
- Treasurer
Janet is a chartered accountant, who trained with PwC's Charities Division and subsequently worked for several international NGOs including WaterAid. She also holds a PhD in Anthropology (and even studied orangutans as part of her undergraduate degree in Biological Anthropology, albeit a while ago). She currently works for RSPB's Centre for Conservation Science.
Koen joined the SOS team in November 2020. He brings over two decades of experience in the management and protection of the natural environment, working with international NGOs, private sector, and international institutions, including UN agencies and IUCN. He has worked on a broad range of topics including species conservation, protected area management, natural resource management, environmental conventions, climate change mitigation and adaptation, community based conservation and development, and social and ecological assessments. With extensive field experience in Asia and Africa, including more than 15 years in Indonesia, he combines strong practical knowledge on the socio-economic challenges with an in-depth understanding of the complex structural problems impacting orangutan conservation.
"The mission of SOS, to secure the future of Sumatran orangutans and their forests, I consider to be critically important for sustaining both ecosystem health and human wellbeing in Sumatra. Only by understanding and effectively addressing the socio-economic drivers of the threats facing orangutans will we be able to ensure their long-term survival. As SOS's new Conservation Director, my aim is to continue strengthening SOS' innovative and holistic approach, through close partnership with a broad range of stakeholders, including civil society, government, private sector, and local communities. I am privileged to be joining a highly motivated and dedicated team and I will ensure that SOS remains well equipped and positioned to support Indonesia's commitment to protect orangutans."
Lala has over 20 years of experience in sustainable development project management, working with international NGOs and foundations on environmental sustainability, rural livelihoods, and supply chain responsibility in Indonesia. She focuses on strategic planning, project supervision, and partnership building, and values collaboration between communities and the private sector. As Programme Manager at SOS, she is committed to supporting innovative solutions that protect orangutans, forests, and local communities.
Having grown up in Indonesia, Lara has experienced the joy of seeing orangutans in the wild and in rehabilitation.
This led her to a lifetime of animal protection and environmentalism and she spent much of her career working within the animal welfare, conservation and environmental sectors.
Lara specialises in understanding different audiences and then devising and implementing awareness-raising campaigns to spark action and create change. Currently the External Relations Lead at WRAP; Lara is excited to be expanding the reach and influence of a global environmental action NGO that drives the transformation of our broken product and food systems and generates behavioural change.
Passionate about social justice, animal welfare and protecting the planet, Lara believes that these global issues are interlinked, with the solutions found in listening, collaborating, taking less and giving more. She was appointed a trustee of SOS in November 2022.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Trustees & Advisors Team
Lauren is as an industry leader, early pioneer and globally recognized expert in the field of sustainable finance. She is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Energy Nexus, a member of the Taskforce for Nature Related Financial Disclosures and is a regular speaker and commentator at internationally renowned events such as Davos.
Lauren leads S&P Global's sustainability business. S&P is one of the world's largest financial service providers and provides sustainability intelligence to inform business and financing decisions around evolving energy transition, climate, nature and sustainability risks and opportunities. Prior to joining S&P, Lauren was a member of the board and senior management team of Trucost, a pioneering environmental economics business. She was instrumental in growing the business from start-up to its market leading position. She was part of the board team that sold Trucost to S&P Dow Jones Indices in 2016 and was selected for the core start up leadership team creating the S&P Sustainable1 business in 2020. Lauren's early career was in fund management and at the UK Government's Department for International Development.
It is her long held interest in paleo-anthropology, in particular the work of Louis Leakey & rainforest conservation, furthered by formative experiences at an orangutan rehabilitation project in Borneo and a tiger conservation project in Sumatra, that were key drivers for her academic studies in archaeology, anthropology and international development and leads her to be a passionate believer in the work of SOS.
Job Titles:
- Trusts and Foundations Manager
Liz has a passion for trees, woodland and wildlife and has spent 24 years raising millions to create, conserve and restore woodland in the UK.
She is very excited to have joined SOS where she can apply her skills to building long term relationships with trusts and foundations to protect forests on the other side of the world. The
Marjolein has over 25 years' experience working as international (project) director on organisational development, philanthropy and marketing for INGOs including WWF, BRAC and World Animal Protection. Her passion for nature and wildlife started at a very early age and was further ignited while working with orangutans in Indonesia. She obtained an MSc in Climate Change and Development at SOAS in 2023, focusing on coastal communities and climate adaptation.
Job Titles:
- Environmental Leader and Executive Director of Yayasan Pesona Tropis Alam Indonesia
Masrizal Saraan is a renowned environmental leader and Executive Director of Yayasan Pesona Tropis Alam Indonesia (PETAI), a leading NGO in North Sumatra dedicated to conservation, community empowerment, and sustainable forest management. With a Master's in Environmental and Natural Resources Management and as a Ph.D. candidate at North Sumatra University, he blends academic expertise with over 20 years of field experience.
Michael Cooper is a talented sculptor of wildlife figures, working in a variety of materials including marble, stone and bronze. Michael has exhibited at a wide variety of venues including Jersey and London Zoos, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and The Royal Academy, as well as with many private galleries.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Independent Advisor to Several Forest Conservation / Carbon Offset
Moray is currently an independent advisor to several Forest Conservation/Carbon Offset projects in SE Asia, following previous roles as Director of Sustainable Food Systems at Oatly and VP for Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability with Olam International. He has spent much of his career in Indonesia working on forest protection, climate change and sustainable agriculture. Through roles in public, private and NGO sectors he likes to find and expand the ‘sustainability sweet spot' where politics, economics and science overlap, and to turn commitments into action. He first encountered a wild orangutan in Central Kalimantan in 1996, and joined SOS as a trustee in 2022.
Job Titles:
- Individual Giving Manager
Rhia has always loved telling stories and inspiring people. She is an advocate for helping people discover what they are passionate about and inspiring them to make the change they want to see in the world. This is why fundraising is such a good fit! She has been working in fundraising since 2016 and is excited to be able to bring her skills and enthusiasm to SOS. As a lifelong animal lover, Rhia is excited to be able to help protect orangutans, their forests and their future. And she can't wait to meet as many like minded supporters as possible too!
Job Titles:
- Marketing and Communications Manager
Roisin joined the SOS team in 2024. Fuelled by a lifelong fascination with primates (and a soft spot for orangutans!), she has a proven track record of delivering effective, data-driven communications campaigns within the charity sector. Roisin has an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and is excited to join SOS in a role that combines her academic pursuits with her professional expertise in communications. Ultimately to help SOS move ever closer to its vision of wild orangutans thriving in resilient forests.
Job Titles:
- Finance
- Operations Manager
Sarah is our Finance & Operations Manager and started working for SOS in April 2024. She brings 20 years of experience working in both accountancy practice and the not-for-profit and charity sector, as well as volunteering for small, local organisations. She is passionate about using her skills to make a difference to the world around her and, with 2 teenagers in the house, believes that there is no better time to take action to conserve the existing natural environments for the next generations. She is a lifelong wildlife supporter and is very excited to be working for SOS and helping us towards achieving our goals and securing the future of the Sumatran rainforests, their wildlife and communities.
Simon Constantine started his career in perfumery at Lush, a natural progression for a man who was brought up on fragrance and beauty products as the son of two of Lush's co-founders, Mark and Mo Constantine. During his time at Lush, Simon transformed Lush perfumery, was the chairman of the board for six years and headed up the development of Lush's ethical supply chain, setting up a team to source quality ingredients while aiming to create a positive impact on communities and the environment. He has travelled the world extensively, often seeing first hand the negative impacts of unsustainable sourcing and using these experiences to catalyse change at Lush.
In the past decade he has been an advocate for regeneration in the supply chain and helped to set up many such projects at Lush in partnerships with communities, networks of farmers and like-minded suppliers. He also helped to launch a prize and a fund to reward regenerative initiatives around the world.
Simon has recently left Lush to leverage his influence and develop other regenerative business models. He remains a close advisor to Lush and will continue to help shape its future.
Stephen is a lawyer at Fauna & Flora International, where he works on the legal aspects of project design and implementation, the use of law for wildlife conservation, and the charity's general work. Prior to his move to conservation, he was a lawyer for 20 years in the City including 10 years as a partner at a leading international law firm. Stephen joined the board of SOS in March 2020.
Steve Trent has over 30 years experience in environmental and human rights campaigning, creating effective advocacy and communications campaigns and field projects, as well as leading investigations in over 40 countries. He is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF). Steve also co-founded WildAid, serving as president for over a decade, and leading WildAid's work in China and India. Prior to this Steve was the Campaigns Director at the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) for a decade.
Suzi is a professional, award-winning wildlife photographer, well known for her unprecedented work documenting the family life of wild animals. Talking about her support for SOS, Suzi said: "I'm thrilled to be a Patron of the Sumatran Orangutan Society. It is one of those small, grassroots charities that I really believe in. They are doing real work on the ground that I have witnessed with my own eyes. I am so impressed by the organisation's ability to use its resources wisely and have such a broad reach."
Find out more about Suzi and view her stunning portfolio of wildlife images from around the world at: http://www.