MYANMAR BIODIVERSITY FUND - Key Persons
Daw Khin Thandar has an LL. B from Yangon University and an LL.M in International Maritime Law from IMO-International Maritime Law Institute in Malta (Nippon Foundation Scholar). She started her career as a Deputy Assistant Director in the International Law and Treaties Division of the Myanmar Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and served in various capacities for almost two decades including postings to Myanmar Embassy, Beijing (1991-1996) and as a Counsellor at Myanmar Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York (2001-2005). She also headed the International Law and Treaties Division, MOFA as acting Director from 2006-2009.
She is an independent legal consultant and is currently engaged as Legal Advisor (Consultant) to WCS, Myanmar Programme (Dec 2017 to current) and as a Legal Specialist for ADB TA-9026 Strengthening Law, Regulation, and he Legal Profession for a Better Investment Climate (May 2016 to current). Since 2015 she has been engaged as a Legal Specialist and Legal Researcher for five ADB Technical Assistance Projects(ADB TA:7735,ADB TA-8497 REG, ADB TA-8616 REG, ADB TA-9279 REG, ADB- TA-9491) which relate to building Capacity for Environmental Prosecution, Adjudication, dispute Resolution, compliance and enforcement in Asia , combating transnational organized environmental Crime and promoting environmental law reforms and enforcement in Asia , Developing Judicial Capacity for Adjudicating Climate Change and Sustainable Development Issues and Strengthening the Capacity for Environmental and Climate Change Laws in Asia and the Pacific . She has also been engaged as a Senior National Environmental Law specialist for EU-GOPA: Support to the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
<p>Dr. Naw May Lay Thant was in the first batch of (12) lady pioneers to be admitted to the B. Sc (Forestry) degree programme at the University of Forestry in 1995, penetrating a field of study that had been previously dominated completely by men. She continued to receive an M. Sc in Wildlife Management from the University of Forestry, Yezin, Myanmar, a Diploma in Environmental Management from Dresden Technological University, Germany and her Ph.D. degree in Forest Environmental Management from Seoul National University, Republic of Korea. Dr. Thant started her career as a Range Officer in the Forest Department, Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division during which she worked for strengthening protected area management, staff capacity building, multi-stakeholder engagement and public conservation awareness until she left government service in 2009. Dr. Thant joined WCS in 2013 and has served as deputy landscape coordinator for Southern Forest Complex focusing on conservation education, enhancing the community based natural resource management, capacity building program, and engaging with stakeholders and currently works as a Director of MBF and as the Deputy Country Director of WCS Myanmar Programme, taking responsibilities for capacity development for PA managers, encouraging PA expansion and acting as focal person for developing the national biodiversity strategy and action plan and PA governance. She has been actively involved in developing the management plans of some Protected Areas, conservation investment plan for financial sustainability of PA's.
Job Titles:
- Well - Known Orchid Specialist
Dr. Saw Lwin is a locally and internationally well-known orchid specialist and has a B.Sc. (Hons.) (First Class), M.Sc. and Ph.D. from University of Yangon in Botany. He also has an R.L(Registered Lawyer) qualifications a Diplome de Langue Franciase (D.L.F) from Sorbonne University, France, and MBA from the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC). Currently Dr. Lwin is President of Myanmar Floriculturist Association(MFA), Executive Committee Member of Myanmar Hiking and Mountaineering Federation and Ecosystem Conservation & Community Development Initiative(ECCDI) and a member of Board of Governance of Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA).He is a also a member of IUCN/SSC Orchid Specialist Group and a Member of South east Asia Orchid Specialist Group, National Correspondent for International Association for Plant Biotechnology since 1991. He was appointed as a member of conservation committee in the American Orchid Society in April 2007. He currently acts as contact scientist of Myanmar Floriculturist Association for joint orchid survey program of Myanmar Floriculturist Association and Singapore Botanic Gardens. He is also a contact person of MFA to Flora of Myanmar Consortium (FoMiC). He was a team leader of native orchid research program in National Kan Taw Gyi Gardens, Pyin Oo Lwin which is joint co-operation research program between Myanmar Floriculturist Association and National Kan Taw Gyi Garden. He was also team leader of native orchid research in Popa Mountain Park. In 2002, he was awarded Myanmar Younger Expert Programme award jointly sponsored by Simon Fraser University of Canada and Rockefeller Foundation of USA. In 2010, he was awarded Research Fellowship award by Singapore Botanic Gardens and conducted his orchid research at the Herbarium of Singapore Botanic Gardens. He was appointed as National Consultant (Orchid) to Taninthayi Nature Reserve Project in 2012 and 2015 by Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry (MoECAF). Currently Dr. Lwin is a Director of MBF and also runs Myanma Flora Co., Ltd which has two nurseries growing orchids and other plants and a tissue culture lab in Yangon and Pyin Oo Lwin, where he is Chief Technical Officer (C.T.O) and Managing Director of Myanmar Flower & Biotech Centre Co., Ltd (MFBC).
Dr. Thein Aung is a veterinarian by training and received his Bachelor of Veterinarian Science degree in 1980 from Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Insein, Yangon. Dr. Thein Aung started his career with the Nature and Wildlife Conservation Department in 1980 and served until 2011 in several capacities, accumulating over 30 years' experience in field of wildlife conservation and management, natural protected area management and wetland management. Dr. Thein Aung currently serves as the Chairman of Myanmar Bird and Nature Society, Chairman and Board of Governors for Friends of Wildlife, Member of Natural resources, Biodiversity and Natural heritage conservation working group under the National Committee on Environment and Climate Change, Steering Committee on MuEuCAP, Capacity building in Higher Education Project, and also serves as a Director of MBF and consultant on nature and wildlife conservation for Htoo Foundation.
Mr. Robert Tizard is a British and Canadian citizen and has been contributing his knowledge for conservation of wildlife and development of communities in Myanmar for over a decade. He has a bachelor's degree from Texas A & M University in Geography with specific interest in databases and GIS and their applicability in biogeography, wildlife and fisheries management and started his career as a researcher, working on various projects in the conservation field in Texas, Malaysia, Laos, D.P.R. Korea, Virginia, Bhutan, and Myanmar for The Nature Conservancy, WCS, WWF, World Bank, Stockholm Environment Institute, UNESCO, and Nature Tourism Bhutan amongst others. Mr. Tizard has also traveled extensively to all the continents especially for observation of wildlife specifically birds and wild lands. He is currently a Director of the MBF, Senior Project Lead for WCS Cambodia Programme and a Member of the Board of Directors, Village Focus International.
Prof. Dr. Nang Mya Han is the recipient of many awards for her contribution to marine science and is also a recipient of the prestigious Presidential Award for her excellent research work in marine science ecology, marine ecosystem, and marine conservation field. Prof. Han has a B Sc. Degree in Marine Biology, from Rangoon University, M Sc. in Marine Biology from Rangoon University, Diploma for Education Management (DEM) from the Economic Institute, Rangoon and her Doctorate Ph.D from Mawlamyaing University.
She started her career in 1986 as a demonstrator at the Marine Science Dept. of Mawlamyaing University and has served in several capacities in nurturing the next generation of marine biologists of Myanmar. She was promoted to Professor in 2005 and is currently Head of Marine Science Department, Myeik University. The Professor also acts as a Consultant to the Department of Fisheries, Myanmar Fisheries Federation, Tanintharyi Fisheries Federation, the Development of Tanintharyi Coastal Tourism and acts as a Technology Expert of Mangrove for the Future and Integrated Coastal Management of Myanmar, a Blue Carbon Expert in partnership with Australia and is a UNESCO expert partnership of Myanmar Natural Heritage Group.
U Aung Thant Zin has been working in the conservation field for almost three decades, he has a B.Sc. (Forestry) from University of Forestry in Myanmar and a M.Sc. (Tropical Forestry) from Faculty of Forest, Geo and Hydro Science, Technological University - Dresden, Germany. U Aung Thant Zin started his career at the Myanmar Forest Department in 1992 and served as a Range Officer in the Seed and Seedling Center of Forest Department for reforestation and conservation for watershed areas of Yangon's main water source - Hlawgar Dam. He also worked as a faculty member at the Institute of Forestry for nurturing young foresters from 1992 to 1997. In addition, he also worked for Yangon Regional Forest Department, Watershed Management Division and at the Forest Research Institute.
After leaving government service in 2007 he has continuously worked for conservation in several capacities including as Forest & Environment Specialist for UNDP, Fund Manager for the Environment Rehabilitation-conservation Network (MERN) from 2009 to 2012. He has raised and managed the project funding for the MERN network through working with LIFT-Fund Myanmar, Oxfam Novib, and international organizations such as IUCN, FFF Program of FAO, GITEC from Germany, UNDP, and UNEP. He has been the CEO of MERN since 2012 and is currently a Director of MBF.
U Win Aung is a successful businessman, philanthropist, and trail blazer in sustainable eco-tourism development in Myanmar. He has a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Yangon Art & Science University and has served as Business Representative for The Netherlands and Sweden to Myanmar from 1994-2006, as the Chairman of Woodland Group Companies since 1996, as Business advisor to Flanders Government, Belgium, as Technical consultant to Devgen Rice Research Co. from 2013- 2017, as Honorary Fellow of Blue Moon Fund, USA and as Advisor to Global Environment Institute, P. R of China since 2017, and is also on the Board Of Advisors of The Elephant Project, USA and Director of MBF. As a strong advocate for sustainable Eco-tourism Development in Myanmar, U Win Aung had spearheaded the establishment of the Eco Lodge at Popa Mountain Resort and also upgraded Myanmar's largest and most well-known Botanical Gardens in Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Region.
U Zaw Win has over a wealth of 35 years working experience in forest management, planning and forest policy implementation. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from the Faculty of Forestry, Yangon Art & Science University, and a Diploma in Environmental Education from Deemed University in India. U Zaw Win has held several posts in the Ministry ranging from Plantation Assistant in East Pegu Yoma Plantation Project, Research Officer at Forest Research Institute, Yezin, Plantation Officer at Plantation Region-1,Taungoo , Township Forest Officer of Tachilaik, Shan State, Staff Officer at Watershed Division, Assistant Director in Kyauk Se District as well as in Pyin Oo Lwin District, Deputy Director for Natural Forest and Plantation Division , Director of Forest Department, Kachin State as well as Director of Planning and Statistics Division in MONREC up to the post of Deputy Director General in the Ministry (MONREC). After retirement U Zaw Win is currently a Director of MBF and also serves as a general manager at International Business Centre in Yangon.