Working to conserve our planet's rapidly diminishing natural capital is Steve's life purpose. But the span of one human lifetime is a mere hummingbird's wingbeat in the evolution of the world, so dedicating one's life to a worthy cause usually means accepting that your small contribution may only reap rewards generations after you are gone.
Steve is a passionate and pragmatic conservationist, following his life’s purpose of helping to conserve our planet's rapidly diminishing natural assets. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and an experienced and widely published photojournalist, driven by a vocation for conservation, ecotourism and environmental sustainability.
Conservation work

Driving commercial capital and investment into depleted natural landscapes across Africa

As the founder and CEO of Natural Capital, a bespoke foundation connecting investors to concession opportunities, Steve works closely with conservation-minded high net worth individuals to link them and their investment requirements to protected area investment opportunities where their energy, resources, and desire to improve the status quo – can drive much-needed investment into the neglected high-value concession areas that surround, buffer, and link core national parks.

Protecting vulnerable conservation landscapes throughout sub-Saharan Africa

As a founding director of Conserve Global, a purpose-built organisation tackling the conservation crisis affecting the continent’s secondary protected areas and threatening the longevity of two thirds of Africa’s conservation estate, Steve’s work focused on securing and effectively managing neglected and abandoned hunting concessions, while simultaneously building diversified nature-based rural economies.

Securing the western Serengeti ecosystem for future generations

During his five years as the Executive Director of the Grumeti Fund, Steve was responsible for managing a conservation staff of over 200 people and allocating an annual budget of USD 5 million to safeguard and sustainably manage the 350,000 acre Singita Grumeti Reserves in the western corridor of the Serengeti.

Sustainably developing 1.5 million hectares of community conserved land

Prior to leading the Grumeti Fund, Steve headed up the carbon-driven Sisheke Conservation Project: a long-term public-private partnership to sustainably develop 1.5 million hectares of community-administered land on the Upper Zambezi River. He helped articulate and implement the project’s vision, namely to secure a wild and fragile tract of Zambian wilderness where mankind and the natural world could learn to coexist in harmony.

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PHOTOJOURNALISM

Stephen is also a widely published environmental photojournalist, with his conservation stories and images featuring in a diverse portfolio of over 30 international magazines and newspapers.

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WORK & APPROACH

After two decades immersed in conservation, and having lived and worked in numerous African countries, Steve had amassed wide ranging experience in protected area management, sustainability, environmental consulting, ecotourism and photo-journalism.

Steve is a servant leader who believes in recruiting, training and empowering talented individuals to build strong and diverse teams driven by passion and aligned to the shared purpose of achieving sustainable impact.

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FAMILY & INTERESTS

“My great passions in life are my family, off-the-beaten-path travel, adventure sports and nature. It is my life’s twin ambition to achieve real conservation impact and to explore the world with my wife and sons. Having been fortunate enough to explore 90 countries to date, I find travel energizing and thrive off adventuring and experiencing new places and cultures, but it is ultimately wilderness that rejuvenates my soul.”