Richard Edwards, a 10-year member of the Bristol-based conservation charity Wildscreen, has been appointed as its new CEO.

Edwards, currently director of the charity’s ARKive website initiative, will take up the position immediately. A graduate of Oxford University and University College London, he’ll be tasked with creating and implementing a long-term development strategy for the charity, securing alliances with external partners, and ensuring continued financial security for the organization.

The charity works to promote conservation and biodiversity through the power of wildlife imagery and natural history-related media. It also organizes Bristol’s Wildscreen Festival, which takes place every two years and is dedicated to wildlife and natural history filmmaking, in addition to other initiatives.

“Richard has built strong professional relationships with some of the most eminent names in natural history media production, conservation biology and academia, a testament to the exceptional skills being brought to the table and key to the reputation Wildscreen holds within these sectors,” said Dick Emery OBE, chair to the Wildscreen board of trustees