Announcement

The Zeitz Foundation for Intercultural Ecosphere Safety
Appoints Liz Rihoy as Program Director and
Britta Klemmer as Coordinator


London, June 25th – The Zeitz Foundation for Intercultural Ecosphere Safety is pleased to announce the appointment of Liz Rihoy as Program Director and Britta Klemmer as Coordinator.

Ms. Rihoy will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, and will assume the responsibility of realizing and expanding the Foundation’s programmes and goals, beginning September 1, 2009.
Ms. Klemmer will be based in Pretoria, South Africa, and assumes her position beginning July 1, 2009.

Founded by Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO of PUMA, the objectives of the Foundation are inspired by a vision of the ecosphere—our planet and all of its life-sustaining regions—in the healthiest possible state. Through investing in research and implementing innovative projects that balance conservation, community, culture, and commerce (what Zeitz calls the “4Cs”), the Foundation will promote holistic approaches to enhancing economic, environmental, and social sustainability, with the goal of achieving intercultural ecosphere safety.

“Over the years, I have come to believe that if each of us were to find new ways to translate our passions into meaningful connections and make a contribution, whether small or large, towards achieving not only personal but larger social and environmental goals, then the world can undoubtedly change for the better. I have confidence that under the leadership of Liz Rihoy and Britta Klemmer the Foundation can play its role in bringing these goals closer to realization,” says founder Jochen Zeitz.

Ms. Rihoy has over 20 years experience working in various African countries on community development and natural resource management initiatives. Her work has spanned from village level field-work to advising on international and national environmental policy development. Most recently she held the post of Executive Director of Resource Africa UK, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to working with a range of global and African partners to encourage and deliver new models of natural resource management which prioritize community involvement and empowerment. She remains an active member of the board. Ms. Rihoy is also the Chairperson of the Chinese Environmental Education Initiative, one of the biggest environmental education initiatives in China focused on and engaging with approximately 3,000,000 children. She has extensive experience in programme management and has been instrumental in the management and restructuring of various CBOs and NGOs in rural and urban areas in Africa.

In addition to her role as implementer and practitioner in natural resource management initiatives, Ms Rihoy has conducted extensive applied academic research in Africa on natural resource governance and land tenure regimes, and environmental policy processes. Her academic expertise and interests lie in the fields of political science and rural development. Currently a resident in Kenya, she is completing a PhD on the links between natural resource management, governance reforms and democracy. She is the author of numerous academic and technical publications, covering topics as diverse as “Using theatre in participatory environmental policy making” to “Devolution and democratization of natural resource management in Southern Africa.”

Britta Klemmer is specialized in organizational strategy development and implementation advisory services, with an emphasis on value-driven strategy systems that balance financial and non-financial organizational goals. Ms Klemmer holds a Masters Degree in Management and International Politics and a Postgraduate Degree in Development Studies. She started her career in 1996 working as technical advisor for the International Labour Organization, a specialized UN agency with the mandate to promote decent work throughout the world.

Ms Klemmer then moved on to the private sector and, since 2000, has worked as a freelance consultant for a range of clients, including consultancy companies and non-profit organizations with global outreach such as the Fair Labor Association (FLA), a US-based multi-stakeholder initiative dedicated to ensuring compliance with core labor standards.

Britta Klemmer has extensive work experience in developing countries, emerging economies and economies in transformation. Previously, she worked for five years in Southern Africa, four years in South Asia, two years in East Asia and since January 2008 has been operating out of South Africa.

The Foundation’s inaugural programme is to create and support a worldwide alliance of Global Ecosphere Retreats (GER)—privately-managed natural land areas of high conservation value that are dedicated to realizing the highest standards of sustainability. Ms Rihoy and Ms Klemmer bring their expertise and experience to further the mission and compliment the approach of the Zeitz Foundation in developing the GER programme: listening to the experiences of stakeholders and local communities, encouraging communication and collaboration through participation and creative expression, and protecting and preserving the integrity of the ecosystems in which the GERs are found.