Originally trained as a zoologist and ecologist in the UK and South Africa. Worked for six years with the Political Ecology Research Group in the UK, primarily on the environmental impacts of nuclear power and of conventional and organic farming systems. Between 1990 and 1999 he developed and led WWF International’s Trade and Investment programme in Switzerland. This work focused mainly on the environmental impacts of WTO rules and negotiations, related ISO standards and the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment.

Currently with UN Environment (since January 2000), initially working on the effects of trade liberalisation on the environment and the relationship between WTO rules and multilateral environmental agreements. Since 2004 he has worked at the Economy Division in Paris, and from 2007 onwards has focused on sustainable consumption and production (SCP). He is currently Head of the Secretariat of the Ten Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (the “10YFP”), which provides support to the six global programmes in this framework and its more than 600 implementation partners in governments, business and civil society.