Two accomplished leaders from the fields of government and business join WWF’s International Board

 WWF International is pleased to announce the appointment of the politician and diplomat Prof. Amb. Judi Wakhungu and the business leader Denise Koopmans to its International Board of Trustees. 

Prof. Amb. Judi Wakhungu is Kenya’s Former Ambassador to France, Holy See, Portugal, Serbia and Monaco. Previously she served as Kenya’s Minister of Environment, Water & Natural Resources from 2013 to 2018 where she led a series of key environmental achievements. These included enacting the Wildlife & Conservation Act 2013, Climate Change Act 2016, Water Act 2016, destroying Kenya’s ivory and rhino horn stockpiles in 2016 to curb illegal wildlife trade, and banning single-use plastic bags in Kenya in 2017.  A geologist by training, Prof. Wakhungu has extensive research and teaching experience and has held numerous international posts including serving on the Scientific Advisory Board of the UN Secretary General, as an Energy Advisor to the World Bank, and as Vice-President of the United Nations Environment Assembly. 

Denise Koopmans is an experienced international non-executive director, supporting companies with business transformation, innovation and growth. Based in Switzerland, she is currently a non-executive director at Swiss Post, Cicor Group, Royal BAM Group, Norma Group and an independent member of the Board of Governors of Grant Thornton International. She was previously Managing Director of the Legal & Regulatory Division of the Dutch publisher Wolters Kluwer and CEO of LexisNexis Intelligence Solutions, a global business intelligence and analytics company. She is passionate about ESG and embedding sustainability into business and is a member of the strategic advisory board of the Boards Impact Forum. As a past member of the board of trustees of WWF-Netherlands, she has already made a valuable contribution to WWF’s mission.  

Prof. Adil Najam, WWF International President, said: “I am pleased to welcome Prof. Amb. Judi Wakhungu and Denise Koopmans to the WWF International Board of Trustees. They are both accomplished leaders in their fields and will bring their expertise in global governance and international business to the International Board. Prof. Amb. Judi Wakhungu is an exceptional policymaker and diplomat whose record of spearheading significant environmental advances in Kenya speaks for itself. Denise Koopmans is a seasoned non-executive director with a wealth of experience in supporting organizations to innovate and grow in a sustainable manner. We are delighted that they both will be working with WWF to help tackle the most urgent conservation challenges and deliver impact at scale” 
 
Prof. Amb. Judi Wakhungu said: “Joining this distinguished Board is indeed an honor. I have engaged with WWF for many years. We share the same passion for valuing and protecting our global biodiversity for mutual healthy coexistence.” 
 
Denise Koopmans said: “I feel privileged to join the Board and want to thank the WWF Council and International Board for their trust. I look forward to continuing to work with the best global experts in the domain of sustainability and contributing to building a future where people and nature thrive in a sustainable way.” 

Both Prof. Judi Wakhungu and Denise Koopmans took up their positions on the International Board on 1 January 2026. WWF International expresses its gratitude to retiring Trustees, Jack Clemons and Paula Kahumbu, for their time and valuable contributions. 
 

ENDS