Biography: Charles Douglas – Wilderness Trust Chairman

Charles Douglas is the Chairman of the Wilderness Trust. By profession, he is a trained M&A attorney with more than 20 years of legal experience. He is a partner at Bowmans, an African law firm with offices in Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, and affiliate offices in Ethiopia and Nigeria. He is Co-head of Bowmans’ Mergers & Acquisitions, a long-standing member of the firm’s main board, and a central co-ordinator of its ESG and impact sector group.

Charles has worked with Wilderness for many years, assisting it to reposition and strengthen for the future through the introduction of its cornerstone investors, including FS Investors and TPG’s The Rise Fund. He advises on group arrangements and new conservation projects, which will help the business to grow and ultimately achieve its impact mission through empowerment, education and protection. 

“I strongly believe in ethical leadership and best governance, and hold the conservation and impact imperatives of Wilderness close to my heart. As we all know, the last few years have been extremely challenging for people around the world, with the pandemic’s impact on tourism and conservation having been particularly profound. I am therefore proud to take on the role of Chairman of the Trust, and to work with the team to play a crucial role in helping Wilderness drive the funding for various conservation and research projects across the continent”, notes Charles.