Marco Lambertini will be the new director general of WWF International from the first of May. Currently executive director of BirdLife International, he was selected from a list of exceptional candidates.

The president of WWF International, Yolanda Kakabadse, described him as the ideal figure because he is the only one with "proven leadership credentials at a global level, as well as a global mindset, first-class scientific and political acumen, an energetic fundraiser, an activist and a natural communicator, capable of conveying his passion and of being a guide for saving life on Earth".

"I am delighted and incredibly excited to serve an organisation like WWF and to help fully realise its immense potential as a catalyst and driver of change for the wellbeing of people and nature," said Marco Lambertini.

Lambertini was born in Livorno in 1955 and boasts more than 25 years of experience leading environmental organisations. Before BirdLife International he headed the Lipu, Lega italiana per la protezione degli uccelli, although his career began at WWF itself, in Italy, as a simple volunteer. He is the author of several books including "Guida alla natura tropicale" (Franco Muzzio Editore, 1992) and "Nati liberi" (Franco Muzzio Editore, 1995) and writes for magazines such as Oasis, Tuttoscienze and Airone.

Founded in Switzerland in 1961, the WWF is today the world's largest organisation dedicated to species conservation.