Tony Simons has worked for over thirty years on issues at the agriculture/forestry interface. This experience has been gained in over 50 countries in the private sector (Shell), academia (University of Oxford), official development assistance (ODA/DFID) and research (CIFOR-ICRAF). He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Massey University (NZ) as well as Masters and PhD degrees from Cambridge University (UK). Since 2009 Tony has been an Honorary Professorship in Tropical Forestry at the University of Copenhagen. He has published over 150 research papers and has mentored dozens of young scientists in developing countries. Tony is passionate about the transformative and profitable change that the private sector can bring to development having established partnerships with CEMOI, MARS Inc, Danone, Syngenta, Boehringer, and Unilever. He also sits on various Boards and Investment Committees including TEEB, Global Restoration Council, ACTS, Livelihoods Fund, and Tropical Landscape Finance Facility. In 2020, Tony was made a life-time Fellow of Swedish Royal Academy of Agriculture and Forestry.