Hannes Dempewolf

Global Managing Director
Antonelli Foundations for Biodiversity Research and Conservation

Hannes Dempewolf is the Global Managing Director of the Antonelli Foundations for Biodiversity Research and Conservation, where he leads efforts to understand, protect, and restore biodiversity globally, with a focus on “dark biodiversity”—the vast array of lesser-known species and ecosystems critical to planetary health. Currently, the foundations prioritize the Atlantic rainforest in Brazil, working closely with scientific, governmental, and community partners to drive impactful change. Hannes also serves as a Botanist at the Gothenburg Botanical Gardens, where he contributes to plant conservation, particularly seed banking and biodiversity’s role in food systems.

With over two decades of experience in biodiversity conservation, project management, and international partnerships, Hannes is dedicated to fostering innovative collaborations and mobilizing resources for impactful change. From his early work conducting biodiversity research in the Peruvian Amazon to serving as the Global Crop Diversity Trust’s focal point for the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and leading a major global conservation initiative on crop wild relatives, he has consistently advanced conservation strategies and built value-based partnerships. His academic background is in Botany, with degrees from the University of Edinburgh and the University of British Columbia (PhD), where he specialized in the origin, evolution, and conservation of plant biodiversity in global food systems.

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