Bio Anthony Colour

Anthony Watterson

Chairman

Captain Anthony G Watterson: Chairman and co-founder

Born in Italy to a French mother and English father, Anthony is fluent in several languages. Anthony is the son of Gerald George Watterson, former ambassador to the UN and EU, and designer of the famed WWF panda logo. With this lineage, it is not surprising that Anthony’s passion for conservation and research was instilled in him from a young age and remains a driving force  until today.


Anthony attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and became an officer in  1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards. In his private life he has led many noteworthy expeditions including the Seven Deserts Expedition and Chasing the Spoor and he is currently involved with several projects serving the larger interests of conservation.


Not only does Anthony hold the rank of Captain in the British Army but he is a successful investment banker and businessman. Combining his advocacy for the planet with a qualification in business administration, and extensive experience in business startups and management consulting, Anthony became a founder and director of Rhino Disharmony, an NGO dedicated to the protection of critically endangered rhinos. 


Today, vikela.earth is honoured to have Anthony at its helm as Chairman of the Board and an agent of change. As its founder, it is Anthony’s vision to promote scientific conservation research and related projects that inform and inspire the work done by vikela.earth.






Bio Mike

Mike Brosnan

Founder and CEO

Michael Brosnan: Chief Executive Officer

Mike is a passionate humanitarian and conservationist, whose vision and past work have culminated in the launch of vikela.earth, an organisation on a mission to drive a new generation of standards in research and conservation.


Mike brings a rich range of experience to vikela.earth. He spent 25 years in the corporate environment, 10 years in an environmental and business consulting role and a lifetime amongst researchers, academics and conservation activists. 


To future-proof vikela.earth’s efforts, Mike understands that business and conservation must go hand in hand. This means technology-led solutions driven by international best practices and deep collaborations. 


Mike seeks to evidence shortcomings and misunderstandings around conservation, particularly pertaining to how best to serve our global resources, and to identify opportunities across various sectors, communities and geographies.


For Mike, it’s about challenging norms, finding more efficient alternatives and establishing collective and sustainable interventions rather than piecemeal applications. This is why partnerships with like-minded organisations are so important to Mike and vikela.earth in helping to change the planet’s health for good.

THE MOB - Executive Committee - Volunteers
Bio Wiehann Colour

Wiehann Myburgh

Chief Logistics and Technical Support Officer

Wiehann Myburgh: Chief Programs Officer

Wiehann is a certified skipper, divemaster and dive instructor. He is a keen adventurer, a registered tour guide, and a businessman focusing on tourism and conservation-based activities. Conservation is a high priority for Wiehann and being part of the solution is one of his key drivers.


Having spent some 20 years in the shark diving and conservation industries, Wiehann’s experience and keen understanding of our marine ecosystems is invaluable.


A highly skilled, knowledgeable professional who leads a healthy and fitness-driven lifestyle, Wiehann embodies our values. His strong practical bent, his passion for educating others about the environment, and his life-long drive to grow his own skills set and empower others provide vikela.earth with an inspiring CPO who keeps us on our tracks. 

Stan Bio

Stan Miller

Chief Financial Officer

Stanley Miller: Chief Financial Officer

Stanley is a CA (SA) with extensive commercial experience. He has held many senior executive positions  in the retail, FMCG and banking industries. He has run his own management consultancy business specialising in business turnarounds and is currently the CEO of a business in the financial services industry.


Stanley brings his leadership skills, commercial acumen and a ‘can do’ attitude to vikela.earth as its Chief Finance Officer. His responsibilities include: providing strategic leadership and guidance, timely and accurate analysis of budgets, financial reports and financial trends to assist the CEO and  Executive Board with business decision-making, financial accounting, management and oversight, managing relationships with external business partners such as auditors, banks, insurers and landlords, risk assessment and ensuring regulatory compliance and governance assessing and assisting  in negotiating and structuring funding opportunities

evaluating and documenting fundraising initiatives, grants and tenders and working on concept documents and solicitation strategies for winning new donors and converting proposals into funds for the vikela.earth.


Stanley leads with honesty, empathy and trust. He has the courage to take chances and his clear thinking, tenacity and resilience make the difference.


Although as a non-profit organisation, vikela.earth advocates for the protection of the earth and its resources through research and the application of green solutions, and its focus is other than purely turning a profit, that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be profitable. Under Stanley’s leadership as Chief Finance Officer, vikela.earth seeks to be a viable, revenue-creating entity to pursue its projects and grow its footprint.

Bio Nozi

Nozipho Ndiweni

Director Partnerships and Advocacy

Nozipho Ndiweni

Bio coming soon.

vikela earth website members photos (1498 × 1900 px)

Dr Enrico Genarri

Chief Research Operations Officer

Kerstin Bio

Kerstin Engler

Financial Oversight and Philanthropy Director

Kerstin Engler: Financial and Philanthropy Director

Kerstin is a Senior Advisor at a Multi Family Office in Switzerland. Throughout her career she has been advising wealthy families and individuals on their financial matters as well as philanthropic affairs.


Kerstin holds a MSc degree in Wealth Management from the University of Rochester - Simon Business School and a MSc degree in Finance from the University of Bern. She has vast experience in business management and finance, with a career in diverse sectors in different countries.


Since her childhood Kerstin has been passionate about nature. She learnt her first lessons in biodiversity accompanying her father on game drives in the Swabian Mountains. He also taught her the importance of protecting the ecosystem especially in a densely populated country like Germany. On numerous trips on the African continent she experienced outstanding wildlife and landscapes and she met people who were actively engaged in protecting these treasures.


It is her vision to contribute to the protection of our planet by deploying her area of expertise and activating her network.

Bio-Stuart-Colour-240x300

Stuart Smith

Director Production and Creative

Stuart Smith - Director Production and Creative

Stuart is a freelance film editor based in South Africa.

After graduating from film school in 1980, Stuart started work firstly as a runner and quickly moved through the ranks as a sound recordist, assistant camera, actuality insert script writer, and finally developed a love for film editing.

With more than 35 years of editing experience behind him cutting television series, music videos, award winning cinema commercials and documentaries, Stuart is passionate about working on unscripted documentaries.

He has worked as senior editor on numerous series for production companies whose clients included SABC, M-Net, Kyk Net, E-TV and BBC Food. Some of these include:

  • Just In Africa – a travel and cooking program featuring Justine Drake (BBC Food),
  • 12 Seasons of Living Land (SABC Education), season 12 is in production and is currently being broadcast on SABC2. Living Land is an educational series dealing with all thing’s agriculture. Topics covered include land reform issues, soil conservation, food security, food systems, agricultural innovation and technology, niche crops, amongst many others. The mandate is to inform the youth that agriculture is cool!
  • Co-editor on “The Tiger Mafia”, which went to the Sundance Festival in 2016 and is set for release on Amazon Prime in August 2021, reveals the speed breeding and illegal trade of tigers and tiger body parts in South East Asia,
  • “Deadly Greed”, co-editor, broadcast on Germanys ZDF public service channel, 3Sat, a documentary which follows the trail of "white gold" through time and space. From the cave dwellers of the Stone Age to elephant hunters in Africa, ivory carvers in China - and on to the harvest of Woolly Mammoth tusks in Russia. While the trade in elephant ivory is banned, the trade in mammoth ivory is legal. Could this be the salvation of Africa’s elephants?
  • “Stealing Giants” Asian elephants are on the brink of extinction. In just the last century the Asian elephant population has declined by 50%. Today there are a mere 40 000 elephants left in South East Asia. This documentary investigates why the numbers have plummeted and exposes the shocking mistreatment of elephants in China. Karl Ammann is driven to save these elephants by mobilising governments and conservation bodies to change policy and take action. Status – in production, a rough cut and sizzle reel is being pitched to broadcasters to raise funding for the next edit cycle to finalise the film and distribute.
  • A number of conservation themed inserts for SABC’s 50/50, and DSTV’s Carte Blanche.

Stuart uses his experience and deep commitment to the message of each film he works on to polish raw footage into an engaging story. Here he brings his ability as an artist and highly experienced film editor/director to distil narratives that educate and delight the audience.

Copy of Untitled (240 × 240 px) (1498 × 1872 px) (1498 × 1900 px)

Thembi Mwamakamba

Non-Executive Director

Bio Ana Colour

Ana Pellegrino

Research Support Director

Ana C Pellegrino: Director of Research

Ana is a Brazilian-born graduate from the University of Campinas with an undergraduate qualification in Biological Sciences, and a Master’s Degree in Entomology from the University of São Paulo. 


Furthermore, she holds a business qualification and an MBA from the Getulio Vargas Foundation .


For over a decade Ana has pursued a career as a researcher in environmental and agricultural solutions for pest control in crops with top-tier universities such as the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ), the Federal University of Parana (UFPR) and the University of Western Ontario. She has also worked with the multinational company, Syngenta Crop Protection.


Ana specialises in research methodologies and the management thereof, coordinating research projects and launching initiatives aligned to these programmes. The last position she held was that of Senior Environmental Specialist with Uid Energy, which included the allocation of funding and managing conservation research projects.


In her role as Director of Research she significantly strengthens vikela.earths’s global drive for collaborative environmental research and progress.

Bio Claus Colour

Claus-Steffen Braun

Director Creative

Claus-Steffen Braun

Claus has been living and working as an artist in Cape Town since March 2013. After receiving his Certificate of Visual Communication from HfG University of Art and Design in Offenbach, Germany and doing a lithograph apprenticeship in Kaiserslautern, he started off as a Junior Art Director. He was soon promoted to Executive Creative Director and over 20 years worked for numerous renowned international advertising agencies such as Leo Burnett, Publicis, Grey and FCB.

Apart from being the co-founder of the ADC Ukraine, Claus has been decorated with many international awards. He was shortlisted for awards at Cannes and have been awarded both an Effie Award and Red Apple Grand Prix. He received the Gold awards from the Golden Drum, ADC*UA, Idea Awards and the Kiev Festival. Silver awards he won from the Golden Hammer and the New York Festival and was also awarded Bronze at the Epica Awards and the Art Directors Club in Germany.

Claus’ highly detailed pencil drawings reflects sensitively juxtaposed, closely observed scenes of life in Cape Town. These works are sometimes provocative, often poignant, a little intriguing and quite emotive. His passion for storytelling creates a unique tale for each of his creative works.

Executive Committee Advisory Board - Volunteers
Nicolene edited

Nicolene Anley

Lead Advisor

Lizël Kimber

Lizel Kimber

Support and Engagement Advisor

Lizël Kimber

Lizël Kimber grew up in the little sleepy town of Caledon with a love for nature and the outdoors. After spending time away and then moving back to Caledon, she was faced with the harsh reality of a slowly dying town with a neglected reserve of potentially the richest variety of heathers on the planet. This sparked Lizël and her family into action.

A couple of years later, she and a business partner created Beyond Black Mountain. Lizël is a director and CEO of this organisation, which serves as a platform to raise awareness of the amazing environment and nature of this little explored region of the Overberg. Lizël has essentially become a local activist, pushing boundaries and connecting people for the advancement of a common vision to protect our local natural and cultural heritage and develop environmental tourism for the betterment of all.

Copy of Untitled (240 × 240 px) (1498 × 1872 px)

Virginia Simpson

Strategy Advisor

Copy of Untitled (240 × 240 px) (1498 × 1872 px) (1498 × 1900 px)

Philippa van Aardt

Communications Advisor

Philippa van Aardt: Communications Director

Philippa has a BA majoring in languages, a post-graduate qualification in education and an honours degree in history. She has an extensive background in publishing, both as a generalist and as a specialist in legal publications. Whether managing a stable of law and tax journals or developing material in the fields of risk, governance and compliance she has developed a deep connection to the law over the past twenty years. She is also a published author with a keen interest in historical and environmental conservation. 


As a wordsmith, instructional designer, trainer and communicator, Philippa works with content in all formats whether online or in print. She is adept at managing and working with skilled specialists in developing ideas into tangibles. 


Being a life-long knowledge worker, Philippa enjoys researching and learning about new things, and is comfortable working in many fields of endeavour. She brings an enquiring mind and the ability to create viable products to vikela.earth. 


Matthias engler

Matthias Engler

International Volunteer Advisor and Sabbatical Ambassador

Perses Bilimoria

Perses Bilimorio

Climate Change and Repair Specialist Advisor

Advisory Council - Scientific - Volunteers
Bio Linda Colour

Dr Linda Penfold

Endangered Species Specialist and Lead Research

Nokuthula (Thuli) Nkadimeng

Thuli Nkadimeng 

Marine Biologist and Hypoxia Specialist

Nica Kotze

Nica Kotze

Environmental Flora Restoration Practitioner 

Copy of Untitled (240 × 240 px) (1498 × 1872 px) (1498 × 1900 px)

Katerina Bogiages- Maceleod

Environmental Scientist

Kimberley ray edited

Kimberly Ray

Marine Biologist

DAE03FC1-4BD1-4965-BDED-009C478D7BB0

Nazanin Akbari

Marine Biologist

this one

Dr Michael Kock

Wildlife Veterinary Specialist

Advisory Council - General - Volunteers
Joseph Kafunda

Joseph Kafunda

Eco-tourism and Conservationist

Copy of Untitled (240 × 240 px) (1498 × 1872 px) (1498 × 1900 px)

Catherine Nyquist

Rescue of Endangered Species and Conservation 

BB7FF817-B987-4BF9-9EEC-07F49FED1BD2

Yolanda Sissing

Social Media Specialist

Vivienne Mitchley

Vivienne Mitchley

Social Upliftment and Education 

Kylie Paul

Kylie Paul

Disaster Management 

Copy of Untitled (240 × 240 px) (1498 × 1872 px) (1498 × 1900 px)

Robert Ball

Marine Conditions and Anti-poaching

Patrick de Mervelec

Patrick de Mervelec

Art, Visual and Creative

Copy of Untitled (240 × 240 px) (1498 × 1872 px) (1498 × 1900 px)

Carmen Dodd

Environmental Law and Environmental Initiatives 

Mark Kotzee edited

Mark Kotzee

Business Law and Marine Conservation 

AMBASSADORS - Volunteers
Collins Ochumbe

Collins Ochumbe

Game Ranger, Conservationist, Educator

Vanessa Nadine Hoppler

Vanessa Hoppler

Environmental Awareness

oscar ryan ouma edited

Oscar Ryan Ouma

Environmental Awareness

Kara Slabbert

Kara Slabbert

Social Upliftment and Awareness Ambassador

Lulu (Louise) Macdonald

Louise Macdonald

Conservation Awareness

Owen Kataparo Muhenje

Owen Kataparo Muhenje

Marine Awareness and Activist

Paul Leitura edited

Paul Leitura

Awareness Ambassador

this one

Katy Barrett

Conservation Awareness