Joao is Global Leader of WWF’s Food Practice, in charge of the Network´s efforts to enhance the sustainability of food systems worldwide. He leads a team that co-designs, with WWF’s country offices and external partners, solutions that deliver nature-positive production, sustainable diets and reduction of food loss and food waste. Concurrently with his role at WWF, Joao has served as Chair of Action Track 3 of the UN Food Systems Summit, leading the Summit’s work on nature-positive food production systems. Prior to WWF, Joao held the position of Special Environmental and Sustainability Advisor to Brazil´s Minister of Agriculture. Joao has held technical and executive positions in multilateral and bilateral agencies (World Bank, UNDP and DFID), in the federal government of Brazil (Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture) and has advised national and sub-national governments (in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay) on the design and implementation of regional development policies, combining socio-economic rural development with conservation. For thirteen years, Joao worked for The Nature Conservancy as Program Director in Latin America, Executive Director in Brazil and Lead Economist for the Global Lands program. Joao holds a bachelor´s degree in international relations and economics, a master’s degree in economics, and a PhD in environmental economics. He has published two books on the economics of tropical deforestation.