UK International Year of Biodiversity (2010)

Bob conceived and championed the UK response to the UN International Year of Biodiversity 2010. With legal waiver from the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and match funded by Defra, it was the official UK response.  More than 450 organisations from diverse sectors of society across the British Isles joined the programme, delivering between then more than 1500 projects and activities. It was by a significant margin the largest response to the International Year anywhere in the world more than 452 articles in mainstream news, and online created unique daily view figures in excess of 420 million.

Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention of Biodiversity (right) at the launch of IYB-UK November 2009

Darwin200 (2009)

Bob coordinated the 2009 celebrations of the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin and, in the same year, the 150^th anniversary year of On the origin of Species by means of natural Selection. The multi-partner programme promoted the significance of evolutionary biology to our understanding of the origin of the diversity of evolution of life and also its significance to the future of biodiversity and environment. Bob led the development of the brand, devised the partner position statement of the importance of evolutionary biology, coordinated the media plans and engagement approach, with a partnership supported by the Natural History Museum, Wellcome Trust, British Council and Dept of Business Innovation and Skills. Darwin200 had the support of an advisory group with representation from BBC, British Science Association, Cambridge University, Charles Darwin Trust and the Royal Society.

Darwin200 coordinated and supported events, and programmes across the UK and the brand franchised to partner organisations around the world.