Podcast: Dominic Jermey OBE | ZSL Director General
Are you working in something totally unrelated to conservation and dreaming of switching into a career helping wildlife to flourish? Well that’s exactly what today’s guest has done successfully, and right in at the top.
Dominic Jermey OBE worked as a senior British diplomat for over 20 years in countries such as East Timor and the United Arab Emirates, ultimately serving as British ambassador to Afghanistan. From there he switched careers and moved into wildlife conservation as the director general of the Zoological Society of London.
Now ZSL is an international conservation charity with a vision of a world where wildlife thrives. They’re working every day to achieve this with science-fuelled conservation around the world, and by engaging millions of people at their two world-class zoos, ZSL London and ZSL Whipsnade.
In this fascinating discussion we talk about his career journey and highlights, and decision to move from diplomacy into conservation. We also discuss his role as director general and how he’s shaping ZSL as it approaches its 200th anniversary.
Finally, Dominic shares his careers advice and insights for people working in an unrelated role to conservation but looking to switch into it. As always, if you enjoy our podcast, please let us know and do leave us a review, we read them all and they really help us to get in front of more people.
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Audio Transcript
DOMINIC: I’m Dominic Jermey and I’ve been the director general head of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) for just over a year and we are an extraordinary organisation that has two zoos, a science institute and a global portfolio of conservation projects, and we’re about making this a world where wildlife thrives.
NICK: Fabulous. So you’ve been in place for just over a year or so. Prior to that, and we’re gonna talk about your career in a while, you were working as a diplomat outside of conservation. Have you always had an interest in wildlife and conservation, and where did that start for you?
Careers Advice, Podcast, Senior Level, Organisational Manager