Rebecca Brewer has been appointed permanent CEO of Durrell. The Chair of trustees says anyone who doesn't support the charity's leadership should reconsider their membership.

Rebecca Brewer has held the role of CEO on an interim bases for the past year, following the resignation of Dr Leslie Dicker.

The trustees say there was an extensive global selection process and her commitment and clarity of purpose stood out.

"Rebecca brings strong professional experience, having worked across complex, global organisations along with, most importantly, a passion for Durrell and our mission. In an excellent field of candidates, her commitment and clarity of purpose stood out: ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Trust and continuing to grow our global impact on species, ecosystems and communities.

"The Board of Trustees were unanimous in their decision to appoint Rebecca, valuing her positivity, enthusiasm and integrity. We are especially looking forward to working with Rebecca and her leadership team over the next year to shape our new strategy."

Rebecca joined Durrell in 2019, initially as Director of Finance then taking on responsibility for commercial operations and IT in 2020.

Previously a Chartered Accountant, she spent 15 years working for PwC before taking a sabbatical in 2017 to volunteer on wildlife conservation projects in Botswana and Zimbabwe. She has a geography degree and holds an MSc in environmental science. 

Of her appointment, Rebecca said: “I am proud to be given the opportunity to lead Durrell. I look forward to working with my colleagues and our partners to develop and deliver an ambitious and sustainable strategy with Gerald’s legacy at its heart, that carries Durrell into the future. I am truly excited for our next chapter and to build on our incredible success to develop a wilder, healthier and more colourful world for both people and wildlife.”

Dr Lee Durrell, Honorary Director of Durrell, says she is thrilled at the appointment.

"Ever since she started working for us, she has shown that she lives by our values of being ‘purposeful, accountable and supportive’. In a manner that is both fair-minded and compassionate, Becky will lead us into a bright future, strengthening and expanding our conservation mission to meet the many challenges that lie ahead.”

It comes a day after Durrell's first AGM since its trustees survived a vote of no confidence in May, brought by a group who were demanding an independent investigation into how Jersey Zoo was run.

Chair of the board, Matthew Hatchwell addressed the meeting, saying anyone who doesn't back the conservation charity's leadership should reconsider their membership:

To achieve our ambitious goals, we must now focus our efforts on our mission. The campaign against the Trust has placed unsustainable demands on the Trust’s time and resources, diverting us from vital work saving species and restoring habitats.

"If any members feel they cannot support our leadership as we enter this new period in Durrell’s history, we encourage them to reflect on whether a Durrell membership is the right fit for them."

He added that with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jersey Zoo's founder Gerald Durrell in 2025, it is time to refocus on saving species from extinction.

 Gerald Durrell, founder of Jersey Zoo

Trustee Elections 

Durrell members voted for the following candidates to join the board: 

New Trustees  

• Andrew Cunningham (774 votes) 
• Niall Husbands (700 votes) 
• Richard Prosser (680 votes) 
• Kirsten Pullen (755 votes) 
• John Regan (733 votes) 

Re-elected Trustees 

• Matthew Hatchwell (749 votes) 
• Gary Clark (748 votes) 
• Sarah Cook (697 votes) 

The following Trustees remain on the Board 

• Gerald Voisin 
• Gillian Arthur 
• Richard Daggett 

The total number of votes submitted for Trustee elections was: 1,113. 

This equates to 7.1% of our membership. 

Rule changes 

All proposed Trust rule changes were approved. If helpful, you can find a summary document of what was put forward on our website. 

• Votes in favour: 598 (84.5%)

• Votes against: 110 (15.5%)

Resolution 

A resolution was also put forward by members for consideration at the AGM. The resolution was as follows: That the Chairman of the Trust must be resident in Jersey, residing in Jersey with immediate effect. 

This resolution was voted against and was therefore not passed. 

• Votes in favour: 164 (22.6%)

• Votes against: 548 (77.4%)