Queen Awards MBE to CEO

CEO of Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, Jonathan Vaughan, has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) by Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of his services to wildlife conservation in Malawi.

Jonny has dedicated his award to the staff at the Trust, saying that whilst he is honoured and humbled, it ultimately reflects the collective achievements of them all.

He moved to Malawi in 2009 – on a career break with his partner, Kate – to volunteer at the Wildlife Centre, and took over the Trust’s management in 2010.  Ten years on, LWT has grown into a leading national charity with over 100 staff, investing $2 million into conservation initiatives last year. The majority of these projects have been in partnership with the Government.

Hon Werani Chilenga, co-chair of the Malawi Parliamentary Conservation Caucus and most recently the Deputy Minister for Natural Resources, Energy & Mining, said, “Jonathan is an upstanding individual who works tirelessly for the protection of our nation’s wildlife. His status as a foreign national has been no barrier to working with the highest levels of government and his open and collaborative attitude have brought many individuals and partners together to work towards a common goal. His many years of service here in Malawi combined with tenacity, insightfulness and strategic thinking have made him an asset to the cause.”