Who We Are

Robert PrimmerRobert Primmer - Chief Executive Officer
Rob is the founding visionary of Planet. He comes from a background as a South African Game Ranger. Since completing an exciting military career, he has dedicated more than 15 years to natural resource conservation. He has experience in Environmental Law and Policy, Protected Area Management including both Marine and Terrestrial Protected Areas, Species Management, Community Based Conservation, and Forest and Protected Area Enforcement Systems. Rob has worked in several countries on the African and Asian continents with governments, donors, and civil society. Rob also works for FRR, a consulting group that helps to develop and implement policies that tackle poverty, governance and growth agendas.

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Pieter KatDr. Pieter Kat - Conservation Director
Pieter Kat has been involved in a diverse selection of scientific fields for the past 25 years. With degrees in marine biology, genetics, ecology, and evolution from universities in the USA, he elected to travel widely to apply this knowledge. He has spent 10 years in Kenya establishing biological research programs at the National Museums including documentation of biodiversity, genetic diversity, research on predators, and research on a variety of diseases. He has also spent time in the United States working at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and at the Centers for Disease Control.

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David AxelrodDavid Axelrod - Business Director
David holds an MBA from Bainbridge Graduate Institute, an establishment that focuses solely on sustainability in business. He also possesses academic degrees in history and psychology from the University of Colorado. Dave has 14 years of experience in the tourism industry, both domestically and internationally. He has guided clients on both land and water including the ski slopes and rafting on rivers. For the past five years he has held a secure status as the most senior ski instructor at the busiest ski area in North America, Breckenridge. He also has experience in large-scale organizational change as a part of the Axelrod Group Inc, a firm that specializes in the design of systems that enable leaders and workers to construct collaborative organizations.