Michael joined the project in early 2020 as our independent chairman. Now a full-time farmer in Dumfries and Galloway, Michael was the Chief Executive Officer for the Buccleuch Group for almost 20 years and before that, Head of the Ministry of Defence's Estates Service. Michael holds both a degree in law and in estate management. Throughout his career he has shown great commitment to supporting wildlife conservation and biodiversity. He is a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society and is a former winner of the RSPB Scotland's Nature of Farming Award. Michael said: “The UK is facing an unprecedented nature-climate crisis, and restoration projects like ours are now more important than ever to reverse biodiversity decline. We have had incredible success in the south of Scotland thanks to the support of community, partners and funders. With enough new public donations, we can take these learnings to restore this iconic species to other areas of the UK".

Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow, University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) With more than 30 years’ experience working in government agencies, Des is former Principal Adviser on Biodiversity and Science with NatureScot, Scotland’s Nature Agency. He worked closely with the Scottish Government devising the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy 2022-2045, and its Delivery Plan. Now a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow with the UHI North, West and Hebrides his interests include the conservation ecology of north European shorebirds, upland ecosystems, and science-policy biodiversity decision making. He advises the UN on climate and biodiversity issues as the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) COP-Appointed Scientific Councillor for Climate Change. He is also a member of the Technical Advisory Group supporting the CMS regarding birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia (founder chair for ten years), member of the Scottish Government’s Biodiversity Programme Advisory Group, and Vice President of the Field Studies Council. He has published widely, and took his PhD and DSc from the University of Nottingham.

Anna is a renowned Professor of Zoological and Conservation Medicine, with a lifelong passion for biodiversity conservation and animal welfare. She has over 30 years experience as a wildlife clinician, researcher, fieldworker and teacher. Awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to animal welfare and the veterinary profession, Anna also brings deep understanding of charity governance and responsibilities. She is currently a member of the Government’s Animal Sentience Committee and a trustee of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. Find out more here: https://bit.ly/2NR6FuT

Until he retired, Ian Newton worked as an ornithologist involved in research relevant to conservation. He began his ornithological career at the University of Oxford, studying seed-eating birds, and then moved to work for the Natural Environment Research Council, studying first waterfowl and then birds-of-prey, particularly the impacts of DDT and other pesticides. For many years, he was head of pesticide and pollution research at Monks Wood Research Station near Huntingdon. He is especially interested in the factors that limit bird populations, including different forms of land-use, and has made detailed studies of various raptors. He has also been involved in several raptor reintroduction programmes in Britain and North America. Apart from his research, he has served as Chairman of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the British Trust for Ornithology and The Peregrine Fund in the USA. In addition, he is a past President of the British Ecological Society and of the British Ornithologists’ Union, and a Fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union. He has written more than 300 papers in the scientific literature, and ten books, including Uplands and birds, reflecting his interests in both birds and land-use.

Jeff’s career contained varied board experience in business. As he stepped back from full time employment, he discovered rewilding as a positive route to recovering nature’s abundance and diversity, bringing with it joy and hope for people. Jeff is a co-founder and trustee of the Yorkshire Rewilding Network, a young charity which brings together anyone in the region with an interest in rewilding to share experience and inspiration. This has provided him with extensive links across the north of England’s conservation and nature recovery community. Latterly he joined CreditNature, a start-up bringing ethical private finance into nature recovery where he served as Finance Director – the best role of his entire career. Improving the integrity of ecosystems – which golden eagles do – provides Jeff with hope for a thriving future for people and nature. He joined RUN as a Trustee in 2024.

A chartered accountant by training with a degree in business studies and French from the University of Edinburgh, Fiona has held a variety of different senior finance roles, with an emphasis on strategy, business planning and business efficiency. Latterly she was the finance director for the Personal, Wealth and Ulster businesses at RBS/NatWest. Since retirement, Fiona has taken up a number of trustee roles, including currently vice chair and treasurer of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, treasurer at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home and treasurer at Sistema Scotland. She has as served as vice chair of the Edinburgh Fringe Society and treasurer of the SSPCA.