João Salomão

African Parks’ Country Representative in Mozambique, João Salomão, has had a rich and varied career in in academia, consulting and the public sector, culminating in his decision to come out of retirement and work in conservation. 

João’s journey to his current role has seen him earn advanced qualifications in his native Mozambique, as well as the Netherlands and Portugal. As Minister of Public Works and Housing in the Mozambican Government from 1997 to 1994, João oversaw a very significant portfolio, and was able to draw on his extensive leadership and operational experience in his subsequent career as a management and engineering consultant on multiple projects across southern Africa. 

João’s unique combination of relevant experience and expertise has equipped him with the skills needed to succeed in his new role. His passion for conservation is matched only by his compassion for cancer patients, as evidenced by his volunteer work as a patient advocate. In this capacity, too, he has travelled internationally – as eloquent an ambassador for cancer survivors as he is for conservation at scale in Mozambique.