Since his first election as President of IUCN in 2012, Mr Zhang has fostered constructive relations between its more than 1,300 State and NGO Members and its components, overseeing the complex policy, strategic and governance issues of the Union, and guiding its constructive engagement with critical international processes including the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement. Concurrently, he has been serving as Co-founder and Executive Chairman of EFG, a leading Chinese NGO striving to build global consensus for a green and sustainable future. Besides, Mr Zhang has previously served as Chairman of UNESCO Executive Board and World Heritage Committee, China’s Vice Minister of Education and has been elected for two consecutive terms as Mayor of Suzhou municipality.