Ambassador Conrad served as Ambassador and Special Envoy for Environment and Climate Change in the Department of the Prime Minister and National Executive Council of Papua New Guinea from 2005‐2014. Amb. Conrad founded the Coalition for Rainforest Nations in 2004, an intergovernmental initiative of over 50 developing nations, where he remains Executive Director. Presently, Amb. Conrad also serves the Ministry of Environment of Panama as Special Envoy for Climate Change.

In these roles, Amb. Conrad:

• Conceived and launched the initiative within the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) now known as REDD‐plus (REDD+).
• Developed and launched, is association with Mexico, a proposal for the ‘right to vote’ under Article 18 of the UNFCCC, only when all efforts to reach consensus have been exhausted.
• Actively designed the establishment of the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), Forest Investment Program (FIP), and the United Nations UN‐REDD Programme.
• Served with HRH Prince Charles of Wales on the board of the Prince’s Rainforest Project.
• Collaborated with Sir Richard Branson’s Carbon War Room related to emissions from deforestation, shipping and aviation.
• Lead the Dominican Republic’s Climate Compatible Development Plan (CCDP), subsequently enshrined into law by President Leonel Fernandez.
• Served as member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Ecosystems and Biodiversity Loss.

Amb. Conrad has extensive experience in the private sector ‐‐ investment banking advisory services along with operational experience in both industrial and emerging markets working in agriculture, energy, sea foods, telecommunications, and textiles. He has worked for and advised numerous international companies related to global strategy, international investment, and strategic alliances.

He obtained 2 MBAs from London Business School and Columbia University in New York.

In 2008, TIME Magazine named him #1 in the "Leaders & Visionaries" category within its annual list of "Heroes of the Environment". In 2009, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) named Amb. Conrad a 'Champion of the Earth' for Policy Leadership along with Erik Solheim, Minister of Environment and International Development of Norway.

Amb. Conrad was raised in Papua New Guinea and subsequently earned a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Southern California and MBAs from both Columbia University and the London Business School – receiving the ‘Distinguished Service Award.’