IBRA Director

Following the untimely death of Vincent Cook, the Council of IBRA have appointed David A Francis as Director.

David Francis started beekeeping as a schoolboy in Brecon, Wales and has maintained his interest in apiculture throughout residence and extensive travels in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, Scandinavia, USSR, Middle/Far East, the Caribbean, Australasia and the South Pacific.

After taking BSc a degree in Botany and Forestry at Bangor University, North Wales, he undertook post-graduate studies in aerial surveys for forest and land use at the Commonwealth Forestry Institute, Oxford and the Directorate of Overseas Surveys. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Foresters and Member of the Society of Tropical Foresters.

Following Government Service in Newfoundland, England and Ghana, Mr Francis has recently retired from his position as Managing Director of Hunting Surveys Ltd after spending the past 33 years engaged in natural resources surveys of all types, mainly in the humid and arid tropics. This included 11 years on secondment, both in the field and at headquarters, to FAO and UNDP. Latterly he has undertaken consultant assignments for UNDP and UNEP.

As Director of IBRA Mr Francis intends to promote and continue IBRA’s beekeeping education and extension activities in developing countries, foster apicultural research and the international exchange of information on beekeeping.