Professor Ainun Nishat, the incumbent Country Representative of IUCN Bangladesh has been working as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator, championing the wise use of natural resources and sustainable development in Bangladesh for decades, while his arena of work and interests include water resource development and management, environment management, biodiversity conservation, coastal zone and wetland conservation and management, disaster management, adaptation to climate change and climate variability and related policy advocacy.

Before joining IUCN, Dr. Nishat was a professor of Water Resources Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). He played a pivotal role in the Ganges Water Treaty negotiations, water sector policy formulation, agriculture sector policy revision and strategy formulation etc. He was closely involved in the preparation of the Bangladesh National Conservation Strategy, National Environment Management Action Plan, National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and National Adaptation programme of Action for Climate Change. As a member of Panel of Experts (PoE), he was closely involved in construction of the Jamuna Multi Purpose Bridge.

Author of a good number of environment related publications both in Bengali and English, and a popular TV personality, Dr. Nishat has made substantial contribution through campaigns on policies on creating popular awareness of the said issues.