Joseph (JD) D'Cruz

Joseph D’Cruz currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer at the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) since March 2022. Prior to this role, Joseph D’Cruz held several key positions at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from August 1997 to February 2022, including Special Advisor for Strategic Planning & Innovation, where leadership was provided in establishing UNDP’s Accelerator Lab Network and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. Joseph D’Cruz has also led regional efforts in inclusive growth and sustainable development, focusing on poverty and environmental issues, and contributed significantly to ecosystem and biodiversity conservation initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, Joseph D’Cruz co-chaired the Global Future Council on Global Public Goods at the World Economic Forum and began a career as a Management Consultant at KPMG Malaysia. Academic qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Politics from the University of Melbourne and a Master's degree in Political Economy from the University of Leeds.