PHILIP LYMBERY
BIOGRAPHY
Philip John Lymbery is Global CEO of Compassion in World Farming, award winning author, ornithologist, photographer, naturalist and dedicated animal advocate.
Philip has played leading roles in many major animal welfare reforms, including Europe-wide bans on veal crates for calves and barren battery cages for laying hens. Described as one of the food industry’s most influential people, he has spearheaded Compassion’s engagement work with over 1000 food companies worldwide, leading to real improvements in the lives of more than a billion farm animals every year.
It was also Philip’s vision to set up the world’s first extinction and livestock conference in London in October 2017, bringing together Compassion in World Farming and the World Wildlife Fund, supported by HRH Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation.
His awards include Recipient of the ‘Outstanding Campaign’ award by Brussels based Eurogroup for Animals and the 2015 ‘International Golden Dove’ peace prize in Rome. His first book Farmageddon was listed as one of The Times Writers Books of the Year.
Philip’s primary life’s purpose for over 25 years has been to make a meaningful and positive impact to the lives of farmed animals. He never stops challenging the accepted norms in intensive livestock farming, working tirelessly to deliver system change.
He has a sleeves rolled up approach to life including his investigative and research work which has taken him all over the world, often with little regard to his own safety, to document the dreadful impact of factory farming on animals, local people and the environment. His travel has included visiting all kinds of farming systems across many different countries.
Philip is a recognised thought leader and visionary, shaping the future of food for all and is regarded as one of the food industry’s most influential people. His lectures, speeches and appearances take him across the globe to meet, inform and raise awareness of issues with policymakers, companies, experts and members of the public.
Global CEO of Compassion in World Farming
In 2005, Philip became chief executive officer of Compassion in World Farming and is unique in being a member of the original founding family. Under his leadership the charity continues to punch above its weight with approximately a hundred staff working in more than a dozen countries, dedicated to bringing better lives to animals and people.
Through his work as Global CEO, his unquestionable passion for all animals and the countryside drives him to strive to achieve ever greater impact for animals.
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Philip’s first book, Farmageddon: The True Cost of Cheap Meat, was chosen as one of The Times Writers’ Books of the Year in 2014 and was cited by the Mail on Sunday as a compelling ‘game changer’. This was followed by the publication of ‘Farmageddon in Pictures: The True Cost of Cheap Meat – in bite-sized pieces in response to a pictorial version of the famous and award winning original.
His second book Dead Zone: Where the Wild Things Were was published in 2017 and was described by New Statesman as ‘Highly informed, utterly compelling. Lymbery’s narrative threads are subtle and replete with powerful evidence. He does a superb job of equipping us with the hard facts. No author can do more’.
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Visiting Professor at the University of Winchester
Professor Lymbery is a Visiting Professor at the Centre for Animal Welfare at the University of Winchester. The Centre is an interdisciplinary centre that undertakes research, teaching and public engagement in the field of animal welfare.
In 2015 Philip Lymbery and University Vice-Chancellor Professor Joy Carter signed an official agreement designed to forge a strategic partnership between the University and Compassion in World Farming.
Philip has had a lifelong interest in bird watching, started when he had chicken pox as a child and his mother looked to entertain him during the weeks off school with the Observer Guide to Birds. He has since travelled extensively, chalking up a British list of 477 species. He spent 10 years leading wildlife tours for Gulliver’s Natural History Holidays to locations as diverse as the Seychelles, Costa Rica, Morocco, the United States of America and various destinations in Europe. He is a licensed bird-ringer for the British Trust for Ornithology.
PHOTOGRAPHER & NATURALIST
Philip has enjoyed his photography over many years. A chance to capture the beauty of all animals and the rich biodiversity that exists in the world.
He is also a naturalist and passionate environmentalist, working hard to protect the natural environment through better policies and practice, and particularly through education aimed at drawing attention to the role of industrial agriculture in the decline of wildlife worldwide.
New Speaker Dates for 2023:
