The CIC extends its best wishes to long-standing member and CIC Advisor on One Health, Dr. Wilhelm von Trott zu Solz, who celebrates his 70th birthday today.
Born on 4 July 1954, Dr. Wilhelm von Trott zu Solz’s career is marked by notable achievements in the fields of veterinary medicine, wildlife conservation and humanitarian work.
Having attended the University of Munich, he went on to earn his doctorate from the University of Giessen, where he specialised in tropical veterinary medicine. His professional career spans over three decades, during which he held prominent roles in Bayer Animal Health and Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health.
It is this expertise that has made him an invaluable Member of the CIC, ever since joining the Membership in 1983. Having attended his first CIC General Assembly with his father back in 1978 – which took place in Sofia, Bulgaria – he went on to eventually become a pillar within the CIC Network, serving as both Vice President of the Tropical Game Commission and Head of the German CIC Delegation.
As Vice President of the Tropical Game Commission, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Mexican Delegation in 1994, working directly with Commission Chair Baron Bertrand des Clers, who was also a Member Emeritus of the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
Within his capacity as Head of the German Delegation – a position he held from 2014 to 2020 – he helped foster a close alliance with Deutscher Jagdverband and was the first to invest in proactive communications initiatives on hunting abroad. Internally, his work culminated in the consolidation of finances and the expansion of the German Delegation to 200 members.
More recently, Dr. von Trott zu Solz became a member of the CIC Executive Committee, utislling his knowledge in veterinary medicine to help shape the organisation as a CIC Advisor on One Health.
Beyond the CIC, his humanitarian work as an Ambassador for the Order of Malta also demonstrates a strong commitment to supporting broader sustainable development issues. He currently serves as a Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary Ambassador to South Sudan and Kenya, after taking on the responsibilities in 2016 and 2018 respectively.
As an Ambassador, his key accomplishments include the establishment of a maternity ward in a Kenyan refugee camp, significantly improving maternal health outcomes, and the delivery of masks and ventilators to South Sudan during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr. Wilhelm von Trott zu Solz’s efforts continue to inspire and make a profound impact on conservation efforts and communities worldwide. The CIC extends its best wishes to him on this special occasion and thanks him for his many years of service to the organisation to-date.