Peter Mayer is the Managing Director of the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW), responsible for the development and implementation of the overall strategy and financial operations of BFW, forest and timber related control activities for the Republic of Austria and representation of BFW in national and international fora. From 2003 to 2010 he was Executive Director of IUFRO, the International Union of Forest Research Organizations and moderator of various multi-stakeholder consultations in the frame of the United Nations. From 1998 to 2003 Peter Mayer was the head of the Liaison Unit of Forest Europe responsible for developing pan-European forest policy. He holds a Masters degree in forestry and political science and a PhD in forest policy.