Piero Genovesi gained a Masters degree in 1989 and a PhD in 1993 in Animal Ecology at the University of Rome, carrying on research on carnivore ecology. Since 1996 he has worked with the INFS (Italian Wildlife Institute – the Italian government research institute for conservation), focusing on carnivore conservation and alien species. He has coordinated several research projects (eradication and management of invasive alien species, patterns of invasions of mammals, economics of biological invasions, etc.) and worked closely with the Italian Ministry of Environment and with several international institutions (such as the Council of Europe, the European Commission, and the European Environmental Agency) to develop guidelines and policies on the management of alien species (he is a co-author of the European Strategy on Invasive Alien Species). In 2000 he was nominated Chair of the European section of IUCN SSC ISSG, and in 2005 appointed Deputy Chair of ISSG. In this capacity he has coordinated many activities on invasive species, providing technical support to States and institutions in the field of invasive alien species management and for the development of policies on the issue. At present Piero is a senior conservation officer with the ISPRA (Institute for Environmental Research and Protection, created by the Italian Government after the suppression of INFS), where he coordinates the activities on alien species management.