Hölzle certainly understands that—it’s how he built his connection to the land, and to WWF. He grew up in the Jura Mountains near Basel, Switzerland's third-largest city. The nearest forests and creek were just a short walk away, and Hölzle remembers his parents granting him and his older brother free roam over the area. And for several years during his primary school days, Hölzle sold WWF stamps door-to-door in his neighborhood to raise money for wildlife. “Everyone in Switzerland was familiar with WWF,” he says.
Years later, when Hölzle’s wife, Dr. Geeske Joel, joined WWF’s Board, piquing his interest in doing the same, his connection to the organization came full circle.
And while Hölzle believes failure is an integral part of the innovation process, his message is that it’s all about balance: “If you always fail at everything you try, well… that’s kind of a problem.” Because, lessons learned aside, the innovation your ambitions lead to is the real prize.
Among WWF’s innovations, he cites the use of remote-controlled planes to aid antipoaching efforts; satellite photography to monitor forest health; and the Natural Capital Project, an initiative to include nature’s value in global decision making.
“Innovation is not someone waking up and having that moment—‘Eureka, I have found it!’,” he says. “It’s a combination of failure and luck and a million other things. But to make a difference you have to take some risks along the way.”