Since 2015, Stefan Leiner has been Head of the Biodiversity Unit, which is responsible, among other things, for the European Union's biodiversity strategy, the European regulation against invasive alien species, and the new European pollinator initiative. He is also the EU focal point for the CBD, CMS and Bern international conventions. Since joining the European Commission, he has been responsible for European and international policies on forest protection and biodiversity. In particular, he was head of the nature unit in charge of the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Natura 2000 European network of protected areas. A graduate in forestry science from Munich's Ludwig Maximilian University, he worked for the German Forest Service and was responsible for European forest policy at WWF's European office.