Mr. A. M. Singh
Director General, NCCF
Email – am.singh@nccf.in, dg@nccf.in
Mr. Arvind Madhav Singh is a retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of 1986 batch from Assam segment of Assam Meghalaya Cadre. Mr Singh retired from the post of Principal Chief Conservator of Forest & Head of the Forest Force (HoFF), Forest Department, Govt. of Assam (Jan,2019 – June 2021).
A man of dynamic personality, he had done Masters in Geology from Lucknow University and M. Phil in Internal Strategy & Security from Chennai University.
During his illustrious service period of more than 35 years , he rendered services to many posts in Centre Government as well as in State Government , some of them are PCCF & HoFF, Assam, Chairman, Pollution Control Board, Assam, Joint Secretary to Government of India (Ministry of DoNER from 2013-2016), Inspector General of Forests (IGF) & Deputy Inspector General of Forests,(DIG) in Ministry of Environment & Forests& Climate Change (2009-2013), Govt. of India, Professor, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun, (2003-2007); Associate Professor, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun, (1999-2003) besides various assignments in Assam. He had conducted more than 100 in-service courses for senior IFS officers and organised many theme-based training workshops.
He had presented many papers in various contemporary issues in Commonwealth Forestry Associations, IUFRO, ITTO, World Forestry Congress, Indian Forest Congress, Global Bamboo Summit and co-authored a book on Forest Certification (Published by TERI).
He had also represented India in many International Forums such as United Nations Forum on Forestry (UNFF), FAO, World Forestry Congress, CITES, Commonwealth Forestry Associations etc. He was one of the expert members in ITTO. Yokohama, Japan representing SE Asia from 2011-13. He is also an expert in People & Forest, Sustainable Forest Management & Forest Certification at National and International level and member of various committees.
He is working as Director General, Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests (NCCF), a not-for-profit organization, mandated for diverse conservation activities and development of certification standards for various constituents of our natural resource base viz forests, trees outside forests, ecotourism, protected areas, and wetlands, non-wood forest products, quality planting materials, biofuel & biomass, and CR-I etc. He is actively involved in the promotion and review of sustainability standards, capacity building, liaising with the PEFC Secretariat as the representative of PEFC – National Governing Body from India and policy advocacy with the concerned ministries and state governments.
Mr. Richard Bright
CEO- Carbon Registry-India
Email – richard@nccf.in
Richard Bright, CEO Carbon Registry-India(CR-I) by Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests(NCCF) is a seasoned IT and digital transformation leader who has been in the field for over two decades, efficiently managing custom software development & solutions, information technology operations and driving sustainability initiatives through digital transformation.
Before, joining NCCF in 2019, Richard served as the Director at Teleperformance (Digital Integrated Business Services), where he led global Software service delivery across nine countries. His tenure at Teleperformance was marked by his ability to navigate the complexities of the IT industry and deliver results that surpassed expectations. Prior to that, he held leadership positions with companies like Intelenet Global Services, Serco, Kuoni Travel, Business Travel International and Sita-Western Union.
Apart from his experience, Richard possesses a range of certifications that attest to his expertise in the field. He holds a master’s degree in computer application and is a certified Prince 2 practitioner, Cisco professional, ITSM, Robotics & automation and data analytics expert, trained ISO 27001 LA, ISO 14064, ISO 9001 and adept in Life Cycle Assessment. He also has extensive exposure on ITGC, HIPPA, SOX, GRC and SOC Compliance.
Richard’s unique blend of expertise in technology, standard development, carbon markets, climate change mitigation & adaptation, policies and regulations, enables him to provide guidance to organizations seeking to implement sustainable practices and make a positive impact. His leadership has been instrumental in driving sustainability initiatives and digital transformation, and building a greener economy in India.
Ms. Abhilasha Guleria
Assistant Director
Email – abhilasha.guleria@nccf.in
Ms. Abhilasha Guleria brings nearly a decade of experience in the forestry sector, with a focus on forestry projects and conducting Due Diligence audits for wood-based industries in accordance with international timber regulations. She holds a degree in Forestry and Wood Science & Technology from the Forest Research Institute and has been a part of NCCF for the past five years.
At NCCF, Ms. Guleria is responsible for overseeing operational tasks and supporting the marketing efforts for the PEFC Endorsed Forest Management (FM) and Tree Outside Forests (ToF) certification schemes. She also manages the PEFC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification programs, which are relevant to industries such as furniture, rubber, paper, and textiles, ensuring alignment with PEFC policies.
Beyond her primary responsibilities, she works closely with Certification Bodies, coordinates the accreditation process, and supports the review and revision of PEFC-endorsed schemes, including their international recognition and client interactions. As a subject matter expert, she actively contributes to capacity-building initiatives, helping stakeholders enhance their understanding and expertise in the field.
Ms. Guleria has also been involved in the development of various certification schemes led by NCCF, including Quality Planting Material (QPM), Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP), Safe-boards, Ecotourism, and the Protected Areas and Wetlands (PAWS) initiative.
Her work has extended to several projects awarded to NCCF, such as the ICFRE’s Agroforestry Policy Research Project, the ICFRE’s Popularization of Wood and Wood-Based Products Project, and the USAID-funded Trees Outside Forests in India (ToFI) project. Through her contributions, she has helped strengthen NCCF’s role in multi-stakeholder engagement and policy dialogue concerning natural resource management
Ms. Ritika Bhardwaj
Project Associate (Program Officer)
Email – ritika@nccf.in
Ritika has an education background of Bachelor in Science Honors – Forestry and MSc. Environmental Science. She did her dissertation work in Calculation of Carbon Footprint at Himachal Pradesh University Shimla (Scope 1 & Scope 2 emissions). She also has a 1 year of experience in raising quality planting material for forest regeneration, making nursery beds, collecting seeds and caring for nursery planting.
Ms. Anjali
Project Associate (Program Officer)
Email – anjali@nccf.in
She holds a master’s degree in environmental sciences (Environmental Biotechnology) from Banaras Hindu University and completed her graduation in chemistry and Botany from the University of Allahabad. She has previously worked in a data engineering company and as a Research Analyst in an Environmental Consultancy where she worked on different topics like Net Zero, Carbon Emissions and the Energy Scenario of India.
She joined NCCF in September 2023 and currently working on the Safeboards Certification Scheme and Non-Wood Forest Resources (NWFR) Certification Standards.
Ms. Ananya Sharma
Project Associate (Program Officer)
Email – ananya@nccf.in
Ananya Sharma holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Forestry and a Master’s degree in Forestry with a specialization in Agroforestry, both from Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, HP. Her academic background equips her with a strong foundation in sustainable forest management and innovative agroforestry practices. Ananya’s expertise lies in integrating agricultural and forestry systems to enhance environmental and economic outcomes.
Mr. Mohit Kumar
Registry Administrator
Email – mohit@nccf.in
Mohit Kumar joined NCCF in 2021 as Registry Administrator for Carbon Registry-India. He provides support to registry users with opening and using their accounts, including creating new project records and issuing, transferring, and retiring Marketable Carbon Units (MCUs). He performs completeness check and Know your Customer (KYC) procedures. He coordinates with the CR-I finance team to track and process account holder invoices. Mohit holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Delhi College of Arts & Commerce (University of Delhi).
Mr. Shivam Sharma
Accounts
Email – accounts@nccf.in
Mr. Sharma is a key resource person for NCCF’s Finance and Accounts department and works as the Account Executive at NCCF. He holds an MBA degree in Finance from Amity University, Noida, and a BBA degree in Banking & Finance from Sharda University, Greater Noida. His primary responsibilities include overseeing the financial matters related to USAID TOFI Projects, Training and CBs.