CALIFORNIA, USA | NAIROBI, KENYA — Eden: People+Planet has named Scott Lout Chief Executive Officer, effective June 1, 2026. Lout will lead Eden: People+Planet and its operational arm, Compassionate Carbon.
Lout brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across the United States, Africa, and Asia. His background includes CEO, Regional Director, and COO roles leading complex organizations, multi-country operations, and large-scale teams across the conservation, development, agriculture, and humanitarian sectors.
Prior to his appointment, Lout served as Chief Development and Investment Officer for Eden and Compassionate Carbon, where he led strategic partnerships, capital formation, and organizational development across the conservation and carbon portfolios.
“Scott combines deep operational experience with a strong ability to build trusted relationships across communities, implementing partners, philanthropies, and investors,” said Mike Kilbane, Chair of Eden’s Board of Directors. “That combination is essential to our work. The Board is excited to have Scott leading Eden into its next chapter and believes he is well positioned to strengthen existing partnerships, cultivate new ones, and advance our mission across the landscapes where we work. We are also grateful to Bryan Adkins for his leadership and service over the past five years and for helping position the organization for this next chapter.”
As CEO, Lout will focus on advancing community-centered conservation and carbon projects, strengthening strategic partnerships, and supporting the long-term sustainability of the work across the Loita Hills (Kenya), Rubeho Mountains (Tanzania), and Musokotwane-Nyawa Chiefdoms (Zambia). Eden’s projects are developed alongside the communities who hold the land, through free, prior, and informed consent and community-owned benefit-sharing mechanisms, and are designed to meet independent, third-party-verified standards.
“This is a remarkable time to be working in conservation, and I’m thrilled to continue alongside this team. Our focus remains simple: developing high-integrity projects that strengthen communities, restore and protect ecosystems, and create lasting impact,” said Lout.
About Eden: People+Planet Eden: People+Planet is a global nonprofit that develops and supports community-driven conservation, restoration, and carbon projects. Working in partnership with local communities and technical experts, Eden protects critical ecosystems while supporting sustainable livelihoods.
About Compassionate Carbon Compassionate Carbon, Eden’s operational arm for that bring together conservation, restoration, and sustainable development — channeling investment toward durable environmental and social outcomes.
