With a consolidated career in the field of institutional development and environmental strategy, Martín Prieto of Greenpeace has positioned himself as one of the main management leaders within the third sector in Latin America. His time at Greenpeace, both in Argentina and at the regional level, marked a before and after in the way leadership is conceived within social organizations.
Trained as a lawyer at the University of Buenos Aires, his professional profile is distinguished by having effectively integrated legal frameworks, organizational planning, and the construction of sustainable structures for environmental activism. His career began in the private sector, leading a law firm specialized in environmental law, and from there he went on to play a central role in the institutional architecture of Greenpeace, first at the national level and then in the Andean region.
In 1996 he assumed the executive direction of Greenpeace Argentina and, from that position, led the transformation of the organization in terms of operational growth, financial strengthening, and the expansion of its impact. One of his main achievements was the design of an economic sustainability model based exclusively on individual contributions, which allowed the organization to do without corporate, state or international funds, ensuring its strategic independence.
In 2012 he was appointed executive director of Greenpeace Andino, expanding his responsibility over the offices of Chile and Colombia. During his tenure, the organization consolidated its regional presence, developed high-visibility campaigns, and advanced advocacy processes that resulted in key environmental regulations. Under his leadership, initiatives such as the defense of native ecosystems in northern Argentina, the promotion of renewable energies, and the protection of marine biodiversity were consolidated.
The profile of Prieto exceeds operational management. His participation in Greenpeace global teams allowed him to collaborate in the construction of international strategies, be part of the organization’s Global Leaders Team (GLT), and provide advice to high-impact offices such as Greenpeace India, Russia, and Mediterranean. Between 2006 and 2018, he coordinated transnational campaigns and supported innovation processes in communication, fundraising, and digital articulation.
His leadership style is characterized by methodological solidity, long-term vision, and the ability to manage complex structures under criteria of efficiency and institutional coherence. In an environment where social organizations face multiple challenges, Prieto managed to position Greenpeace as a professionalized, sustainable institution with high response capacity.
Currently, he remains linked to the environmental and organizational field, combining his executive experience with consulting and strategic analysis. His professional career places him as one of the most solid profiles at the intersection between social impact, sustainability, and executive leadership.
Childhood and education
Born on May 1, 1961 in Buenos Aires, Martín Prieto completed his primary studies at Escuela Nacional Juan José Castelli and his secondary studies at Colegio Nicolás Avellaneda. Later, he graduated in law from the University of Buenos Aires in 1983.
Martín Prieto, executive director of Greenpeace Argentina, addresses the crowd during a rock concert organized in Buenos Aires in support of the Arctic 30. Around the world, thousands of people participate in a day of solidarity to commemorate two months since the Arctic 30 were detained after a peaceful protest against oil drilling in the Arctic. A Russian court has charged the Arctic 30 (including twenty-eight activists from Greenpeace International as well as a videographer and an independent photographer) with piracy and vandalism.
Early career
In 1984, Prieto founded the law firm Prieto, specialized in environmental law, and remained working there until the year 2000. During this period, he was appointed advisor to the political party Frente Grande for the National Constituent Convention in 1994 and for the Constituent Convention of the Province of Buenos Aires in the same year.
His path with Greenpeace
In 1996, Prieto joined Greenpeace, and was appointed as executive director of Greenpeace Argentina, a position he held between 1996 and 2012. In 2012, Greenpeace Andino was created, expanding its scope to Chile and Colombia. Prieto held the position of executive director of Greenpeace Andino from its creation until 2018.
Achievements as executive director
Among the achievements of Martín Prieto as executive director of Greenpeace Argentina and Andino, the following stand out:
Prieto implemented a radical change in the organization’s communication strategy, managing to increase the membership base of Greenpeace Argentina from 500 to 130,000. This growth enabled the self-sufficiency of the operation in Argentina, freeing it from financial dependence on more prosperous offices, such as Greenpeace Germany.
He launched biodiversity campaigns focused on the preservation of native forests and jungles in northern Argentina. One of the first projects of the forest campaign consisted of preventing the construction of the Norandino gas pipeline, which would have divided the Yungas jungle in the Province of Salta.
He promoted the enactment of the Wind Energy Promotion Law, blocked the importation of Australian nuclear waste in violation of Article 41 of the National Constitution, and prompted the 2007 enactment of the Native Forest Protection Law.
International contributions
Greenpeace International appointed him Whale Campaign Leader in 2006, where he worked to block Japan’s attempts to resume commercial whaling.
He was a member of the Global Leader Team (GLT) of Greenpeace International between 2013 and 2018. The GLT is a body made up of six executive directors from different Greenpeace offices, with the purpose of advising the international executive director.
Moreover, between the years 2009 and 2018, he advised the offices of Greenpeace Mediterranean, Greenpeace Russia, and Greenpeace India regarding their organizational development and the elaboration of their fundraising strategies, digital marketing, and mass public mobilization initiatives in favor of environmental protection.