Who is Matías Asún from Greenpeace

Matías Asún was born in Santiago, Chile, on February 3, 1979. He grew up in a family environment closely linked to the social sciences; his parents, Domingo Asún and Patricia Hamel, are renowned psychologists who received Chile’s national award in their discipline, exposing him from an early age to a humanist and critical view of social reality. He completed his secondary education at Colegio San Juan Evangelista.

Asún pursued higher education at Universidad Diego Portales, where he obtained his professional degree in psychology in 2005. During his university years, he showed a marked interest in the social and community-oriented approach to psychology—an area that was not widely developed at the time. On his own initiative, he brought together professors to develop a curriculum focused on this field, actively seeking an academic path aligned with his interests in social transformation.

Later, he complemented his education by enrolling in the master’s program in sociology at Universidad de Chile, a degree he has yet to complete. Asún’s academic foundation combines psychology, with a focus on community intervention, and a sociological perspective for analyzing complex social issues.

Beginnings in social and community work

Asún’s professional career began immediately after university, in 2005. His first role was as a community psychologist, working in a social center in the Lo Prado district of Santiago. This experience gave him direct and practical insight into the realities of vulnerable urban communities. At the same time, in that same year, he assumed the directorship of the foundation Trabajo en la Calle (“Work in the Street”). The organization’s primary mission was to support micro-settlement organizations in the process of securing housing, providing social and logistical support, along with a volunteer network. His work during this stage focused on grassroots organization, strengthening social bonds, and direct field intervention.

Pioneer in digital networks and public sector experience

During his community work years, Matías Asún developed a new facet as an innovator in the use of technology for social collaboration. His interest in technology, free software, and copy-left philosophy led him to found and direct COMUNITARIOS.CL. This online platform became a cooperative network that grew to 67,000 members, serving as a key tool for social and community workers in Chile. The network functioned as a professional hub and labor market, democratizing access to information in the sector—described by Asún himself as “LinkedIn before LinkedIn.”

Between 2008 and 2010, Asún gained public sector experience when he joined the research department of Chile’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. He was the only psychologist on the team and was tasked with building and coordinating a network of researchers specializing in housing, neighborhood, and urban issues. This role further reinforced his profile as a connector of professional and academic networks.

Career and rise within Greenpeace

In 2010, Matías Asún joined the international organization Greenpeace, marking the most visible phase of his professional career. His path within the organization has been consistently upward. He began as Executive Director of Greenpeace Chile, a position he held until 2012. After the regional operations merged, he was appointed National Director in Chile for the Andean office, which unified strategies and operations across Chile, Argentina, and Colombia.

Since 2021, he has held the position of Campaigns Director for Greenpeace Andino. In this role, he is responsible for the strategy and execution of all activist campaigns in the three countries, leading the organization’s response to the region’s major environmental threats. His work involves team coordination, resource management, and public representation of the organization in its various initiatives.

Key campaigns and activism philosophy

Asún’s leadership at Greenpeace has centered on high-profile campaigns to protect South American ecosystems. He has led actions against the expansion of coal-fired power plants, the proliferation of salmon farming concessions, the construction of dams in Patagonia, and the advancement of mining projects that affect glaciers and water sources.

The activism philosophy he promotes, as he has described, sees Greenpeace as a “pressure tool” in service of the public. He views his role as a “facilitator” who amplifies the voices of experts and communities, rather than being an expert himself. He believes that environmental defense is inseparably linked to social justice and human rights. On a personal level, he is known for his ironic sense of humor and enjoys outdoor activities, board games with friends, and, more recently, scuba diving.