Shamil Shetekauri is Georgian and was born in 1955 high in Greater Caucasus. He is Professor of Botany at Javakhishvili State University, Tbilisi, and his current research interests are in floral diversity, ecology and endemism in Mediterranean and Caucasian mountains.

Martin Jacoby is English and was born in 1938. He read zoology at Oxford, taught in schools for 18 years, then led field-studies tours in Caucasia, Europe, Africa & South America for 20 years. He is now retired.

Tolkha Shetekauri is Shamil's son and also a botanist. He was born in 1992. He has a bachelor degree in biology and is now reading a masters in Natural Resources Management. He works in the Department of Plant Conservation in the National Botanical Garden of Georgia, Tbilisi. His current research interests are in botany, biodiversity and conservation biology.