Virgilio is one of Brazil's leading experts on forestry, environment and sustainable development, and is Director General of the Federacion Amazonas Sustainabilidad (FAS) –  the Brazilian NGO of the Amazon. He is also a member of the International Programme Advisory Committee for the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) global research programme and a member of the Leadership Council of SDSN. He is a former Professor of Forest Sciences at the University of São Paulo (ESALQ) and a former State Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development for the state of Amazonas, Brazil.

Virgilio is currently on a 6 month sabbatical at IIED working on governance for sustainable development, ecosystem services and poverty.