Martin is responsible for providing strategic direction of the Centre and scientific insight driving CCE to become one of the world’s leading providers of research and development, training and capacity development, and consultancy services in environment and development. Martin’s expertise is in carbon science and management, environmental auditing, environmental management systems, environmental scanning, biodiversity and ecosystem services, renewable energy, programme/project management, and proposal writing and peer-review. He is a skilled and experienced researcher, lecturer, consultant, trainer, manager, and author. Martin is a trained and experienced environmental auditor.

Previous experience & expertise

Martin received a PhD in carbon biogeochemistry from the University of Cambridge in 2005 before his appointments, first as Director of Conservation Projects, and later as Director of Science and Conservation, at A Rocha International (ARI) in Cambridge, United Kingdom. He has directed scientific research and applied conservation projects, and training and capacity development, within A Rocha International and its network of national organizations in 19 countries in Africa, North America, Latin America, and Asia – Pacific.

In his career, spanning over 30 years, Martin has also worked as an Environmental Consultant for over 15 years in both developed and developing countries, a guest lecturer in climate change and humanitarian context at University of East London, and as a Lecturer in agroforestry at the University of Zambia and at the Natural Resources Development College in Zambia.

Martin is a chartered scientist and a member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences (MIES), Institute of Professional Soil Scientists (MIPSS), British Society of Soil Scientists (MBSS), and Plan Vivo Advisory Group for Carbon Forestry. He also represents ARI on the Climate Stewards Board, Cambridge Conservation Forum Council, A Rocha UK Conservation Advisory Group, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Council. For two years, he was a member of the Darwin Expert Committee (Defra & DFID, UK), and reviewer of agro-biotechnology research proposals for the Ministry of Science and Technology, Kazakhstan Government.

Dr Marcus Chilaka is the Principal Consultant of GHEM Consulting firm, responsible for the overall leadership and setting the strategic focus of the organisation. He is a highly accomplished and results-oriented healthcare professional, academic, researcher and manager with a distinguished 25 year career and proven track record in the management and operations of programmes and day-to-day workflow processes in dynamic healthcare, academic and development institutions in both developed and low income countries. He has broad and deep knowledge of the healthcare and voluntary sector community, practices, and objectives, matched with an equally solid research acumen. Marcus is also conversant with the development of national and international development strategies and fully integrated health management programmes that directly promote health services, population health and wellbeing.

Previous experience & expertise

Marcus has travelled to many countries of the world and understands the realities surrounding poverty, health & nutrition in developing countries; as well the need for sensitivity to different cultures and country settings in the conception & implementation of programmes and policies. He has also obtained extensive clinical and educational training, as well as first-hand experience in numerous multi-functional healthcare roles, including Medical Laboratory Scientist and Lecturer in Environmental Health and Health Services Management.

Marcus has exceptional supervisory and management abilities, and is able to lead and direct multi-disciplinary teams towards highly functional programme implementation and daily business operations. He is also heading a Charity organization with up to 30 volunteers working in various roles.

Core competencies include programme management, public health and management, operations management, IT and communication Skills, leadership knowledge transference, teaching, research, alliance partnerships, administration, voluntary sector client services, personnel management, relationship building, training and development, laboratory services, data/reports, international programme management, resource alignment, and author.

Gillian is a social forester and Lecturer in the School of Natural Resources Management at the Copperbelt University in Zambia. She has taught several courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels including agroforestry, ecology, beekeeping, extension, and forestry for rural development. Her research focuses at community mobilization, extension, and scaling-up and scaling out of agroforestry technologies.

She is skilled and experienced in project cycle management, proposal writing, training, research, and socio-economic surveys, scientific writing, statistical analysis (SPSS), Microsoft bundle communication, and monitoring and evaluation.

Previous experience & expertise

Gillian obtained a PhD in agroforestry from Lincoln University, New Zealand, in 2010. She has also worked as a researcher, planner, and environment and natural resources manager. Prior to joining the Copperbelt University she worked with the World Agroforestry Centre. Her responsibilities included: managing a trans-boundary agroforestry development and research project covering Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia; managing linkages ‘between agencies, governments’ non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations; and training ICRAF’s partners in monitoring and evaluation.

Gillian has proven experience of building the capacity of farmers and developing research in agroforestry. Apart from publishing in peer-reviewed journals, she is one of the reviewers of the Botswana Journal of Agriculture and Applied Sciences (BOJAAS). Gillian has undertaken a number of studies for FAO, UNDP, GRZ, ICRAF and CIFOR, enabling her to have a broader understanding of environment and natural resources issues.

David Wong is currently Business Models Co-Creator and Head of Organisations and Business Models Research at the Big Innovation Centre, a unique big business-funded innovation hub that brings together some of the world’s leading companies and key institutions from across the policy landscape to find innovative responses to business challenges and address gaps in the innovation ecosystem.

David’s specific areas of expertise include business model innovation, new value proposition development, corporate and innovation strategy, creative idea generation and brand positioning, innovation incubation, open innovation, and policy. He works with companies and public institutions to design new business models and propositions, co-create and incubate innovative products and services, and identify gaps in innovation capabilities as well as new strategic growth opportunities.

He also delivers thought leadership, research insights and masterclasses to BIC’s private and public sector clients and stakeholders. He regularly conducts business model generation workshops for high-growth potential SMEs in the London creative and digital industries, and speaks on subjects related to business model innovation, value creation and competitive advantage in the digital economy. His other areas of specialism include organisational culture and relational analytics.

Previous experience & expertise

Prior to this he was Senior Researcher at the Relationships Foundation, a Cambridge-based policy think tank, where he developed several innovative policy research outputs including the first European and UK family pressure indices and a behavioural insights-based model to evaluate the impact of policy on express objectives. He was previously Director of the Centre for Knowledge and Business Leadership at the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, Kuala Lumpur.

David holds an MPhil in Management Studies from the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, where he taught Marketing, and a BBA from University of Malaya. He currently sits on the Advisory Board of Warwick University’s WMG Professional and Executive Programme.

Nkem is an experienced entrepreneur, business coach and keynote speaker, who loves inspiring people to maximize their potentials.

As President and founder of Cognition Global Concepts, and creator of The EntreCoach™ Cambridge Program, Nkem is obsessed with creative ideas and concepts, which entrepreneurs and leaders have reported as useful to think outside the box to find solution to the complex entrepreneurial challenges sabotaging performance, profitability and growth.

Nkem has worked with successful business owners, corporate leaders, professionals and youths in varied industries and sectors to create high performance capabilities, maximise potentials and multiply productivity. He is passionate about making complex things simple. In demonstrating this concept, he says, “People need to embrace alternative ways of achieving greater results because complexity breeds mediocrity, and slows performance and growth.” His audience describes him as captivating and engaging through out his Coaching, Speaking, and various advanced leadership and management workshop programs.

Nkem has solid background as Chartered Accountant with nearly 20 years of practical experience at senior level positions in banks and other financial institutions. He’s author of “The ART of Achievement and Fulfillment” and “The Success Factor” respectively. He’s also a trained business coach and Member of International Coach Federation (ICF) with specialty in business and high performance leadership. He consults as Registered and Approved Growth Coach for GrowthAccelerator United Kingdom, providing tailored expert advisory services to help ambitious UK businesses achieve rapid, sustainable growth.

Business

Cognition Global Concepts provides the tools and support for successful entrepreneurs, business organisations and their teams to clarify their compelling vision, eliminate complexities sabotaging their growth, attract their ideal clients, and multiply profitability and freedom.

The Company helps its clients to enjoy the following benefits among others:

• Eliminate dysfunctional behaviours that sabotage creativity and high performance.
• Develop new capabilities with an ownership mentality to reach your mission and vision.
• Become better leaders and managers with increased capacity to produce more.
• Develop customer-focus mindset and deliver a superior service that exceeds expectations.
• Create 10x goals and achieve them.

Fredrick is a CEO and Founder of Preset Construction and Supplies Company (Zambia). He is responsible for the firm’s strategic direction and oversight of its operations, including distribution of environmentally friendly building and construction materials, organic and wild foods, and herbal medicines.

Fredrick’s areas of expertise are strategic and area action planning, project cycle management, development policy analysis, environmental impact assessments, technical training and education, agriculture, livestock production, conducting project feasibility studies, and curriculum review and development using SCID and DACUM.

Previous experience & expertise

Fredrick is an environment and natural resources management policy analyst with over 25 years experience in Eastern and Southern Africa. He has a rich background in agriculture, forestry, technical education and international development policy gained through training and education as well as participating actively in designing and formulating development programmes, projects and plans for the Zambian and other governments in the eastern and southern African region within the United Nations Systems.

Fredrick has worked with Rio Conventions and international development policies involving bilateral and multi-lateral environment agreements, which support green development as espoused in MDGs and Equator Principles.

Fredrick initiated, designed and implemented the Radiating Model of sustainable development. He has worked with government, private and third sectors to implement PES mechanisms including REDD+ (2009) and CDM, set up a tea plantation in Kawambwa, coordinated a Finnish-funded Provincial Forestry Action Programme (2001), review Phase (I) FAO support to the National Forest Programme Facility (NFPF), and to mobilize the civil society (including faith-based organizations) to work with national and international development agencies - the Netherlands Development Agency SNV, the Zambia- Community Based Natural Resources Management Forum (ZCBNRM-F), the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), the Embassy of Finland, The Danish Embassy, Peace Corps of USA, and USAID with the Zambia Forestry College in a sector-wide development approach.