Beijing, China
Global ESG Leader. Major projects delivered across Infrastructure, Natural Resources, Energy, Financial Intermediaries/ Banks, Health and Public Administration, increasing ROI by managing environmental and social risk, policies and management systems, and addressing gender and inclusion barriers. Skilled in strategy, Programme Management, Policy, Projects, Stakeholder Relations, Research and Training. Strong consulting background with a PhD in Social Anthropology from University of Melbourne.
Appointed as the Bank's first Gender Coordinator, I lead the Bank’s Gender Team and oversee gender performance across a USD ~64 billion/ 338 project portfolio, utilizing Sovereign-Backed Financing, Non-Sovereign (Private Sector) Financing, Policy Based Financing, Results Based Financing, Capital Markets and Financial Intermediaries to build inclusive, gender-responsive infrastructure for tomorrow. - Designed, wrote and delivered the institution’s first Gender Action Plan, by leading and managing Member stakeholders (110 countries) as well as clients, peers and CSOs to agree a new, fit-for-purpose strategic approach to gender integration across the project cycle, in a context of highly complex geopolitical considerations. - To implement the GAP, I built the Gender Team from the ground up, developed operational tools and guidance, and established new impact tracking approach -Under my leadership, the proportion of AIIB projects which concretely strengthen gender equality rose from 59.5% in 2022 to 78% in 2024. This work positioned AIIB as a credible actor in gender-responsive finance and earned me the Bank’s highest honour—the 2025 Lean Award—for delivering the greatest business impact relative to resources used. In August 2025, the GAP was described by the global CSO Gender Action as "the best-written International Financial Institution gender mechanism that addresses gender issues more intersectionally than most", cf. https://genderaction.org/docs/AIIB-Gender-Action-Plan.pdf - Inaugurated AIIB's first major gender partnership, where the Bank co-chaired with UN Women the FICS Gender Coalition, a highly active global network of 86 Public Development Banks. In this role I coordinated 5 Global Webinars and co-authored and launched a trailblazing AIIB-UN Women publication, ‘Financing Care Infrastructure: An Opportunity for Public Development Banks to Pave the Way for Tomorrow’s Equality'.
Lead in overseeing ESG and development impact activity for Australia's AUD4 Billion Pacific Infrastructure investment facility, engaging on Environmental & Social compliance as well as focus areas such as gender equality, local content, climate change and human capital. Manage impact practices in line with DFAT Policy and International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards, as well as the relevant policies of the Global Environment Fund (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation Fund, and other topics of specific relevance to Pacific Partners. Also served as DFAT Adviser, Gender and Infrastructure, accountable for infrastructure investment impact across the world. Chair, Pacific Regional Infrastructure Forum (PRIF) Environment & Social Working Group Advisory Committee, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
Special leave from EBRD to work as World Bank's first Pacific Gender Specialist and deliver Pacific Gender Impact Program: 1. Operations Support: Technical assistance to task teams across operations, supporting 19 projects 2018-19 (~USD 450M); Development of Short-Term Consultant Gender Technical Advisory – Pacific Roster; Managing additional Consultancies under the program to support select operations. 2. Policy, Strategy, Research Support: Support to analytical work to inform the portfolio, eg., to address ways inadequate WASH facilities in schools intersect with gender gaps in educational outcomes, school participation, work and in the community, and well-being (Pacific Resilience Project [PREP] Tonga); co-development of case study on integrating gender into Public Financial Management (FSM); technical review of new PNG Country Gender Action Plan (GCAP), including establishing country capacity development prioritie 3. Capacity Development & Coordination: Capacity building with clients and task teams to inform policy and investments and establish shared understanding of the business case for gender equality targets;eg., via integration of gender into the ‘Pacific Integrated Capacity Building Program’ (PICB), establishing gender equality knowledge and processes as ‘Core Competencies’ for PMU/ project implementation staff/consultants and related government officials working on Bank project, and supporting capacity development via dedicate training modules and mainstreaming gender across Project Management; Financial Management; Procurement; Safeguards; and M&E modules. Results: Close technical support provided to 19 portfolio and pipeline projects. Of which gender tagged: ~88 % (ie., assessed for concretely closing gender gaps). Total gender tagged portfolio since program commencement in FY19: 67% in Q3 and 86% in Q4. This compares to 50% in Q1 and 54% in Q2 prior to commencement.
Description of duties - Plan, formulate and manage projects supporting gender equality, to ensure the Bank's EUR9 Billion annual investment/ projects are structured to enhance women’s access to skills and employment, finance and services, with primary responsibility for Natural Resources and Power and Energy, comprising green energy, and Financial Institutions in Central Asia. - Representative duties at the technical/expert practitioner level at Board, and other internal and external meetings with agencies, IFIs, project stakeholders, government officials and civil society organisations - Manage delivery of specific Technical Cooperation based on identified opportunities for broader Bank policy dialogue and gender equality benefits creation at project, sector or country levels - Carry out appraisal and business development visits, represent the Bank at meetings with the Clients on site, and guide the Clients through Bank requirements. All of the above require good understanding of 37 countries of operation's administrative, legislative and planning systems, and sociocultural and economic knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to project life cycle and gender equality issues. Achievements - I am currently Operations Leader (Project Manager) for projects in Egypt, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Bulgaria, Kyrgyz Republic. Previous assignments have included work in Lebanon and Serbia, and delegate/ representative duty to WTO in Geneva and G7 meetings in Berlin. - Supported design and delivery of the first EBRD Strategy for the Promotion of Gender Equality 2016-2020, which mandates the Bank to promote behaviours, through its operations, which contribute to building gender equitable and sustainable economies - Developed and implemented as Operations Leader a Gender Advisory Services initiative on Women in Business (WiB) programmes in Kazakhstan (USD 50 million programme) to promote women's participation in business.
UNOPS Project Management: - Oversight for implementation of Sustainability Programme and project management best practices, including advising stakeholders on the application, interpretation and adoption of corporate policy, guidance, tools and best practices. - Provided sustainability support on the design, planning, implementation, monitoring and closure of projects Technical Advice and Quality Control: - Provided technical advice and a quality assurance framework in relation to sustainable project and programme management for field UNOPS engagements. - Developed sustainability tools and advice to the field; as well as advise and provide expertise and support in implementation of PM standards (including PMI, PRINCE2 and UNOPS PM methodology). - Supported Engagement Authorities strengthen project governance structures and processes at the country level and review engagements to ensure a high standard and consistent achievement of the UNOPS defined project success criteria. Training and Development: - Developed and delivered sustainability training to UNOPS personnel and partners, and liaise with other relevant industry leaders and UN agencies in training and sustainable project management initiatives. Achievements - On-time delivery of 'Sustainability Activities Library (SAL) Project', in which I managed development and implementation a new quality-assured knowledge-resource across 4 sustainability dimensions (Social/ Economic/ Environmental/ National Capacity) and 25 themes (incl gender, climate change, biodiversity, corruption etc) in line with PRINCE2. The SAL supports higher performance in UNOPS projects in terms of sustainability and business case by providing relevant sustainability-related information to business developers and project teams when proposing and planning infrastructure projects. The pilot project was delivered in line with the agreed cost, scope and quality.