Consultants
Five senior consultants supported Earthmind’s secretariat role in managing and delivering GDI activities. These consulting advisors were, in turn, supported by part-time administrative and research staff to ensure that Phase 2 outputs were delivered effectively and efficiently.
Senior Economic Advisor and Project Manager
Dr Francis Vorhies is the Executive Director of Earthmind where he has undertaken assignments for Danone, Credit Suisse, EIB, E.ON, the GEF, the Global Mechanism, the Government of Kuwait, the Government of the Netherlands, ILO, ITC, IUCN, PERSGA, Shell, the Stockholm Convention, UNDP, UNEP, UNCTAD, UN/ISDR, the World Bank, Yemen LNG and others. He has over 20 years of international experience as a sustainability economist including serving as the CEO the European affiliate of the Earthwatch Institute, establishing IUCN’s global programmes on economics and business for IUCN, working for the African Wildlife Foundation to implement a UNDP/GEF grant to build biodiversity economics capacity in in East Africa; and setting up Eco Plus, an innovative consultancy focused on business, economics and the environment, in South Africa. Dr Vorhies has a PhD and MA in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Diploma in Integrated Environmental Management from the University of Cape Town.
Senior Policy Advisor
Mr Julian Metcalfe is a Director of Advocacy for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. Previously he was the UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva from 2005 to 2009. He is a senior diplomat with extensive experience of working with international organisations, NGOs and the business community, and has worked in Malawi, Egypt, Latin America, and the Balkans. His experience includes leading the UK Delegation to the WTO Doha trade negotiations for 4 years and chairing the WTO Committee on Regional Trade Agreements; leading the UK Delegation to the UNCTAD XII Ministerial Conference in Accra in 2008; and serving as Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy, Zagreb in 1995-97. Mr Metcalfe specialises in international negotiation, conflict resolution and stakeholder management. He is a Development Economist by training, having a Masters in Economics from Sussex University and a BSc in Politics and Economics from Bristol University.
Senior Development Advisor
Dr Constantine Obura Bartel is the Senior Development Advisor in the office of the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre. He has undertaken research and training activities in trade and development including natural resources, environmental accounting, environmental indicators, technology, investment and SME development. He managed projects on environmental accounting and eco-efficiency indicators and reporting for the World Bank. He has also worked on trade negotiations in agriculture and trade and development. Earlier he worked for the economics unit of UNEP on economic instruments for environmental management and environmental impact assessment. Dr Bartel has consulted for the Governments of Finland, Canada and Costa Rica and has implemented projects for IFC, IUCN and UNSAID. He recently wrote the UNCTAD’s Technology and Innovation Report 2010.
Senior Business Advisor
Dr Till Stoll, CEO of Green Destinations, previously worked as an economist for Credit Suisse and several international organisations including FAO, IFC and UNEP as an expert in biodiversity finance. In 2006, he founded Green Destinations, a property development company that specializes in master planning resource-efficient property and designing ecologically-sound urban areas and cities. Green Destinations is an Official Osec Expert (OOE) in the areas of sustainable construction and clean technology. He holds an MSc in Development Economics from Oxford University and a PhD in Economics from Cambridge University, and was a fellow at Harvard University. He is the Chairman of the Environmental Committee of the Swiss Business Council and founder of the Swiss Environment Initiative.
Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor
Ms Sarah French is a highly experienced consultant and practitioner with 20 years background in the field of international development, sustainability and monitoring and assessment. She has undertaken assignments for DFID, FAO, GAVI, the Government of Costa Rica, ICTSD, IFC, ILO, IUCN, PROFOR, PROFOREST, the Stockholm Convention, UNEP, UNV, UNITAR, the World Bank, and others. Her professional expertise includes particular skills in business and biodiversity with projects involving public/private sector partnerships and investment for sustainability; World Bank/IFC scoping visits and project evaluations; written programme strategies for GEF proposals; and developing initiatives in development awareness. Ms French has worked in Europe and South America, and also in Africa and Asia. She has a Masters in Environment and Development from the South Bank University of London, a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education from London University and a BSc Hons Degree in Natural Science and Geography from Kent University.
