Founder & Managing Director

Alexander is a former FAO Assistant Director-General (2006-2013), and State Secretary for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture, Germany (2001 -2005). He has vast experience in global sustainability governance, as inter alia: Chair of the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition; member of the UN Environmental Management Group; and Lead, Voluntary Guidelines for Responsible Governance of Land, and TEEBAgriFood.

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Research Associate

An agricultural engineer, Atula works with the Urban Food Futures team to enhance resilience and sustainability in urban food systems. Before joining TMG, he worked as an extension officer in rural Kenya and also reared insects for animal feed. He has previously supported TMG’s communication activities including the Covid-19/Food Future initiative. Atula also enjoys writing creative stories, with music, mythology and geo-politics being among his favorite topics.

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Senior Research Fellow

Ben Boteler’s work at TMG covers regional ocean governance for the high seas. His research focuses on the socioeconomic uses and benefits of the marine environment, and facilitating the development of comprehensive, cross-sectoral approaches for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity.

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Communications and Outreach Officer

Bruno is a policy and data analyst particularly interested in the links between sustainability and technology. In coordination with the Comms team, he is responsible for creating communications content and driving the outreach of the organisation, working on everything from writing blog posts to creating videos and coding the website.

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Student Assistant - Administration

Carolina works on accounting, finance and administrative matters at TMG Research. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in International Finance at the Berlin School of Economics and Law. Prior to joining TMG, Carolina worked for an international organization and volunteer exchange program in Hamburg, as well as volunteering in a hospital.

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Junior Research Associate

Charles has several years of experience as a rural development agent with several state projects and NGOs, working on sustainability and poverty alleviation initiatives, as well as working for four years as a field coordinator in a forest restoration project. Before joining TMG, he was a business advisor at TechnoServe Benin, where he trained stakeholders from SMEs in various sectors. He has a PhD in animal production systems from Wageningen University, in which he focused on pastoralism in its changing environment.

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Research Associate

A specialist in land rights, David spent five years in the Netherlands where he was a land rights advisor for the international relief and recovery organisation ZOA. His previous professional experience, as well as his studies, unfolded in Berlin, where he studied Political Science and worked in non-formal political education. He has a PhD from the Free University Berlin. For his doctoral studies David conducted research on redistributive land reforms in India and South Africa.

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Junior Research Associate

As a journalist and communications consultant, Edouard's passion is reporting on successful young agripreneurs to attract more young people to agriculture. He has produced written and audiovisual content for diverse development organisations and media agencies. Edouard contributes to the Youth in Soil team, a TMG Research initiative launched at the Global Soil Week in 2019. He provides support to the Urban Food Futures team in Ouagadogou, Burkina Faso.

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Research Associate

Dr Elena Lazutkaitė is an interdisciplinary researcher focussing on agriculture, environmental sustainability, pest control, and governance. Elena obtained a BSc in Veterinary Science, MSc in Animal Welfare and Conservation and a PhD in Critical Theory and Cultural Studies. Elena coordinates the implementation of TMG’s workstream on desert locusts as foreseen under the project Strengthening Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture.

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Junior Research Associate

Elena provides support for diverse TMG research projects focusing on issues of land governance, and land rights. She just finished her Bachelor's degree in Economics, Politics and Social Thought, at Bard College, Berlin. Elena has a strong interest in competitive debating, including participating in the European University Debating Championships.

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Research Associate

Frederike's work with the Land Governance team focuses on human rights-based land governance monitoring in Malawi. Her thematic interests include the governance of natural resources, social accountability tools, and participatory development approaches. She has previously worked as a researcher and adviser with diverse organisations in Africa, Europe and Central Asia. Frederike obtained a PhD from the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies for her work on water and land governance in Tajikistan.

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Research Associate

llse is a Research Associate in the Land Governance team. She has previously worked with local and international organizations in East and West Africa, Central America and Europe, focusing on human rights, gender, social inclusion, and participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation. She has a masters in Cultural Anthropology and International Development Studies from Nijmegen University in the Netherlands.

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Junior Research Associate

Inviolata supports the Urban Nutrition Hub workstream under the SEWOH Lab food security project and the Strengthening Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture project in Kenya. She has background in agricultural sciences and she is currently pursuing her PhD in Soil Science at the University of Nairobi. Her thematic research interests include food security, natural resource management and Land governance.

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Junior Research Associate and Project Manager

Irene coordinates the Urban Food Futures programme as Project Manager and conducts research on the value of work and employment in informality and commons. Irene holds an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Oxford and has previously worked in the non-profit sector in Turkey, Ecuador, and the UK.

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Administrative Assistant

Jael provides administrative support to TMG's team in Nairobi. Prior to joining TMG she worked as an Administrative Assistant with the United Nations office in Somalia. She has also supported TMG in western Kenya in monitoring the uptake of community-developed land lease guidelines.

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Head of Programmes

Jes is responsible for co-steering TMG’s programmes, and overall strategic development. He has more than 10 years’ experience in providing science-based policy advice in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Jes' thematic interests span natural resources governance, transitions to sustainability, co-creation of knowledge, and social innovation.

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Senior Advisor Governance and Transformation

Jörg has 30 years of experience in the field of public diplomacy, political communication and advocacy. His main topics are governance, transformation, agriculture, food security and rural development. Throughout his career he worked as a journalist for German newspapers and radio stations, as Deputy Director GIZ Berlin Representation, as Director GIZ-AgenZ Berlin and as Senior Advisor Communication and Public Diplomacy of BMZ´s Special Initiative One World - No Hunger (SEWOH). He holds a Diploma in Journalism, Institute of Journalism (University of Dortmund, Germany).

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Research Associate / Country Programme Manager - Benin 

Kader manages TMG’s work programme in Benin, building on over 15 years of experience in development cooperation. His research focuses on innovative knowledge sharing approaches such as the Tem Sesiabun Gorado model, a farmer-led approach for sharing knowledge on good agricultural practices.

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Junior Research Associate 

Katrin provides project management support to diverse TMG projects, building on her experiences in communication and administration, and academic background in agricultural policy and management. She is passionate about photography, arts, organic agriculture, and ethno-pharmacy.

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Programme Lead - Nature-based Solutions

Larissa leads TMG’s work on nature-based solutions to climate change. With a background in environmental and sustainability science, her research experience revolves around transdisciplinary research methods, sustainable land management, and ecosystem-based adaptation.

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Junior Research Associate

Louisa supports the Urban Food Futures programme and the communications and outreach team with a focus on (urban) food systems transformation. She holds an MSc in International Land and Water Management from Wageningen University. During her previous work with the German development cooperation in Guatemala, Louisa was involved in integrated water management for climate change adaptation processes.

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Research Associate

Luise is a Research Associate working on ocean governance issues. Her work is split between the Marine Regions Forum project and the Integrated Assessment of Atlantic Marine Ecosystems in Space and Time (iAtlantic). Before that, she worked at the Institute of Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) with a focus on deep seabed mining issues.

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Research Associate

Luke Metelerkamp works on TMG’s Urban Food Futures Programme, based in South Africa. He is a transdisciplinary researcher with a background in food systems, education and youth.

Luke obtained his PhD from Stellenbosch University in South Africa, and has experience developing inclusive collaborations in civil society organisations, learning networks and research institutions.

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Programme Lead - Urban Food Futures

Nicole leads TMG's Urban Food Futures programme aiming at rethinking the urban-food nexus for more inclusive and resilient urban futures building on knowledge and visions co-created by communities in the respective research sites. Nicole's thematic interests include the right to food, co-creation of knowledge and feminist research approaches. Nicole obtained a PhD from Hohenheim University for her work on a food justice perspective on urban agriculture.

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Research Associate

Nina works with the urban food futures programme with a research focus on desirable future cities. Her interests include utopian thinking, social change theories and ecology. Prior to joining TMG, Nina worked for a sustainability think tank based in Hamburg. She has a PhD in political theory from Cambridge University.

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Project Officer Controlling

Nyansinde Doreen has over 12 years’ experience in controlling, finance, procurement, operations, planning and project management in non-profit organizations settings. Throughout her career, she has been a resource to local and international organizations in grants management. She holds MBA (Henley Business School - University of Reading, South Africa) and BA in Accounting (University of Houston Downtown, Texas, USA). She loves honing her skills and volunteering on free time.

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Project Coordinator

With a background in agricultural science, and food economics, Olivia manages the True Cost Initiative at TMG. Her research focuses on true cost accounting, and sustainable food system transformation. Olivia is currently co-developing guidelines for the food sector that integrate externalities into business reporting.

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Project Officer - Finance

Rawan Dagher has worked with diverse international NGOs, where she focused on providing financial and administrative support to local staff and partners. She obtained her Master’s degree in accounting and auditing from HWR Berlin as DAAD scholarship holder. She is an active volunteer supporting refugees and homeless people.

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Junior Research Associate

Sarah provides support to TMG’s work on nature-based solutions to climate change and on True Cost Accounting. Her previous work at UNEP’s International Resource Panel and at the UN Human Rights Council strengthened her research interest in global resource governance and a human rights-based approach. She holds an MA in International Development and Political Science from Sciences Po Paris and Free University Berlin.

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Senior Research Fellow

Sebastian is involved in TMG’s work on ocean governance. Drawing on over 15 years of experience in international marine policy and governance, his research currently focuses on marine biodiversity, the implementation of SDG 14, and the governance of mineral resources in the deep sea.

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Senior Research Associate / Country Programme Manager - Kenya 

Serah Wambui Kiragu-Wissler is a social scientist with extensive experience in facilitation and management of research and development cooperation. She works as a Senior Research Associate leading the accompanying research on Social Innovations to Protect Soils and Empower People in Kenya and also works for the Urban Food Futures programme.

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Project Officer - Finance

Stefanie supports financial accounting and reporting at TMG. She previously worked in consumer protection, where she monitored the energy, digital, and financial market sectors. After a brief stint in e-commerce, she aims to align her career more closely with her personal beliefs in climate protection and sustainability.

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Human Resources & Office Management

With a passion for working in an international, multicultural environment and an academic background in humanities, Vanessa supports the team as Human Resources & Office Manager. Her interests revolve around sustainable living, holistic health and environmental protection.

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Head of Administration

Victoria leads the Administration Team, covering HR, bookkeeping, project finances & controlling and office management. She has extensive experience as finance and administration lead with diverse non-profit organisations and public bodies in Germany and Ireland. Prior to joining TMG, she worked as Head of Finance & Operations with the Coordination Hub for PlanAdapt, and Head of Global Finance for Climate Analytics.

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Senior Communications Associate

Wangu provides editorial and strategic communications support for TMG projects. She has more than 20 years experience as a journalist and development communications specialist, working at the interface of research, policy, and practice. Wangu is an avid organic farmer and environmentalist, and is currently working to set up a “farm-to-fork” eco-tourism enterprise in rural Kenya.

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Research Associate

Brian is a Land Governance specialist with a background in Geospatial Information Systems and over nine years’ experience in implementing projects and programmes aimed at improving livelihoods through sustainable management of land and land-based resources. Prior to joining TMG, he was a Land Technical Specialist for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Kenya Country Office), supporting the implementation of the EU-funded Land Governance Programme. He also writes and is a frequent contributor to the Business Daily’s Op-Ed section, with his articles informing discussions on land governance, sustainable development and other social issues.

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Junior Research Associate

William supports Shibuye Community Health Workers, a grassroots women’s organisation that is co-implementing TMG’s ‘Innovations for Upscaling Soil Conservation’ project in western Kenya. He has previously worked as an environmental audit consultant with several Kenyan firms.

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