Alexander Müller
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.
Anna Wertlen
HR and Office Manager
Anna is the HR and Office Manager. She gained her experience during various roles in the social impact sector and in IT companies. She also co-founded an international non-profit organization to bridge the digital divide in South Africa and facilitated volunteer years for young Germans and South Africans for more than 10 years. She holds a PhD in neurobiology and behaviour, for which she studied in Germany, South Africa and Argentina.
Axelina Gunnarsson
Programme Assistant - Land Governance
Originally from Sweden, Axelina brings diverse experience in project management and cross-cultural communication. Prior to TMG, she managed international film workshops and led organizational development projects as a consultant. She is passionate about ecological justice, gender equality, and community-driven initiatives, having been involved in sustainability projects in India and Italy.
Carmen Steinmetz
Research Associate
Carmen is a Research Associate for the TCA Roadmap project, responsible for developing a roadmap for the implementation of TCA in Germany’s agrifood sector using a stakeholder-based approach. She has an MSc in Development Economics with a focus on Agricultural Economics and expertise in agroecology, agroforestry and (global) agricultural value chains.
Christian Sonntag
Senior Research Associate - Urban Food Futures
Christian is a Senior Research Associate in the Urban Food Futures programme. His educational background is in Geographical Development Studies and he holds a PhD in Economic Geography from Berlin's Humboldt University. With more than 10 years of research experience in human-environment relations and food systems, he has previously worked on agricultural value chains and urban agriculture in Kenya and Tanzania.
Daniel Montas
Junior Research Associate - Governance of Food Systems Transformation
Daniel's work focuses on the transformation of food systems. He holds a Master's degree in Global & Development Studies at Humboldt University, University of Pretoria and Chulalongkorn University. Daniel previously worked for the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States as well as the European Union-Latin America and Caribbean Foundation.
Emily Robertson
Junior Research Associate
Emily's work at TMG focuses on climate adaptation and land tenure. Drawing on her prior experience throughout Latin America, North America, Europe, and Asia, she is passionate about exploring innovative strategies to ensure equitable and resilient communities in the face of climate change. She holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Resource Management from the Technical University of Munich, with an emphasis on conservation, biodiversity, and urban sustainability.
Emmanuel Atamba
Senior Adviser - Food Systems
Atamba works on the governance of food systems transformation and the urban food futures projects in Kenya. Atamba has had an active role in the food systems landscape in Kenya through his works on the Human Right to Food and relevant policies. He has also previously worked on different agricultural development programs and initiatives in Kenya, Somalia and Uganda. Atamba has a background in agriculture, agricultural economics major.
Frederike Klümper
Programme Director Land Governance
Frederike's thematic interests lie at the intersection of natural resource governance, social accountability tools, and participatory development approaches. She leads the Land Governance team, overseeing a diverse portfolio of projects that focus on land governance and climate adaptation. Her work emphasizes the critical intersection between land rights and climate action, fostering innovative solutions to address global challenges. Frederike has extensive experience as a researcher and adviser, having collaborated with diverse organizations across Africa, Europe, and Central Asia. She holds a PhD from the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies, where her research focused on water and land governance in Tajikistan.
Friederike Böckmann
Project Officer Finance
Friederike serves as Project Officer Finance at TMG. Prior to joining TMG Research, she managed a diverse array of projects in the cultural sector and international film industry as a project manager and coordinator. Her educational background is in Social and Cultural Sciences and Cultural Management. She is excited to shift her career focus towards sustainability and environmental protection.
Gültaç Çinar
Research Associate - Food Systems
Gültaç joined TMG as a Research Associate for the PLAN´EAT project. Her main work focus is development of a TCA database for food and agriculture sector. She holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering from ETH Zurich. Prior to her role at TMG, she made contributions to a startup, helping the food sector achieving net-zero emissions. Additionally, her experience includes research on mitigating GHG emissions in agricultural systems during her work at the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy.
Ilse Pelkmans
Senior Research Associate
Ilse works on the intersection between human rights, land rights and responsible land governance, specifically in the context of climate action. Before joining TMG, she worked in the field of human rights with diverse local and international organizations in East and West Africa, Central America and Europe. She holds a Master's in Cultural Anthropology and International Development Studies from Nijmegen University in the Netherlands.
Jes Weigelt
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.
Joanna Trimble
Senior Communications Officer
Joanna is a Senior Communications Officer, responsible for leading the Land Governance team's outreach and communications strategies. She brings experience from global development and humanitarian organizations, where she focused on brand development, strategic communications, fundraising, and media relations. Joanna holds a Master of Philosophy from the University of Amsterdam.
Kader Baba
Senior Research Associate
Kader is a professional with over 15 years of experience in transdisciplinary research and development. He oversees TMG projects in Benin, Madagascar, Niger, and Mali. His expertise includes land governance, sustainable land management, and participatory forest and agropastoral dam management. Working at the science-policy interface, his work focuses on ways to promote just transitions in forest and land restoration policies.
Lisa Maria Klaus
Research Associate - Food Systems
Lisa’s work focuses on Food Systems and True Cost Accounting. She is dedicated to advancing the transformation of food and economic systems to ensure long-term sustainability. Lisa has over five years of experience in science-based policy advice, having worked with various organizations, including Welthungerhilfe. She holds a background in Social Science and Geography, and her areas of expertise include food systems transformation, nutrition, gender equality, and migration.
Lumi Youm
Communications Officer
Lumi is the Communications Officer for the Food Systems Transformation team. Prior to joining TMG, she worked at environmental and civil rights NGOs in the U.S., focusing on digital advocacy, campaign strategy, and grassroots engagement at the local and national levels. She is passionate about communicating to drive public engagement and policy change.
Marlene Ohlau
Research Associate - Food Systems
As a research associate, Marlene works on the sustainable transformation of food systems in terms of content and strategic development with a focus on True Cost Accounting (TCA), thereby contributing to the PLAN'EAT project. She studied Food Science and holds a PhD in Agricultural Science from the University of Göttingen. She has worked intensively on sustainable dietary behaviour, analysing characteristics of plant-based diets and food choice factors.
MD Muttakim
Student Assistant for Finance, HR and Office Management
Driven by a keen interest in financial systems, human resource practices, and sustainable organizational processes, Muttakim contributes to TMG’s administrative team, supporting finance, HR, and office management functions. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in European Business Management at TH Wildau, focusing on financial accounting, organizational processes, and sustainability within a European context. Originally from Bangladesh, Muttakim brings an international perspective and is committed to developing inclusive, efficient workflows that enhance TMG's research and operations.
Moritz Hauer
Research Associate - Land Governance
Moritz is a climate change adaptation specialist with research interests in social-ecological resilience and ecosystem-based approaches. At TMG, he focuses on the dynamics of climate change, land, and land tenure. Moritz previously worked for the UN Environment Programme on climate-resilient and sustainable development. He holds a Master’s degree in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation from Lund University, Sweden.
Njokom Vashti Akuhro
Team Assistant - Land Governance & Urban Food Futures
Vashti holds a MA in Labour Policies and Globalization from the University of Kassel and the Berlin School of Economics and Law. With a professional interest in leveraging administrative technologies, she has previously provided technical and logistical support to various development programmes in Cameroon. Vashti is an avid lover of nature, cycling and therapeutic music.
Olivia Riemer
Programme Lead - Food Systems & True Cost Accounting
Olivia manages projects related to true cost accounting (TCA) and sustainable food system transformation. She provides strategic advice to governments and businesses on holistic approaches for sustainable agri-food system transitions. Olivia holds a double Master’s degree in Agriculture and Food Economics, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science. She also serves on the True Cost Accounting Accelerator Steering Committee, contributing her expertise to advance systemic change through TCA.
Paul Kleebinder
Research Associate
Paul is a Research Associate working on financing for food systems transformation and the development of a roadmap for a European food policy council. He holds a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics. His previous experience includes network coordination within the Slow Food Movement, work on various food education projects and research on the governance of urban food value chains. He also lectures on Agricultural and Food Policy at DHBW Heilbronn.
Rowan Deer
Strategic Communications Officer
Rowan is the Strategic Communications Officer for TMG's True Cost Accounting work and the Horizon PLAN'EAT project. She has a PhD and postdoctoral research experience in the Environmental Humanities and her previous communications work spans the non-profit, academic and cultural sectors, with a focus on environmental and sustainability themes.
Serah Kiragu-Wissler
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.
Stefanie Wiese
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.
Thembeka Sikobi
Research Associate
Thembeka has earned an MA in Social Sciences from the Humboldt University of Berlin and an MPhil in Inclusive Innovation from the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business. She has a keen interest in feminist research and topics that relate to South Africa and the Global South. Her previous experience is in early childhood development policy and consulting on industry research and development projects.
Vanessa Venne
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.
Verah Sharon Ochieng
Consultant, Governance of Food Systems Transformation
Verah is an agricultural economist. She works in TMG's Governance of Food Systems Transformation and Transformative Agroecology projects in Kenya, focusing on coordination and implementation of agricultural policies, analysis and engagement of agroecology networks in East Africa. She brings experience in agricultural development in Kenya, ranging from policy advocacy and research to project management and agribusiness development support. She has also worked in the humanitarian sector in Somalia, leading implementation of food systems, resilience building, and emergency response projects. Verah is passionate about contributing towards sustainable agricultural development.
Washe Kazungu
Senior Research Associate
Washe is a land governance specialist with more than ten years‘ experience in implementing projects to improve livelihoods through sustainable land and natural resource management. He has previously worked with the Kenya Country Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). Washe regularly publishes articles in the Kenyan media focusing on land governance, sustainable development and social inclusion themes.
William Onura
Research Associate - Land Governance
William works with TMG's partner civil society organizations in western Kenya to facilitate action research and co-design of social innovations, such as community-led land lease guidelines. With more than 10 years of experience in development work, his expertise includes conducting social science surveys and the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. He has previously worked as an environmental and disaster risk reduction consultant with several Kenyan firms.
