OUR TEAM | urbanemerge

MEET THE TEAM

UrbanEmerge was established in 2017 by a core group of co-founding partners. We now comprise a wider group of partners, lead consultants, business development specialists and, most importantly, our network of carefully selected, UrbanEmerge affiliated independent consultants, located around the world. As well as offering high quality expertise and deep experience, UrbanEmerge consultants apply a shared set of values to every assignment.

OUR CORE TEAM

PARTNERS

Dr Naji Makarem

Managing Partner

Whitstable, Kent, UK

Naji is co-founder of UrbanEmerge and an Associate Professor at UCL, leading on teaching, PhD supervision and research. His teaching and research focuses on informing a just circular transition in cities/regions and businesses, currently focusing on food systems. He has consulting experience in Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean region and the South Pacific Islands, delivering projects for the World Bank, the FCDO, UNIDO, the GSMA and Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) as well as other think-tanks and businesses. Naji is currently leading Circular Kitchens CIC, an UrbanEmerge social enterprise. Read more

Andreas Beavor

Managing Director

Cambridge, UK

Andreas has 18 years of experience as a consultant and manager in the international development sector and is a co-founder of UrbanEmerge. He provides expertise in linkages between and sustainable urban and regional planning, low-carbon and resilient development, circular economy solutions and emerging digital technologies. He is experienced in project scoping, design, management, evaluation and learning and in carrying out evidence-based research and analysis that leads to a rigorous understanding of how an initiative or programme can deliver maximum impact. Read More

Jonathan Wilkes

Partner responsible for finance

London, UK

Jonny is a co-founder of UrbanEmerge and a PwC-trained Chartered Accountant with over 20 years’ experience as a CFO. Jonny practises as a “fractional” CFO, working for a portfolio of SME clients on a flexible basis. Jonny is the partner responsible for finance.

Mpho Katjiuongua

Consultant, leading business development and communications

Paris, France

Mpho has eight years of experience in public policy analysis, climate finance and programme management, with a strong focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation, income inequality and poverty reduction. Mpho is a certified ESG analyst by the EFFAS and has delivered projects across Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean and Europe for a range of clients including PwC, Adam Smith International, FCDO, GIZ, UNEP, WWF, SADC, ILO, DESNZ, DEFRA, C40Cities and the GSMA. Read More

Fizza Fatima

Consultant, business development

Barcelona, Spain

Fizza is a doctoral researcher at the Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability with nearly ten years of experience working at the intersection of climate and carbon finance, low carbon infrastructure and urban resilience across Africa, Asia and Europe. She is an architect and urban planner who is passionate about community uplifting and supporting sustainable urban environments. She advises development agencies, city networks and financial institutions such as the Green Climate Fund, PwC, Adam Smith International, FCDO, C40 Cities, GIZ, UN Habitat, UNIDO and GSMA Foundation. Read More