In her role as Inclusive Climate Action Senior Manager for South Africa, Nadia leads C40’s Global Green New Deal pilot in South Africa, providing support to Cape Town, Durban, Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and Tshwane on inclusivity and equity. Previously Nadia served as a City Adviser to Johannesburg as part of C40’s Climate Action Planning Programme. Prior to joining C40, Nadia worked for Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) as an adviser to South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs. At GIZ, she led several key projects including the National Adaptation Plan, Provincial Support Programme and Local Government Support Programme. Earlier in her career, Nadia worked as a consultant to eThekwini Municipality, serving on the project team for Durban’s Climate Change Strategy and Durban’s 100 Resilient Cities Programme. Nadia holds an Honours degree and BSc in Environmental Management and is currently pursuing her Masters degree.
Naomi leads on public transport in the Transportation and Urban Planning team. She manages the Public Transport Network, which aims to increase the share of trips taken by public transport in member cities, by supporting cities to make the case for and design policies that prioritise, improve and enhance public transport. She also collaborates with C40’s Campaigns team and the International Transport Workers’ Federation on The Future Is Public Transport campaign.
Prior to joining C40 Naomi worked at Transport for London where she developed policies, strategies and projects that aim to increase and improve walking, cycling and public transport journeys. She also has four years’ experience working in the UK Parliament and a BA in Economics and French.
Naomi is the Project Officer for Zero Emission Freight, working to support the Programme Manager in network activities and Technical Assistance projects. Prior to joining C40, Naomi worked as a Research Assistant to an environmental consultant on food and agriculture policy in the UK, with a particular focus on agroecology and grasslands as a nature-based solution to climate change. Naomi holds an MSc in Environment and Development from the University of Edinburgh and a BA in English Literature and Spanish from the University of Birmingham. She is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Neema is a Programme Officer in Africa. She supports seven cities in different countries in delivering C40’s UCAP Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme at the regional level. She has over eight years of rich experience in administration, procurement, logistics, grants administration, coordinating multiple stakeholders and programmes, and providing organisational support.
Before joining C40, Neema was part of the Family Health International -FHI 360, supporting the delivery of a governance programme with a focus on strengthening civil societies globally (SCS Global). She worked on several projects addressing climate change and disaster response, which included enhancing civil society effectiveness, strengthening civic advocacy, promoting independent media and access to information, as well as integrated participatory approaches to social inclusion, transparency and accountability in all sectors.
Neema has worked closely with the government of Kenya, donors and development partners in different international NGOs in Kenya.
Neha Awasthi is C40’s Senior Manager, Mobility for India, where she delivers the strategically important Zero Emission Freight and Zero Emission Area programmes in India.
Prior to C40, Neha worked at NITI Aayog, the Government of India’s premier policy think tank, where she spearheaded the Aspirational Cities Program, improving governance and service delivery in 100 cities in Uttar Pradesh. She also led Urban Health Governance Reforms and designed NITI Aayog’s City Regions as Growth Hubs mission, promoting sustainable urbanization in rapidly growing economies.
At the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), Neha was instrumental in shaping the Master Plan for Delhi – 2041 and advancing key urban policies such as Land Pooling, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), Active Travel and Local Area Regeneration. She also led research on TOD strategies for 20 Indian Smart Cities, driving sustainable mobility practices in Indian cities. Neha brings a global perspective to urban governance and sustainable development through her exposure to urban practices in Japan, Nepal, Singapore, UAE, and the UK.
A Chevening Scholar, Neha holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the London School of Economics, a Master’s in Urban Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi and a Bachelor of Architecture from the National Institute of Technology Raipur.
Currently based in Mumbai, she has previously lived in Delhi and London. Neha enjoys doodling, music, exploring cities, and spending time with her family.
Neuni Farhad serves as Project Officer of Adaptation Research. She is responsible for identifying knowledge gaps in adaptation research and is currently working across several research projects to support cities in undertaking climate adaptation actions.
Before joining C40, Neuni completed her Master’s degree in Environment and Sustainable Development from University College London. During this, she worked on urban risk resilience through project based in Lima, Peru assessing urban development in the city’s coastal area with a focus on transport and governance.
Neuni previously interned at the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change as an Economist, working across several policy teams to pass legislation and quantify benefits of energy and climate change policies. She has also previously worked in the UK NGO sector on Women’s livelihood and empowerment projects across countries in South Asia and Africa with UK based charity Global One.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and is fluent in Bengali.
Nicole Dixon serves as a Data Analyst in Monitoring and Evaluation in the Business Planning and Reporting Team. In this role, she is responsible for supporting data collection, storage, analysis and reporting across C40 in relation to our newly developed set of Key Performance Indicators to track the progress and impact of the C40 2021-2024 Business Plan.
Prior to joining C40, Nicole worked on various consultancy projects with European businesses and non-profits to incorporate the circular economy, shared value and sustainability strategies into their business models. She also worked and volunteered in rural South Korea to coordinate and teach English programmes to adults and school children.
Nicole holds an MSc in Sustainability Management from ESCP Business School and a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cape Town.
Nicolle Konai is the Investment and Partnerships Manager for the Zero Emission Bus Rapid-deployment Accelerator (ZEBRA). She coordinates the programme’s effort to structure new commercial models in key Latin American cities and supports partners on finance aspects, as well as leads the investor engagement effort in the region by developing a strategy to mobilize capital for e-bus projects.
Prior to joining C40, Nicolle worked in investment and portfolio management at the International Finance Corporation (IFC). She also worked at the World Bank and has experience in finance, operations, and capital mobilization.
Based in São Paulo, Brazil, Nicolle holds a Master’s in Finance and Economics from FGV São Paulo and a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbia University (New York) and the University of Tokyo.
Nidhi Shashidhara serves as the US Federal Affairs Officer for C40 Cities, supporting the organisation’s work to help US cities harness federal funding to advance local climate action. Working closely with our partners, Climate Mayors and USDN, Nidhi will support mayors in hosting workshops in their cities to bring together community, business, and other local leaders to advance shared priorities and secure as much funding as possible.
Prior to joining C40, Nidhi served as the Development Associate for the Institute for Sustainable Communities where she helped lead their own efforts to secure federal, philanthropic and corporate funding to support local climate action in the US, China, India, Bangladesh, and the Mekong region. She started her career working as a congressional campaign fundraiser working with progressive and pro-climate candidates on their DC and national-level fundraising. Nidhi is also an Aspen Institute Future Climate Leader.
She is a Jacksonville, FL native but is based in Arlington, Virginia where she will soon graduate with a Masters in Sustainable Urban Planning from George Washington University. She also holds a Bachelors in Environmental Studies and Global Development Studies from Mercer University.
Nienke serves as C40’s Coordinator, Climate Action Planning & Innovation. She leads the coordination of Climate Action Plan reviews across all C40 member cities.
Before joining C40, Nienke worked as a Junior Policy Fellow in Climate & Health at Imperial College London where she managed “Connecting Climate Minds”, a global research project focussed on the intersection of climate change and mental health.
Before this, she gained extensive experience working with cities as a key member of CDP’s Cities technical team. She was furthermore part of the urban health team where she spearheaded CDP’s contribution to the WHO Health & Climate Change Urban Profiles pilot project, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s Pathfinder Initiative.
Nienke holds an MSc in Urban Development Planning from UCL and a BA in Latin American Studies from Universiteit Leiden.
Nikhil serves as Senior Manager, Climate Implementation, and works closely with the C40 Regions and Mayoral Engagement team. He supports Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Amman cities with their C40 engagements and overall other strategic regional initiatives.
Nikhil has prior work experience focused on climate and low-emission development strategies. He joined C40 from ICLEI, South Asia, where he was involved in GHG emission inventories, climate risk and vulnerability assessments, low emission development strategies, climate action planning, integrated water management, on-ground implementation of pilot projects and stakeholder engagements. Prior to this, he also worked with Ambuja Cements Ltd as an Environmental Engineer and with the Indian Institute of Technology (Mumbai) as a Research Engineer.
Nikhil holds a Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Environmental Engineering from Mumbai University, and he completed a number of professional courses on environmental management.
Nikoleta supports the legal team as C40’s Grants and Contracts Officer at the London office.
Apart from C40, she serves as the Managing Director of the world’s first legal think-tank dedicated to climate migrants, Earth Refuge. She is also the Head of Digital Communications at the International Institute of Space Law’s latest initiative, the Knowledge Constellation.
Nikoleta has been a coach, judge and award-winning participant in international law moot court competitions, including the Philip C. Jessup International Law Competition and the Manfred Lachs Space Law Competition. She also volunteered with the European Commission as a youth lecturer to make EU knowledge more accessible.
Nikoleta holds an MA in Human Rights from University College London, where she was recognised in the Dean’s List for Academic Excellence. Her dissertation explored climate change law and public health, and was awarded with Distinction. She received her BA in International Relations from Sofia University, where she won the Legal Studies Student of the Year award.
Njenga serves as City Advisor for Nairobi, Kenya. In his role, as part of C40’s UCAP Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme, he is responsible for engaging city officials, to ensure the implementation of the Climate Action Plan and the fulfilment of C40’s Leadership Standards.
Njenga is a spatial planner, with a passion for supporting African cities to build resilience against the effects of a rapidly changing climate. Prior to joining C40 Cities, he worked as a Project Manager, at a Nairobi based project management and consultancy firm, where he was responsible for leading the firm’s activities across Sustainable Cities, Industrial Parks and Climate Change. He has also contributed to efforts by the Kenya Forest Service, to develop a park management and resilience strategy for the Nairobi Arboretum and participated in the formation of the Nairobi Arboretum Conservancy Community Forest Association.
Njenga holds a Master’s degree in City Planning and Real Estate Development from the University of Glasgow and a Bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration from United States International University – Africa.
Nonhlanhla is the Senior Manager, Grant Finance at C40. This role, within Corporate Services, she oversees the restricted grants portfolio which is currently approximately 65 grants worth over $50k to $20m.
Noni is a Chartered Accountant, trained in South Africa through SAICA. Prior to joining C40, she worked “on the other side of the fence” as a senior auditor. Noni brings strong technical and audit expertise after working on a diverse portfolio of international clients with a focus on large groups of nonprofit organisations.
Noni will be based in the Johannesburg, South Africa office. In her spare time she loves to travel to the ocean in Durban, Cape Town and around various bodies of water such as the Victoria Falls in Zambia. She enjoys hiking and spending time with her family.
Oliver serves as Manager of Climate Analytics within the Measurement and Planning Team. In this role, he is responsible for developing a cloud-based database for managing C40’s quantitative data and an internal website for sharing data across the organisation. He supports the Modelling team’s work by developing methods to curate, extract and model data for use in tools such as Pathways and Impacts and other bespoke projects. Before joining C40, Oliver gained experience in data management, research and analysis by working for the Wellcome Trust, Public Health England and the Department for International Development. Oliver holds a BA degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University.
Olivia serves as Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, part of the Business Planning and Reporting Team. Building on reliable evidence and analysis methodologies she works to enhance how C40 tracks and communicates its impact to cities and their mayors, as well as funders and wider stakeholders. Olivia is passionate about climate policy and mitigation strategies and has worked in this space for 15 years.
Before joining C40 Cities, she was an Associate Director at Ipsos’ Energy and Environment team in London, where she led complex and mixed-method evaluations for the UK government in the field of energy, climate and air quality. Prior to that, she worked at ICF, a global consultancy firm, at both their London office, where she managed evaluations for the European Commission, and at their Rio office, where she led corporate sustainability strategies and GHG inventories in a range of sectors.
Olivia is an Economist by background, with a Master’s in Energy Planning from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
Omar serves as Global Head of UCAP Climate Action Implementation Programme, within the Climate Action Implementation Team. In this role, he is responsible for providing overall programme management support and guidance to the three regions participating in the programme: Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa.
Prior to joining C40, Omar worked with INGOs such as Mercy Corps, Institute for Sustainable Communities and World Vision, as well as UNEP and UN-Habitat. He worked for several years in South and South East Asia, providing technical support to sub-national level governments on projects related to climate change mitigation, resilience building and green growth. Previously, Omar worked in Eritrea on an initiative to reforest the desert and produce food with seawater crops, planting over a million mangroves along the Red Sea for animal fodder and carbon credits.
Omar has a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from ITESO University in Guadalajara, Mexico, and a Master’s degree in Environment and Sustainable Development from University College London.
Pablo serves as a Data Scientist within the Analytics team as part of the Business Planning and Reporting Team. In this role, he is responsible for developing and maintaining C40’s Data Warehouse, a cloud-based database for managing C40’s quantitative data. He is also responsible for maintaining, analyzing, and reporting on key datasets related to C40 and C40 cities’ performance measurement. He also supports C40 teams in promoting good data practices and management through enhancing data sharing, methodologies, resources, training, and building up staff knowledge and capacity.
Prior to joining C40, Pablo worked in a number of data-driven roles, such as the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses of Argentina, the General Directorate of Statistics and Censuses of the City of Buenos Aires, and the National Directorate of Markets and Statistics of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Pablo holds a degree in Sociology from the National University of Buenos Aires.
Idrissa serves as a City Adviser for Waste in Senegal, assisting the municipality of Dakar in identifying and implementing crucial waste-related initiatives aimed at reducing current and future emissions from the solid waste sector.
Before joining C40, he worked at Practical Action as a climate resilience adviser. He also served as the Project Manager for “Improving Human Health and Livelihood through Reducing Open Burning of Waste in Senegal,” a project funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering in partnership with the national waste management agency (SONAGED) and a local research institute (EPT).
Idrissa is also a specialist in urban resilience with a broad focus on disaster risk reduction, urban planning, environmental issues, and waste management. Over the past three years, he has contributed to the work of the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance in West Africa, engaging in research, knowledge management, advocacy, and project implementation, particularly in the city of Thies, Senegal.
Idrissa holds a Master’s degree in development economics with a specialization in sustainable development from CERDI (Centre d’Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International) at the University of Clermont Auvergne in France.
Pat Sri is a Helpdesk technician working in C40’s London office. In this role, Pat manages Helpdesk tickets and provides excellent support to staff on various computer-related issues. Before joining C40, Pat was an IT Support Engineer at Better.co.uk, a mortgage broker company, and assisted users with support-related issues, including setting up new systems and migrating application platforms. Pat studied at the University of Portsmouth, where he completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Software Engineering.