The Team

Huw Jones

Huw joined CO2balance as an investor in July 2008, when he became the Financial Director and Company Secretary. Huw is a Chartered Accountant who was previously the Financial Director and Company Secretary of Williams Medical Supplies plc. Prior to joining William Medical Supplies plc Huw was self-employed for 15 years running several businesses. Huw qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Moores Rowland in London, and gained his practice certificate from Coopers and Lybrand in Jersey, following which he was the Financial Director for a number of trading companies.

Mark Simpson

Founder of CO2balance, Mark’s early background was as a Research Chemist with Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). During his time with ICI, Mark specialised in computerisation and computer networking, where he developed the first PC based Laboratory Information Management (LIMs) system for the company. He also architected and implemented the companies’ first peer to peer PC network, which, at the time, was one of the first in the UK.

Mark went on to join Philips Electronics’ Computing Division, which later became part of European computing giant Atos Origin. As the Chief UK Technical Architect, Mark was responsible for bringing internet access and networking to the UK part of the company in the late 1990s.

Mark moved on to found CO2balance in 2003, with the vision to mitigate climate change using carbon offsetting as the primary vehicle to achieve this. Under Mark’s stewardship, CO2balance soon became one of the leading carbon management companies in Europe and was a key and founding player in the setting up of ICROA. As the market developed, Mark saw the opportunity to extend CO2balance’s reach, and to move further in to the carbon project developer space. To this end, Mark identified the East African region as offering an opportunity to provide ethical and community-based climate finance projects. In 2006, CO2balance was established as a company in Kenya, marking the beginning of CO2balance’s instrumental role as a carbon project developer in the region.

Huw and Robin joined Mark on the Board of CO2balance in 2008, and CO2balance has since secured its place as a globally renowned project developer. Mark has led CO2balance to extend its project reach into Southern Africa, Western Africa and Asia. As Managing Director, Mark continues to oversee CO2balance’s global operations and ensures that it operates in an ethical and efficient manner.

Robin Williams

Robin joined the CO2balance Board of Directors in July 2008 as an investor. Prior to joining CO2balance, Robin worked in Pharmaceutical Sales before becoming the founder and major shareholder of Williams Medical Supplies plc which was sold to private equity in 2007.

Paul Chiplen

Paul has been working for CO2balance since its creation in 2003 and now leads on sales and marketing, as well as wider strategy planning for the company as a Board Director.

Paul has a BA in Geography from Staffordshire University and well as a PgC in Sustainability and Environmental Management. Prior to joining CO2balance he worked in the public sector for 10 years with Somerset County Council, mainly within its Environment Department, specialising in waste management and recycling.

James Walker

James joined CO2balance in February 2018 and oversees CO2balance’s project portfolio in the Eastern Africa including Uganda, Rwanda and Malawi; as well as Sierra Leone and Vietnam.

James graduated with a 1st class Law degree in 2013 and worked in the financial sector for 2 and a half years. In 2017 he completed his MSc in Environmental Management from the University of the West of England. His masters research focused on rural water and sanitation in Uganda and was supported by the International Water Security Network.

James’ experience with environmental and development work includes community-based development, teaching and conservation in Thailand, WASH research and project implementation in Uganda, reforestation and water conservation in India and practical conservation work in England and Wales.

Emma Donnachie

Emma joined CO2balance in February 2018 and oversees CO2balance’s project portfolio in Southern Africa including Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.

Emma holds LLB in European Law from Warwick University and spent 3 years working in the legal field before completing an MSc in Environment and Development at the University of Edinburgh in 2016, where her research focused on the empowerment impacts of community owned renewable energy projects.

Emma’s experience in the non-profit sector includes coordinating projects in northern Mozambique, working with a charitable brand to raise funds for projects worldwide, and monitoring and evaluating projects across Ecuador.

Amie Nevin

Amie joined CO2balance in January 2019 and manages Safe Water projects in Burkina Faso and Togo, alongside overseeing those in Eastern Zambia and The Gambia. She is also responsible for managing CO2balance’s online presence and marketing of projects.

Amie graduated with a First Class Honours in Environmental Geography from The University of York in 2016, where her research focused on the links between climate change mitigation, sustainable development, environmental and social policy. Following this, she spent 3 months living in Kruger National Park on a biodiversity, climate resilience and mitigation, and community-outreach programme.

Amie’s professional experience began in ecological consultancy, gaining broad experience in project management, conducting protected species surveys and writing specialist reports.

Matthew Pike

Matthew joined the CO2Balance team in August 2020 and supports our safe water and improved cookstove projects in Mozambique, Zambia and Eritrea, whilst exploring future carbon project opportunities in Latin America.

Matthew holds a BSc in Global Development and Sustainability from Bath Spa University. His dissertation research focused on the complex climate and political factors that influenced a major drought which impacted the water supply of 25 million residents of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Matthew joins the team with several years of experience working in research and project roles both in the UK and Brazil. Matthew also spent a short time in Kenya, where he supported local entrepreneurs to develop their small businesses.

Tor Tennant

Tor joined CO2balance in August 2020 and manages all CO2balance improved cookstove projects in Rwanda and the development of any new projects. Tor is also responsible for managing the digital transformation of the CO2balance portfolio.

Tor has an MSc in Environmental Technology, with a focus on Environmental Economics and Policy, as well as an MSci in Geology, both from Imperial College London.

During her MSc, Tor worked on areas that combined scientific knowledge, policy and engineering to solve environmental problems and address sustainability. Her thesis, supported by the Imperial College Strategic Fund, was a collaborative project with stakeholders to assess the sustainability and environmental impacts of vertical farming, an innovative technology with the potential to reduce associated impacts of traditional agriculture. 

Issie Hatfield

Issie joined the CO2balance team in January 2021 and manages our Safe Water projects in Uganda and Electric Cookstove project in Nepal.

Issie holds both a BSc in Geography from the University of Leeds and a MSc in Sustainable Development from the University of Exeter. Her MSc thesis investigated integrative water governance as a mechanism for gender mainstreaming in SDG implementation in Official Development Assistance recipient countries. The research findings have contributed towards an academic paper proposal focusing on the role of gender in water resource committees and how integrated approaches can meaningfully contribute to achieving the UN SDGs.

Issie comes into this role with programme management and sustainable development experience. Having participated in humanitarian projects in Ethiopia and Peru, and project managed a research trip to the Middle East, Issie has experience of development projects in complex environments and is particularly knowledgeable about community engagement, water resource committees and marginalised communities.

Chiara Martin

Chiara joined CO2balance in November 2019 and works predominantly supporting safe water and improved cookstoves projects in Mozambique and Zambia.

Chiara holds a MCs in Environmental Management from the University of Udine (Italy). Her final dissertation investigated the environmental, social and economic potentials for a small community in the Italian Alps achieved throughout the valorisation and promotion of the local agrobiodiversity.

Chiara’s experience in environment and development includes a placement in a Development Agency in Spain in support of farmers and the promotion of organic farming.

George Syder

George joined CO2Balance in May 2021 and works on safe water projects in Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe. He is also interested in exploring nature-based solutions to climate mitigation.

George holds a BSc in International Wildlife Biology from the University of South Wales and an MRes in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Southampton, with a focus on the ecosystem service benefits of ecological restoration, for which he developed projects in both Kenya and the UK.

He comes into the role with experience in co-operating with local communities as a biodiversity researcher in Madagascar and prior to joining CO2Balance, he spent six months at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre investigating ecosystem services, particularly climate mitigation in restoration projects. Through his degree and research conducted at UNEP-WCMC, he continues to contribute to ongoing journal articles.

Megan Jones

Megan joined CO2balance in July 2020 and manages our Safe Water projects in Zambia, Gambia as well as assisting on our and Improved Cookstove project in Malawi.  

Megan graduated from the University of Leeds in 2020 with a BSc (Hons) in Zoology. Throughout her degree she gained a strong interest in the causes and effects of climate change. 

During her degree, Megan carried out research on Shamwari Game Reserve, South Africa, which focuses on restoring and conserving the natural environment. Whilst there she learnt about the local environment and communities from Rhodes University lecturers.  

In 2018 Megan completed a one-year research placement with the Ocean Conservation Trust, working at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth.  

María Jiménez

Maria joined CO2balance in May 2021 and works on Safe Water projects in Zambia, Eritrea, Burkina Faso and Guatemala.  She is also exploring expansion opportunities in Latin America.

With a background in Economics and International Business, she completed a United Nations internship at ECLAC in Chile which inspired her to pursue a Msc in Sustainable Development at the University of Sussex, from which she graduated in January 2021. Throughout her Master, she conducted extensive research on the role of technologies in sustainability pathways like Degrowth for her dissertation.

Some of her previous working experience has been in the private sector in Spain, working for companies like IBM. She has also previously worked for the Brighton Energy Cooperative and has developed several volunteering roles with NGOs where her work was related to Climate Justice advocacy and social inclusion for asylum seekers. 

Since May 2022 she is the Project Manager for the Zambia Safe Water Project, as well as a co-manager for the Guatemala Cookstove Project.

Rachel Brooks

Rachel joined CO2balance in August 2021, and supports our safe water projects in Mozambique and Zambia, as well as the planned rollout of our improved cookstove project in Guatemala.

Rachel brings with her a wealth of research experience in the fields of biofuels and applications of CO2 utilisation, as well as 14 years’ experience of living and working in the islands of the South Pacific. She will be keeping a keen eye on this part of the world for future project development opportunities.

Prior to joining CO2b, Rachel founded a small NGO working in sustainable development in Vanuatu (South Pacific), having started out as a mathematics and science teacher on Pentecost Island. She also volunteered as an environmental consultant within a range of organisations, such as the London Climate Change Festival.

Rachel is a Natural Scientist by training, holding an MSci in Natural Sciences from Durham University, and a Green Chemistry, Energy and Environment Research Masters from Imperial College London.

Stephen Morris

Stephen joined CO2balance in March 2022 and works on safe water and cookstove projects in Kenya and Zimbabwe. He is leading the Asia research group and involved in Nature-based Solutions research. 

Stephen studied at the University of Sheffield and has a BSc in Economics and more recently graduated in October 2021 with an MA in International Development. During his Master’s he worked on a virtual research project in Sierra Leone and completed his thesis in partnership with a charity in Mozambique, investigating the impact of non-Timber Forest Product commercialization on community vulnerability. He previously worked at Devon County Council as an Economic Research Assistant and spent several months gaining experience at a climate bond investment organization.

He also brings in-the-field development project experience having worked in rural Nicaragua for three months coaching business skills to young entrepreneurs, which enabled them to gain investment for a small enterprise and boost the local microeconomy.

Serena Coccioli

Serena became a Carbon Project Officer with CO2balance in March 2022. Her focus is on monitoring our safe water projects in Mozambique and Zambia, developing cookstove projects in Guatemala and scoping new projects as part of our Latin America and Blue Carbon research groups. 

Serena speaks Spanish and Italian as well as French and has working experiences in Colombia, Switzerland and Indonesia. As a Colombian-Italian she has lived in the coffee growing region of Colombia where she also researched the interconnectedness of agroforestry and climate change.

During her Ecological and Environmental Sciences degree at the University of Edinburgh, Serena undertook ecological surveys, designed her own research projects and engaged in literature research to produce project reports and policy briefs. As a Research Assistant for the coral reef monitoring programme in the Wakatobi National Park (Indonesia), she certified in Reef Survey Techniques and is very interested in diving into Blue Carbon opportunities.

Serena brings to the team a variety of skills from partner outreach to project management and is excited to continue contributing towards climate action.

Prince Narkortu Teye

Prince joined CO2balance in October 2022. Supporting our Safe Water projects in Togo, Gambia and Malawi, Prince also works as part of our research team looking into opportunities in Africa. He also has interest in exploring sport as a tool for climate action.

Prince holds a BSc. in Biological Science from the University of Science and Technology in Ghana and an MSc. in Sport and Health Sciences from Brunel University London in the UK.

With a wealth of experience working in health, sports, media and entrepreneurship, he brings his multidisciplinary expertise to supporting projects at CO2balance.

Kate Danter

Kate joined CO2balance in October 2022 and predominantly works on our improved cookstove projects in Rwanda and safe water projects in Uganda, alongside researching new opportunities.

Kate has an undergraduate background in Biology from the University of York, where she gained a passion for sustainability and undertook a research field trip to Tanzania. She then went on to study for an MSc in Sustainable Development from the University of Exeter. During this time, she undertook a placement with CO2balance, producing a research report on the blue carbon storage potential of seagrass. Whilst completing a dissertation on the potential for funding agroforestry in the UK through carbon offsetting, she became interested in pursuing work within the voluntary carbon market further.

Kate has previously volunteered for the Neotropical Primate Conservation and participated in social sustainability research with local stakeholders in Cornwall.

Grace Lilly Ayoo

Grace joined CO2balance in June 2015 as the Project Development Consultant in Uganda and is responsible for managing all aspects of our in-country operations with the help of our local field consultants and NGO partners. She overseas the company’s projects across Uganda, working closely with our local partner organisations, community leaders and government to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

She holds a degree in Tourism and Public administration and has also completed courses in Project Planning and Management.

Prior to joining CO2balance, she worked as an administrator for three years and a carbon finance specialist for two years where she gained experience working on a variety of projects in the field of household energy efficiency.

Isaac Okaka

Isaac Joined CO2balance in May 2015 as a project consultant and is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, community engagement and CSR activities for our projects in over 120 villages in northern Uganda.

Isaac has 9 years’ experience in the field of rural water supply, sanitation and hygiene transformation and community-based project design and management. He has worked as a WASH specialist on several projects in northern Uganda, including the Global Water Initiative program.

Isaac holds a PGD in Projects Monitoring and Evaluation from Uganda Management Institute and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and Management.

Sandra Manana

Sandra joined CO2balance in March 2021 as the Assistant Project Development Coordinator joining the Uganda office. Working on the Safe Water Carbon Projects as part of the Ugandan team, she is assisting in overseeing project activities and working closely with project officers to ensure timely deliverables.

Prior to this, Sandra worked with the Uganda Carbon Bureau for 5 years handling forestry and cook stove carbon projects and the Company’s Going Neutral/carbon offsetting outfit.

In her role Sandra is working to expand her knowledge in climate change mitigation and impact the lives of rural communities.