Our Team.
We are a diverse team of meteorology, communication and urban climate resilience experts. We have all either grown up or spent a large part of our working lives in some of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world. Please find details of our board here.
Our team has geographic expertise of climate and urban risk in the Asia- Pacific (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines, Fiji and the Pacific Islands), Africa (Rwanda Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Togo, Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria), the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco), Latin America and the Caribbean.
Mark has over 20 years experience in urban climate resilience, adaptation and risk communication. He was the founding Executive Director of Internews Europe and has worked with major blue-chip organisations across the public, private and civil sectors such as the UK Met Office, AECOM, the Virgin Group and the Red Cross. He has urban disaster response experience in Haiti, Pakistan, Japan and Myanmar, and has advised the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, UN Environment and the World Bank.
BA Modern Languages, University of Oxford
Masters in Public Administration, Harvard University
MARK HARVEY
Founder & CEO
Sunayana has world class expertise in digital media communication, technology and design. Following an early career at Facebook India, her focus is on the integration of information technology in disaster risk management. Her background in communications and marketing, and data analysis provides her a unique skill set for disaster risk communication.
MA in Disasters, Adaptation and Development from King’s College London
SUNAYANA SEN
Programme Manager, DARAJA
Having qualified as an accountant over 25 years ago, with a BA (Hons) and MBA, Rob progressed to Finance Director roles within the private, public and third sectors. He then took on more wide ranging, general leadership roles. Having founded and sold his own business in the last few years he is ideally placed to support the growth of Resurgence.
BA (Hons) Accountancy University of Central Lancashire.
MBA Open University.
ROB HEZEL
Finance Director
Niraj will lead the Strategic direction of Resurgence, as Head of Strategy. Niraj brings 28 years’ experience of policy and strategy development, and programme management across public, private, and voluntary sector organisations in the UK and internationally. He started his career in the Fast Stream of the UK Civil Service and has since worked in banking, in overseas development, in a start-up, and in consulting, including being a Newton Fund Programme Manager. Niraj will also continue his work at Innovate UK driving innovation to enable the long-term sustainability of cities.
BSc (Hons) in Chemistry with Management – King’s College London
MBA – Imperial Business School
MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility – Ashridge Business School
NIRAJ SARAF
Head of Strategy
Becky advises on the value and delivery chain of Weather and Climate Information Services. A Chartered Meteorologist since 2006, Becky has held key forecaster positions in the Royal Navy and has worked for the UK Met Office in observations, product development and international development. Drawing on over 20 years of professional experience, she has provided expert support to National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
MSc in Applied Oceanography and Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Meteorology and Oceanography, University of Plymouth
Masters in Business Administration , University of Exeter.
BECKY VENTON
Advisor, Weather and Climate Services
Amy is a Programme Advisor, with a background in geography and urban planning. Her focus is on community-engaged approaches to disaster risk reduction and urban resilience planning. She has worked in Guatemala and Sierra Leone to research, design and implement processes to support the upgrading of shelter and infrastructure for underserved communities. Amy also has experience in risk analysis and contingency planning for a range of international organisations.
MSc Environmental and Sustainable Development at the Development Planning Unit, University College London
AMY WILLOX
Programme Advisor
Having a BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Economics, Dilupa started her career in the world of media and advertising. After working for over a decade in sales strategy for media outlets in national newspapers like The Times and Sunday Times, national magazines, TV and UK commercial radio, she went freelance in 2014, using her marketing and sales skills in tech start-ups, education, property development and the charity sector. Dilupa will lead Resurgence’s communications and marketing work over the coming months.
DILUPA NANAYAKKARA
Communications and Marketing Lead
Robert advises across the full spectrum of issues related to how weather forecasters can best meet the information needs of vulnerable communities. Following on an earlier career as an international correspondent for Reuters and IRIN, and supporting BBC Media Action’s humanitarian information programming, for the past five years Robert has been working with the UK Met Office and Resurgence to improve the format, content and reach of forecasts for farmers, fishermen and urban residents in East Africa.
ROBERT POWELL
Advisor, Climate and Weather Communications
Urban planner and international project and brand management specialist. Prior ten-year career experience in the healthcare industry (Philippines and China), with expertise in commercial, operational, strategic development, and stakeholder management. Has worked on key projects with a focus on sustainable development, disaster risk reduction and resilience planning.
Masters in International Planning and Sustainable Development, Urban Risk and Resilience
JENNIFER JOY CHUA
Consultant, Urban Planning
Through an early career in Hydrographic Surveying he developed a strong interest in how data can help us understand and navigate the world more effectively. He is currently seeking to combine this background with his passion for visual communication and specialise within the field of data visualisation.
Bachelor of Arts candidate in Graphic and Media Design at the University of the Arts London.
OLLY CORPS
Advisor, Visualisation and Media Design
Emma Visman works independently with a range of multi-partner, climate resilience building consortia as well as being a Senior Researcher at King’s College London. Combining operational experience and practical policy development, she supports risk communication and monitoring, evaluation and learning to strengthen integration of climate risks within planning across timeframes and decision making levels.
EMMA VISMAN
Advisor, Impact and Learning