Matthew Smith Email & Phone Number

Bristol, Gb

Greater Bristol Area, United Kingdom

Working on DEFRA funded Landscape Recovery Pilot leading the journey to increase the impact that private finance can bring to nature’s recovery in England. I am developing local natural capital markets and other forms of private finance streams by identifying and building relationships with future partners with a stake in landscape recovery through the multi-benefits this will deliver for society, business and nature. My role is coordinating the baselining of agricultural finances; financial model design, development and implementation; landowner consultation on blended finance and business model opportunities; developing an operational framework for natural capital; and ensuring legal agreements are compatible with blended finance models.

Brazil

Supporting companies, investors and governments to become more nature positive by helping them analyse value chain interfaces with nature, identifying risk exposures and preparing organizations to respond to opportunities by applying value-based approaches using valuation techniques linked to multi capital dependencies and impacts.

Brazil

Provider of independent research services in ecology, ecosystem management, integrated capital assessment, EO data application and stakeholder engagement. Key achievements:- Regional collaboration with University of Chile’s Centre for Mathematic Modelling developing downstream Copernicus EO data services for LatAm ecosystem assessments. Working with Chile’s Conservation Law Centre developing nature positive approaches for LatAm clients.-Working with regional partners developing a socio-ecological impact assessment process for improved renewable energy infrastructure operations in northeast Brazil.- Programme Advisor to UK National Research Council. Co-developing £7.8m Economics of Biodiversity and Nature Positive Future research programmes.

Peterborough, United Kingdom

JNCC is a UK public body delivering international research, policy advice, and implementing strategic nature conservation projects. Our team operated largely in the UK, Latin America, Caribbean, and Africa, assisting governments, businesses and civil society define, measure, and meet biodiversity objectives and targets. Key achievements include:• Co-delivery of UK Space Agency IPP EO4Cultivar project that combined local stakeholder knowledge, ecosystem modelling, and EO data to create models that inform integrated ecosystem-based management of agricultural landscapes in Colombia and Peru.• Managed and co-developed a natural capital approaches to landscape planning project, adopting Chilean vineyards as a case study. • Senior co-investigator on Global Impacts Programme for socio-environmental impacts and deforestation footprint analysis of UK consumption of imported raw materials.• Co-authored UK Government International Climate Finance Nature-based Solutions Toolkit.• Principal coordinator of (aforementioned) Caribbean Covid-19, Copernicus networking, and OECD-CRP.Responsible for:• Coordinating portfolio of international projects and line management of programme sub-teams. Leading income generation and ensuring project deliverables aligned to funder requirements.• Member of UNFCCC UK Science Engagement Group contributing to COP actions. • Member of UK Environmental Observation Natural Capital Working Group tasked with ensuring national inter-agency knowledge exchange on natural capital monitoring activities.• UK Rep. to BiodivERsA EU Research Network on biodiversity and ecosystem services; established and co-led Ecosystem Service Partnership Business and Ecosystem Services Group; member of Capitals Coalition Biodiversity Supplement Steering Group.• Member of South Atlantic Science Partnership Coordination Group and JNCC Marine Ecosystems Services Working Group

Peterborough, United Kingdom

Co-managed Sustainability Advice Programme research and implementation projects and network development activities. The team’s overall objective was supporting national implementation of UK Ecosystem Assessment outcomes and embedding the CBD Ecosystem Approach across the UK environmnetal coordination. Key achievements include:- Co-led cross-agency coordination group developing one of the UK’s first operational ecosystem service frameworks and UK Monitoring Action Plan for biodiversity, natural capital and ecosystem services (2016). - Led analyses of marine ecosystem service registers (2016) and supported European Environmnet Agency deliver the ecosystem services assessment for European Seas. - Led business and biodiversity portfolio, including: Integrated Reporting and natural capital accounting and ‘Tool Assessor’ for integrating ecosystem services into land-use planning (2016) and natures’ value to UK business (2015). Also co-authored BiodivERsA project stakeholder engagement handbook (2014).Position duties included:- UK rep on EU Working Group for Mapping and Assessing Ecosystem Services. Co-manage Secretariat and research support to UK Living with Environmental Change Partnership - Ecosystem Task Force (ETF). - Coordinating UK IPBES and CBD Secretariat input to Global Assessments and consultations. - Co-managing secretariat for UK Presidency of the European Network of Nature Conservation Agencies.- JNCC Evidence Quality Assurance team member. Co-developed EQA Policy and guidance notes, supported compliance, and sat on DEFRA Strategic Network Evidence Group. - Data manager for UK Habitat and Birds Directive national report coordination team.

Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Madagascar

Responsible for managing the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands Programme. I lead a team of Malagasy and foreign staff, including post-grad researchers on fieldowrk rotation. I coordinated four MSc Student research projects and provided training to local staff and interns that focused on project planning and management; health and safety risk assessments; ecological and socio-economic research techniques; stakeholder engagement; and data management and analysis.Responsibilities included: managing research expeditions and research teams in the field; developing and delivering weekly lectures at the Université d'Antsiranana Coastal Academy; preparing and delivering presentations and feedback to partners and stakeholders; conceiving data collection tools and techniques, scrutinizing quality of quantitative and qualitative data; creation and management of data storage solutions; writing and editing reports and funding proposals. Programme administration responsibilities included: accounting and budget management; PR and communications; developing and reviewing performance indicators; risk assessments; producing activity reports for the Programme Director and donors.Research projects I coordinated included: key informant interviews and field surveys gathering sea turtle population data; assessing and monitoring by-catch in artisanal fisheries; quantifying shark fin and sea cucumber supply chains and identifying trade routes; carrying out socio-economic surveys to identify feasible investment options for micro-finance schemes to facilitate alternative livelihoods. Notable successes include: team Malagasy students competed in the 2011 Volvo Adventure Awards in Sweden; establishment of the Tropical Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Management training course; and laying foundations for delivering community incentives for marine conservation in Madagascar’s Nosy Hara Marine Park and signing of the Environmental Stewardship Agreement in Nosy Hara.

Sussex

Independent researcher employed to conduct the 2009 UK national water vole distribution re-survey. Responsibilities included: coordinating volunteers and research groups; chairing meetings with stakeholder and landowners, providing wetland management advice; producing project reports; organising symposiums and lectures; constructing PR releases, writing magazine articles and managing social media updates and managed project budgets and accounting. The project formed part of the ongoing national species monitoring scheme. Results aided the establishment of a new nature reserve; improved wildlife corridor networks; assessed effectiveness of Species Action Plan, updated national databases, produce updated distribution maps and revise national population status.

Arundel, West Sussex

Projects I was involved in included: water vole reintroductions and monitoring; dormouse monitoring; avifauna, bat, herptile, invertebrate and botanical surveys; habitat management; ecological restoration and habitat creation; captive breeding and ex-situ conservation and reserve maintenance. My role also required me to liaise with trust members, coordinate and supervise volunteer groups; corporate sponsors and visitors to promote membership; develop and run fund raising and education events; produce interpretation materials and present WWT’s global conservation work to a broad demographic via presentations, PR releases and technical reports. I often worked with groups of children, vulnerable adults and volunteers, which required me to undertake risk assessments, deliver health and safety briefings and undergo CRB checks.

Sussex, United Kingdom

Volunteer ranger managing and maintaining a number of reserves throughout the county containing priority habitats and species. Responsible for: writing management plans; conducting priority species surveys; monitoring management outcomes and assisting with managing events and volunteer groups.

Kent, United Kingdom

Responsible for surveying Badger population distributions as part of an ongoing monitoring scheme. Required to write technical reports; map sett distributions and boundaries; liaise with local landowners and disseminate findings via presentations and various media.

South Africa

Working on a private game reserve monitoring large mammal populations; researching impacts of grassland management on small mammal population dynamics and conducting avifauna and invertebrate surveys.

Walton-On-Thames, Surrey

Member of senior sales team in a recruitment agency sourcing IT specialists for international blue chips. I managed a portfolio of 250 clients; maintained and developed business relationships; developed new business tenders and sales strategies; managed and trained a team of market researchers.

Weybridge, Surrey, United Kingdom

Personal lines insurance broker. I liaised with clients, underwriters, claims assessors and legal representatives; developed new business; undertook accurate risk assessment and underwriting; managed accounting and claim settlements.

India

Volunteer placement in central India. I worked at a village hospital assisting with medical programmes, social work and development projects. I established a sustainable community managed food programme; assisted medical professionals running health programmes; organized event and presented seminars promoting public health and taught English and Geography in village schools

Wybridge, Surrey, United Kingdom

Account manager at Lloyds TSB Banking Group. Responsible for managing clients’ personal banking procedures and providing financial advice.

Master Of Science - Ms, Conservation Science, Passed With Merit

Activities and Societies: Undertook a number of research placements. At ZSL I worked with the Marine and Freshwater conservation team.

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Environmental Science, Bsc Honours, First Class

Activities and Societies: Sussex Wildlife Trust volunteer. Managed Sussex County data input to national UK Water Vole monitoring scheme.