Sharmala is a climate, nature and development specialist with more than twenty years’ experience supporting governments, institutions and communities to navigate the complex pressures created by climate change, environmental degradation and structural inequality. Her work spans over thirty countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, where she has led multi‑country programmes, strengthened institutional systems and mobilised more than £500 million for climate‑resilient water and infrastructure investments.
Her career includes senior leadership roles in government, consulting and international organisations. At South Africa’s National Treasury, she advised leadership on international finance and development across G20, IMF, World Bank and OECD processes. She has since held regional and technical leadership roles at the Global Green Growth Institute, Tetra Tech and Mott MacDonald, integrating climate resilience, environmental systems and institutional strengthening into policy, planning and investment decisions across diverse sectors.
Her work is grounded in systems thinking, political‑economy insight and a commitment to evidence, inclusion and long‑term institutional capability. She brings a global perspective on how climate, nature and development challenges intersect, and how institutions can make confident, informed decisions in the face of uncertainty and interconnected risk.
Sharmala holds an MPhil in Environment and Development from the University of Cambridge and an MA in the Sociology of Development from the University of Essex.. She holds dual South African and British nationalities.
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