With expertise in conservation, marine, extractives and more, our commercial team help you to meet your project needs using the latest DNA technologies.
Our specialist business development teams include ecologists, marine biologists and conservation scientists, with a communications & marketing team who can help to promote your cutting-edge science.
Business Development Team
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Communications & Marketing Team
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Stefanie Kaiser - Sector Head for Nature-Based Solutions, Forestry and Carbon Markets
Role
Stefanie strategically leads on client relationships with businesses and individuals who want to go beyond carbon and bring biodiversity into their nature-based solutions portfolio. Her remit is global and across habitats and ecosystems, yet with a slight focus on forestry.
Academia
Licenciatura in Biology (Molecular and ecology) from Universidad SEK in Segovia, Spain. One additional year in Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia. Msc in Environment and Development (University of Edinburgh) and Msc in Tropical Forestry (University of Bangor).
Significant Collaborations
Stefanie has an interdisciplinary background covering molecular biology and ecology, forestry, international development, global environmental policy, natural capital, impact investing, and remote sensing – nicely seasoned with extensive experience in communication and stakeholder engagement.
She has worked in the forestry sector for over a decade – she has in-depth knowledge of the UK forestry and timber supply chain and has an extensive network in the global natural capital and forestry scene. She has worked in impact investing, being responsible for sourcing and assessing forestry projects in the Global South. In her earlier career, she has worked in remote sensing for the Spanish ministry of agriculture.
During her extensive studies, she has undertaken field work in Indonesia (agroforestry in Kalimantan), the Brazilian Amazon (ecotoxicology / Amphibians), Jamaica (invasive tree species), Uganda (forest structure and biodiversity assessments), and Malawi (community forest monitoring).
Stefanie has worked as an eco guide in the Colombian Pacific (rainforest and marine ecosystems) and holds a PADI and NAUI scuba diving license.
Originally hailing from Austria, she has lived in Colombia for two years, 10 years in Spain and 10 years in Scotland, where she is currently based. She is trilingual in Spanish, German and English, with some knowledge of Brazilian Portuguese and French.
Euan Murray - Chief Commercial Officer
Role
Euan is a member of the board, with responsibility for our growth with customers. He works with the wider leadership team to develop, implement and lead the commercial strategy, bringing together business development, product development, finance, marketing, and others from across the business. He helps to guide future product development and R&D to ensure strong product market fit, and investment in the most tangible and highest return business opportunities for business and environmental impact.
Academia
Euan holds an MSc in Materials Science and Metallurgy from University of Cambridge.
Significant Collaborations
Euan has 20 years’ experience in corporate strategy, sustainability, innovation and organisational growth. As Chief Executive, Euan led the creation and implementation of The Sustainability Consortium’s flagship program with over 2,000 businesses covering product supply chains worth over $1trillion in annual sales. And at The Carbon Trust, Euan built the product and supply chain carbon footprinting business, working with dozens of companies like Tesco, PepsiCo, Unilever and M&S. Prior to that, Euan spent the early part of his career in strategy consulting and financial services.
Dr Sam Lacey - Business Development Director
Role
Sam oversees NatureMetrics’ work in Finance, Conservation, Nature Based Solutions, Carbon, and other areas. She is also active in the agribusiness and forestry industries.
She and her team work with a diverse group of private, civil society, and public actors to better understand their impacts on biodiversity through the use of eDNA.
Sam assists organisations in determining how eDNA can be used to demonstrate their environmental impact in a cost-effective manner.
Academia
Sam studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University, specialising in Genetics. She completed her PhD in microbial genetics and soil bioremediation at Imperial College London.
Significant Collaborations
Sam is a highly experienced sustainability and responsible investment leader with 16 years’ experience influencing change and building ESG management systems in a wide range of businesses and investors, with a focus on forestry, agriculture and emerging markets.
She spent 10 years at CDC Group where she led their ESG engagement with funds and represented them in sustainable land use forums. She also sat on the ESG Board Committees of a number of Agriculture and Forestry sector investments.
She is a seasoned advisor who has actively contributed to global initiatives in sustainable agriculture, land, labour rights and impact metrics.
She was an Executive Board Member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil from 2006 to 2008, representing investors while working for The Co-operative Asset Management.
Benjamin Barca - Head of Conservation
Role
Benji works to introduce DNA-based methods to clients and represents NatureMetrics in West and Central Africa, Europe and beyond, establishing key partnerships and strong networks with public and private sector and NGO stakeholders. Benji is actively involved in developing opportunities in these regions, including running workshops for stakeholders and providing training on how DNA-based tools can be integrated into biodiversity monitoring strategies.
Academia
MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management from the University of Oxford and a BSc in Ecology and Conservation from the University of St Andrews.
Significant Collaborations
Benji brings to NatureMetrics vast experience as a Conservation Scientist and Practitioner with experience running tropical field bio-monitoring programs, grant and project management roles, REDD+ and HCV assessments. Benji worked for the RSPB in Sierra Leone and Liberia as a Research and Monitoring Technical Advisor. Before that he helped set up an ecotourism project in Cambodia whilst working with the Wildlife Conservation Society, set up a long-term jaguar monitoring program in Costa Rica and worked on invasive species management in the Caribbean with the Durrell Conservation Trust.
Samual Stanton - Head of Marine & Energy
Role
Sam is working to bring DNA-based methods to our Client’s investigations of the marine environment. He brings 18 of working in the commercial marine environment, including a technical background that includes marine macrobenthic taxonomy, survey and report writing alongside commercial and laboratory management. Sam is now actively engaging with Clients throughout the marine sector to develop the understanding and use of eDNA technology in support of their varied projects needs.
Academia
Sam holds a PhD from the University of Portsmouth for his study of larval bivalves, alongside a BSc (hons) in Marine Biology.
Significant Collaborations
Sam is a marine biologist with a diverse background that encompasses both laboratory and field experience. He spent 8 years combining learning the art of macrobenthic species identification with his PhD studies before moving on to varied laboratory, field and reporting roles. Having supported various marine environmental projects Sam moved on to laboratory management positions, managing macrobenthic, sediment and microbiology teams across multiple sites in the UK. Building on these positions, Sam assumed a broad environmental commercial role at a major survey contractor, successfully supporting clients’ projects within Europe, America, Asia and Africa before joining NatureMetrics in 2021.
Dr Vere Ross-Gillespie - Head of Extractives
Role
Vere is working with clients across a range of sectors (e.g. agricultural, mining conservation, water, environmental) from NGO’s, to public and private entities to introduce DNA-based methods to clients in order to improve environmental management practices, inform biodiversity monitoring, assist research and ultimately improve conservation measures.
Vere is engaging with clients from existing networks in Southern and East Africa and beyond, while establishing new partnerships, research and commercial and opportunities. Vere is actively involved in developing opportunities in these regions, including running training sessions and workshops for stakeholders focused on the integration and application of DNA based tools into sampling designs and monitoring programs.
Academia
PhD in Zoology from the University of Cape Town for work focused on life-history traits of aquatic insects in relation to thermal and hydrological alteration as well as climate change and genetic factors. BSc Hons in Zoology, BSc double major in Ecology and Environmental & Geographical Science from the University of Cape Town.
Significant Collaborations
Vere is trained as an aquatic ecologist and entomologist and has 6 years consulting experience in the water sector in Southern Africa and SADC member states, in addition to 5 years applied research. He previously managed a team of ecologists in a consulting firm based in South Africa and thus brings with extensive field experience having worked on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems across southern & eastern Africa, the sub-tropics, and the Indian Ocean Islands. He has managed numerous projects and impact assessments focusing on a wide range of topics from water quality & chemistry, diatom assessments, bio monitoring, bio remediation, mining solutions, environmental audits, environmental flows (eflows) and river health assessments, river restoration, wetland & ephemeral pan assessments, citizen science, aquatic ecological training courses and workshops. He is a member of the Southern African Society of Aquatic Scientists (SASAqS), a registered Professional Natural Scientist (Pr. Sci. Nat.) in Ecological Science in South Africa, and has been an accredited SASS5 Practitioner for 10 years.
Dr Natalie Swan - Conservation Project Manager for Latin America
Role
Natalie works to introduce DNA-based methods to clients and represents NatureMetrics in Latin America, Europe and beyond, establishing key partnerships and strong networks with public and private-sector and NGO stakeholders. Natalie is actively involved in developing opportunities in these regions, including running workshops for stakeholders and providing training on how DNA-based tools can be integrated into biodiversity monitoring strategies.
Academia
Dual-PhD in Environmental Science from Lancaster University in the UK and Federal University of Lavras in Brazil. MRes in Conservation Management and a BSc in Biodiversity Conservation & Management, from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) at the University of Kent.
Significant Collaborations
Natalie brings over a decade of experience in conservation research, biodiversity monitoring and project management, with a notable focus in Latin America. As a lead biologist and expedition team leader for FundAmazonia, she has collaborated with organisations and institutions such as Operation Wallacea, DICE and Earthwatch, even lending her experience as a caiman specialist to the BBC’s Natural History Unit for their series The Dark: Nature’s Nighttime World. Passionate about engaging and mentoring others through experiential learning, Natalie has assisted with field courses in Brazil with Lancaster University and led conservation-focussed educational trips to Peru with Flooglebinder (a UK BCorp adventure company). As the Research Coordinator for Crees Foundation, Natalie managed a team of biologists and volunteers in an educational field research station, carrying out long-term biodiversity monitoring in a regenerating forest in the Madre de Dios region of Peru. Back in the UK she has also worked as a marine ecologist for environmental impact assessment within the nuclear industry, focussing on fish impingement in cooling water intake structures.
Dr Edward Wort - Technical Manager
Role
Edward provides scientific support on the specifics of DNA-based tools to the BD team, with particular expertise in marine sampling. Edward assists the data science team with bioinformatics, and also writes data reports and reviews projects for clients.
Academia
Edward holds a PhD in Marine Ecology from the University of Southampton and Natural History Museum, and holds an MSci in Oceanography with French from the University of Southampton.
Significant Collaborations
Having gained a wealth of experience as an Environmental Reporting Scientist for Gardline, Edward brings to NatureMetrics his expertise in marine environmental baseline surveys and habitat assessments. Prior to that, Edward’s PhD involved population genetics and phylogenetics on the Atlantic coasts of France and Spain. His previous work at the Plymouth Marine Institute included habitat connectivity modelling for the English Channel as part of the PANACHE project and for the deep sea west of Britain.
Peter Kimberg - Head of Water
Role
Peter is engaging with clients in the water utility sector whilst at the same time promoting the adoption of eDNA technology within his existing network of clients and former colleagues in the extractives, infrastructure and oil & gas sectors.
Academia
- B.Sc. Honours (Zoology)
- Certificate in Conservation Development: Strategies for Implementing Biodiversity Action Plans for the Private Sector – Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute & George Mason University (2016)
- Complete Bat License Training (2019). NE Level 2 bat survey license
- Advanced Snake Handling Certificate – African Snakebite Institute (2018)
Significant Collaborations
Peter has 17 years of consulting experience both within a corporate environment and as an independent consultant. My career started in Africa where I was primarily conducting aquatic & biodiversity specialist studies for mining, energy & oil & gas clients. Since moving to the UK I have done some work in the UK water utility sector.
Jorg Kohnert Business Development Manager
Role
Jorg’s role is to develop and nurture clients, new clients, and client accounts in the oil and gas and mining sectors as part of the Business Development team. In addition, on an as-needed basis, cover corporate accounts with multi-nationals.
Academia
- MSc Petroleum Engineering
- BSc Engineering
Significant Collaborations
Jorg has over 25 years international experience in the energy sector and through his executive roles has sponsored EIAs and worked with NGOs on CSR projects. These covered the marine, terrestrial and swamp environments.
Jorg’s specialist experience is in operations and project management and managing Relationships at all levels.
- Supplier, Client, Partner account and Government Relationship Management
- Day-to-day project and activity planning, execution, management and support
- Optimization of existing operations, processes, workflows and activities (KPIs)
Karolina Peret - Business Development Manager
Role
Karolina oversees the expansion and development of the water and infrastructure sectors, with a focus on nature-based solutions and rewilding.
Academia
BSc in Environmental and conservation sciences with a major in soils and reclamation, BASc in Biogeochemical engineering with a major in aquatics, MSc in Environmental engineering focussing on cities, sustainability, and urban planning.
Significant Collaborations
Experience in global projects (China, Canada, Denmark, Poland) covering regeneration, rewilding, naturalization for improved water management, biodiversity and habitat creation, reforestation and improved soil health.
Erica Dholoo - Head of Infrastructure
Role
Erica has joined NatureMetrics to build business, collaboration and innovation opportunities for eDNA-based monitoring and metrics in sectors of interest. Primary areas of focus are the extractives sector, building on existing networks and experience, and on building the market in Latin America.
Academia
BSc Hons in Biological Sciences (Plant Science Hons) from the University of Edinburgh; final dissertation on the biochemistry of plant cell walls.
MA in International Development from the School of International Service (American University) in Washington, DC; thesis on sustainable agriculture in Cuba.
Significant Collaborations
Erica brings over fifteen years’ experience working in ESG in the oil and gas sector. After five years leading the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Working Group at IPIECA, an oil and gas industry association, Erica spent ten years living in Peru. During this time, she developed and led biodiversity and social responsibility programmes and partnerships for Hunt Oil and Tullow Oil, undertook independent sustainability consulting and business intelligence for a range of clients, and spent a couple of years working in business development at the British Embassy/Department for International Trade.
Laura Plant - Business Development Director
Role
Laura is working to support companies in their decision making and target setting relating to nature. This includes methods for setting and measuring Net Positive Impact and other biodiversity targets. She leads on the development and deployment of NatureMetrics’ intelligent Net Positive Impact (iNPI) solution.
Laura also leads the marine and extractives business development team helping clients across these sectors understand how DNA-based methods can improve their environmental management practices
Academia
Laura has a Masters in Environmental Economics & Policy and an Undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences both from the University of Cambridge, UK. Her research topics included consumer willingness to pay for environmental attributes of food, the effect of biochar on soil carbon retention, and the impacts of sustainable timber harvesting on tropical ecosystems.
Significant Collaborations
Laura has been part of several global initiatives that are seeking to provide a common framework for business to understand their environmental and social impacts. She worked with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the Capitals Coalition to develop the Natural Capital Protocol in 2016, as a framework to help businesses measure their impacts and dependencies on nature.
She was on the advisory committee for the drafting of the Social and Human Capital Protocol in 2018 and 2020, she was part of the drafting team for the World Economic Forum’s Towards Common Metrics white paper.
Suzie Platts - Business Development Manager - Infrastructure
Role
Suzie is an infrastructure Business Development Manager overseeing the expansion and development of eDNA based methods within infrastructure projects both within the UK and abroad. She specialises in great crested newt eDNA within the UK as well as eDNA for protected species surveys within infrastructure. Suzie comes from an ecological consultancy background with particular interest in eDNA as well as project management for environmental aspects of large linear infrastructure projects.
Academia
Suzie has an MSc in Species Identification and Survey Skills from the University of Reading and a BSc in Zoology from the same institution. She also completed the PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification in Project Management.
Significant Collaborations
Suzie brings five years of experience working within the ecological consultancy sector for large scale UK infrastructure projects. She trained as an ecologist and has a broad understanding of UK environmental legislation, protected species surveys and habitat surveys in the field. She has worked on large scale Highways projects, rail, fuel pipelines, water infrastructure and flood alleviation schemes. Suzie has also project managed small scale infrastructure projects around the UK as well managing the environmental aspects of larger infrastructure projects.
Natalie Woollacott - Business Development Manager - Infrastructure
Role
Natalie works with clients from the infrastructure sector to support relative industries to create innovative solutions that substitutes or supports traditional methods of surveying and monitoring for biodiversity, with a focus on the project cost/time saving benefits. Natalie establishes key partnerships and relationships with clients from the infrastructure sector and works with internal and external key stakeholders across the business development team to develop new opportunities and provide a client sampling design advice.
Academia
Natalie’s academic experience includes an MSc in Environmental Biology and a BSc in Biology from Swansea University. Her research included identifying mycorrhizal associations for orchids. Natalie also holds a Class 1 great crested newt survey licence.
Significant Collaborations
Natalie has been a consultant terrestrial ecologist over the last seven years working on a broad range of projects including: proposed large-scale rail and road, flood defence, utilities, and airports. With a broad ecology background, her job role comprised regulatory and legislations compliance for protected / notable species and habitats, projects of particular interest include those with compliance to the new Environmental Act and its Biodiversity Net Gain requirements; Natalie specialises in priority habitats and has a thorough understanding of Natural England’s Biodiversity Metrics.
Natalie has an extensive range of technical field skills and has led numerous baseline surveys. Her career at Jacobs Engineering has provided her with a detailed understanding of environmental DNA (eDNA) and she has undertaken great crested newt eDNA surveys for a range of projects.
As an innovative, creative individual who can ‘think out of the box’, Natalie has received a commendation award for her ideas, that includes a new H&S app and a new travel document idea.
Jay Cashubec, E.P. - Head of Business Development – North America
Role
Jay contributes to and supports client objectives using eDNA, with focus on NatureMetrics growth in North America. Jay is responsible for business development, relationship building, creating connections, and providing solutions.
Significant Collaborations
Jay has helped clients from industry, consultants, and NGO’s employ eDNA into various aspects of their projects. Jay supports clients with the uptake of the technology, provide practical solutions to their project’s needs, and enables biodiversity and species at risk monitoring as well as early detection of Invasive species at a more rapid pace – helping to keep up with the demands on the environment and increasingly demanding workloads.
With almost a decade and a half of environmental consulting experience, Jay communicates with plain language and has a pragmatic understanding of project needs, thus enabling more clients to realize the benefits of eDNA.
Mike Morris - Head of Programme - eBioAtlas
Role
Mike works in partnership with the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN) on the eBioAtlas Programme. eBioAtlas is developing an open-source, global biodiversity layer as the foundation for the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Since its launch in June 2021, Mike has engaged more than 190 partner organisations across 54 countries in eBioAtlas to combine cutting-edge environmental DNA technology with the power of the global community.
Academia
Mike has an MSc in Environmental Biology and a BSc in Marine Biology from Swansea University.
He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management.
Significant Collaborations
Mike has over 18 years experience developing and managing landscape scale conservation restoration projects, including the award winning LIFE Active Blanket Bogs in Wales project and the Unlocking the Severn Programme, the largest river restoration project of its kind in Europe.
Prior to joining NatureMetrics, Mike was the Chief Executive Officer of the Severn Rivers Trust, the Vice Chair of Afonydd Cymru and a Director of the not-for-profit consultancy, Severn Rivers Ecology Ltd. He is a current member of the Industry Advisory Panel for the University Centre, Shrewsbury.
Ben Peachey - Head of Communications and Marketing
Role
- An experienced senior management team member with a track record in strategy development and change management.
- A proactive and pragmatic leader with experience in building consensus in complex governance and decision-making environments.
- A reputation management expert specialising in sustainable development issues with experience in developing and implementing successful engagement strategies for multi-stakeholder organizations.
- An experienced global leader who has led international teams with staff in multiple locations including China, India, USA, Brazil and South Africa.
- An ex-BBC journalist with strong editorial and public speaking skills.
- A Harvard Business School executive education programme alumni.
Academia
- Received unanimous approval at board-level and positive feedback from 20 regional and topic-based committees for EO’s 4.0 strategic plan. I led a two-year project to develop the plan, facilitating board-level workshops and stakeholder meetings with over 250 member leaders.
- Over 70% positive member sentiment to launch of EO’s brand transformation including new organizational purpose, ambition, values, brand proposition and visual identity. Over 30% of chapters implemented new branding in first month after launch.
- Created insight & analysis team and recruited EO’s first data analysts. Launched innovative likelihood to renew score based on member engagement and live data dashboard for chapter leaders with over 5,000 page views and over 40% of eligible leaders accessing the dashboard in first month.
Dr Molly Clavey - Science Communications Manager
Role
Molly oversees the science communications of our DNA-based services, both internally and externally, and works across teams to connect our science with the people who can use it.
Academia
Molly completed her PhD on eDNA-based biomonitoring of Southern African fishes at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and holds a first class MSci degree in Marine Biology with International Experience from Bangor University.
Significant Collaborations
Molly has been establishing eDNA capacity for coastal fish biomonitoring in South Africa for her PhD research, collaborating with Bangor University in the UK to transfer knowledge between regions. She was involved in the establishment of eDNA labs at Stellenbosch University and generated initial baseline data, networking across the region and initiating the “African eDNA Network” originating from a Southern African workshop that she co-hosted. Having trained as a marine biologist, Molly has lived and worked internationally in Europe and Africa on projects from mangrove ecology (via Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute) and carbon trading (Mikoko Pamoja, Kenya) to animal physiology (AWI, Germany), developmental biology (University of Manchester, UK) and aquaculture (Bangor University, UK). She has coupled her academic experiences with certifications in Science Communication, recently winning her a “Young Science Communicator” award and recognition from the Fisheries Society of the British Isles for her contributions to eDNA-based science communication. She has subsequently lectured university students and staff in SciComm whilst offering freelance science communication services via her company ‘ZoologyMolly’. More recently, she has joined NatureMetrics to realise her passion for communicating eDNA science.
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