EEG appoints Simon Trace as new programme director

Simon Trace has been appointed the new programme director for the Energy & Economic Growth (EEG) Applied Research Programme, from August 2018, when the current director Marcela Tarazona steps down to pursue personal projects. Marcela has worked as a principal consultant in OPM’s Climate Change and Disaster Risk team for nine years, while Simon is the principal consultant of OPM’s Natural Resources & Energy team

EEG produces cutting-edge research into the links between energy and economic growth, working closely with policymakers in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia to build more sustainable, equitable, reliable, and efficient energy systems.

Marcela has led EEG through its inception phase and into its first phases of research design: “I am proud to leave the EEG programme in a strong position. We have worked closely with policymakers in low-income countries, academics, and other energy practitioners, to devise an innovative programme approach, Policy Research into Action Cycle (PRActiCle), which will deliver high quality research that is responsive to the needs and demands of policymakers.”

Simon has 35 years’ experience working in international development, with a focus on access to basic services (energy, water, and sanitation), natural resource management, and technology.  He has held senior executive positions at several international NGOs, and has served on a number of steering and advisory groups for prominent international initiatives related to energy, including the UN SE4ALL Tracking Framework Steering Group. He is currently a member of the Strategic Advisory Group for the UK Government’s £1.5 billion Global Research Challenge Fund.

“I have seen how access to energy has a transformative effect on people’s lives, whether that is at home, work, school, or through public services. Access to clean water and access to reliable electricity supplies have similar impacts as they act as critical enablers for social and economic improvement,” Simon said. “The EEG research programme offers the opportunity to deliver some new and incredibly useful insights into how to deliver energy services more effectively to those who lack them at the moment.”

Simon has been leading EEG’s first programme in Sierra Leone, where it is in the process of developing and commissioning a research agenda to inform and support government energy reforms. You can read an interview with him about his work with EEG to date on the EEG website.