William McFarland

Experience

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  BioRegional Quintain

  Jul 2007 - Sept 2007

  Sustainability Projects Assistant
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  London Sustainability Exchange

  Jan 2009 - Jun 2011

  • Project Officer

    Mar 2010 - Jun 2011

  • Behaviour Change Project Assistant

    Jan 2009 - Jan 2010
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  Overseas Development Institute

  Jun 2011 - Jul 2016

  Will is the Manager of the Climate and Environment Programme, as well as a researcher in the green growth team. His research covers the political and economic influences over forests and other environmental issues.Many of Will’s current projects focus on shaping private investment in forests and land – for example subsidies, fiscal policies and other public policy mechanisms for promoting investment in more sustainable production methods, and reducing the impact of key commodities on deforestation, and understanding the roles of the private sector in REDD+. Will has also contributed to a number of publications in the green growth team, covering fossil fuel subsidies, green growth, and the climate and poverty interface and is a co-lead for ODI’s work on the New Climate Economy project, including project in Africa on land use, climate change and economic growth.Will has been at ODI for 5 years. Prior to this he worked in UK environmental policy and programming, he has a degree in Biology from Oxford University, and an MSc in Environmental Technology (major in environmental policy and economics) from Imperial College London Vis mindre

  • Programme manager and researcher

    Sept 2014 - Jul 2016

  • Programme Officer - Climate Change, Environment and Forestry

    Jun 2011 - Aug 2014
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  SNV

  Jan 2016 - Feb 2024

  Global technical expert - climate and business

  Providing technical and strategic support to project implementation and the development of SNV's business, strategy and partnerships. I identify how to best mobilise and crowd-in finance to scale and sustain SNV's work on tackling climate change in agriculture and food systems. From retail banking and micro-finance to venture finance and to blended finance facilities. Recent assignments and responsibilities include:- analysis and of investments and partnerships for the FMO-managed €150m Dutch Fund for Climate and Development;- implementing public-private-producer partnerships in a number of landscapes and sectors including: coffee, aquaculture, and forest restoration in Vietnam, cocoa in Ghana, and oil palm and rubber in Indonesia.- delivering economic analysis, value chain analysis, private sector engagement, financing and investment plans.- strategic development of tools, knowledge and systems for SNV on topics such as carbon markets and landscape finance. Vis mindre

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  (Freelance)

  Aug 2016 - Feb 2024

  Freelance researcher and consultant

  Building and scaling partnerships and solutions for implementing nature-based solutions, climate resilient and deforestation free agricultural production. I have particular focus on scoping and development of projects for impact investment funds, strategic support for fund managers or international institutions on creation and design of funds and facilities, working with donors or NGOs to maximise the catalytic potential of their work, and supporting business and enterprises directly to raise funds and build partnerships to scale their impact.Recent clients and collaborators include:- with Symmetry Group, on the initial design and strategy of a climate change focussed fund for an international microfinance financer.- with IFAD, on the design of a project in Vietnam's Central Highland's combing GCF grant, IFAD loan and GCF loan to the Vietnam Development Bank.- with Terranomics, conducting research into the finance sector’s perspectives and motivations regarding barriers to investment in nature based solutions and using this research to inform the design of solutions to these barriers to be implemented by a high-level and multi-million pound partnership. Vis mindre

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  CrossFit Thao Dien

  Jan 2017 - now

  Co-founder and director

  Founded, financed, built, opened, and now largely stepped back from a thriving CrossFit gym in the heart of our community here in Thao Dien. Bounding back after the pandemic. I support my business partners who work full-time in the business on strategy and direction - finance, HR, marketing, their own career development - you name it.

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  Dutch Fund for Climate and Development

  Feb 2024 - now

  Regional climate change and agri-food advisor - Asia

  Regional technical expert working across SNV's six country offices in Asia (Nepal, Bangladesh, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia).For our investees and the investors we support, I am providing and coordinating technical expertise, investment advisory and strategy support to our pipeline and investee companies.Within the team and consortium I am leading on knowledge management, capacity building, and strategic partnership development.