Roman Serdar Mendle

Experience

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  Stiftung Asienhaus

  Jan 2010 - Jan 2012

  Editor In Chief - Voices from China (SAC)

  http://www.stimmen-aus-china.de Stimmen Aus China is a bridge-blog by the German Asia Foundation (Asienstiftung, Cologne, Germany) that researches, reviews and investigates online discussions in the Chinese web. It fills in a gap in the German media landscape by providing original, unfiltered quotes of Chinese netizens from controversial and interesting debates.During my time as Editor in Chief at Stimmen aus China, I worked on overall project development to upscale the blog and turn it into one of the most read China blogs in the German web with over 30 associate writers. Main tasks were:- Writing and editing content- Content management and topic planning- Recruiting and training writers- Overall project management - Goal oriented visioning and development- Organizing board meetings and training workshops- PR and social media optimization Weniger anzeigen

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  Global Environmental Institute

  Sept 2010 - Nov 2010

  Research Assistant

  Research on Chinese civil society organizations and their impact onclimate politics and policy

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  German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP)

  Feb 2011 - Jun 2011

  Research Assistant, China Division

  Reviewing and summarizing Chinese academic publications on China's Middle East policy for the Asia department of one of Europe's biggest international relations think tanks.

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  ICLEI

  Nov 2013 - Jul 2019

  ICLEI World Secretariat, BonnICLEI is a global network of 2500 cities, towns and regions in 125 countries committed to building a sustainable future, impacting over 25 percent of the global urban population. www.iclei.orgMy achievements at ICLEI World Secretariat: 1) I built and managed the Circular Development Team, (former Smart Cities team) from the ground up at the ICLEI World Secretariat and served as Global Coordinator for Smart Cities and Circular Development across ICLEI’s 17 offices world wide. I developed programs, platforms, consulting services and frameworks to help cities foster sustainability transitions throughout the urban metabolism, governance and planning practices. 2) I created and led the Urban Transitions Alliance, a global program for former industrial cities turned sustainability champions across North America, Europe and Asia. I also created CiBiX, ICLEI’s City-Business Collaboration Accellerator, and other city-business cooperation services and private sector partnerships. With my team I implemented services and formats for cities and businesses to work together and solve urban challenges.3) I developed ICLEI's global program on circular cities and helped cities to improve their ressource systems with the goal to provide cities with analytical tools and services to create an understanding their urban metabolism. With my team, I provided advisory services, facilitated partnerships, co-created solutions that help to close resource loops in sectors like waste and waste water management, energy and food, building and construction, mobility, industrial parks and urban ecosystems. Weniger anzeigen Program Management (and later global coordination) for ICLEI's Smart Cities Agenda at the ICLEI World Secreteriat in Bonn. Main project activities included the organization, fundraising and project management for:- The Global Town Hall @ Metropolitan Solutions, during the Deutsche Messe's Hannover Fair and later in Berlin. - The Low Emissions Solutions conference under the leadership of Jeffrey Sachs and UNSDSN, together with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development at the UNFCCC COP22 in MarrakechIt also included the co-organizing, programming, moderation and public representation of ICLEI at:- ICLEI World Congress 2015 in Seoul- Resilient Cities Congress 2014 and 2015 in Bonn- Climate Summit for Local Leaders on 4 December 2015 at Paris City Hall during UNFCCC COP21 in Paris- Cities and Regions Pavillion @ COP21 in Paris- Cities and Regions Pavillion @ COP22 in Marrakech Weniger anzeigen

  • Smart Cities Program Manager / Head of Circular Development

    Sept 2015 - Jul 2019

  • Officer, Smart Cities

    Nov 2013 - Aug 2015
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  PwC Middle East

  Aug 2019 - Jan 2020

  Manager - Cities and Local Governments

  Smart city, global policy and urban development projects in Saudi Arabia, International City Diplomacy at G20 Riyadh, Government and Public Administration Consulting on organizational structure, department management and economic development strategy. Clients including two Royal Commissions in Saudi Arabia.

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  ICLEI Europe

  Jan 2020 - Apr 2023

  Coordinator - Climate Neutrality, Circular Economy and Smart Cities

  ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network of more than 2500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125+ countries, we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. Our Members and team of experts work together through peer exchange, partnerships and capacity building to create systemic change for urban sustainability.ICLEI Europe provides its members in Europe, the Middle East and West Asia with a voice on the European and international stage, a platform to connect with peers and tools to drive positive environmental, economic and social change. ICLEI Europe works closely with an extended network of local and regional governments and partners on a broad range of topics.https://iclei-europe.org/In this position, I lead a portfolio of EU projects on circular economy and climate neutrality in cities, sustainable buildings, city data, smart cities and data governance, and line managed up to 13 team members. All projects included local governments across Europe as project partners or main beneficiaries of services. Activities in projects included the development of processes and tools for local governments, trainings and capacity building, process facilitation, strategy development, policy and technical consulting as well as assistance in project management, finance and implementation. The main project during my term at the ICLEI European Secretariat was leading ICLEI's team and contribution to NetZeroCities, the platform of the EU Cities Mission to create 100 Climate Neutral Cities in Europe by 2030. We were responsible for the development of the Climate City Contract WP.Projects I lead at ICLEI Europe: - DEFINITE CCRI (Project Coordinator)- NetZeroCities- CapaCITIES- Urban Transitions Mission Center (UTMC)- EXCESS - BuiltHUB- SaveTheHomes- MATRYCS- Biovoices- EUCF- CleverCities- TripleAReno Weniger anzeigen

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  Landeshauptstadt München

  Jan 2023 - now

  In this role, I lead the team tasked with creating the coordination structures, supporting with finance and investment in public and private climate projects and supports monitoring and implementation processes for Munich to become climate neutral as per the commitments under the EU-Mission: Climate Neutral and Smart Cities. The Climate Neutrality Mission unit reports to the Head of Department of the Climate and Environmental Protection Department of Munich. We initiate and coordinate joint activities with relevant actors and stakeholders from local government, academia, private businesses and civil society. Key work areas include: - Streamlining the Climate City Contract processes and the creation of a "Transition Team" in accordance with the NetZeroCities Mission Platform approach and coordinating with - Facilitating and supporting the data governance of Munich around climate and emission data as a back-drop for data-driven, MRV-conform climate action implementation in Munich- Engaging in the multi-level government processes in the stronGER cities group of the 9 German Mission Cities with the federal government- Coordinating Munich's creation of a climate investment plan and supporting the creation of investment ready climate projects in Munich Weniger anzeigen In this role, I served as a coordinator for Circular Economy in the Circular Economy Coordination Unit (CEKS) at the Climate and Environmental Protection Department. Activities included strategy development, action planning, project management, as well as cross-departmental collaboration on circular economy in Munich. Projects included the development of investment project proposals to test innovative and blended financing solutions, the implementation of council requests and decisions, as well as coordination roles in European initiatives such as the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI), URBACT "Let's Go Circular! and acquisition of Horizon Europe projects. Weniger anzeigen

  • Head of Munich Climate Mission

    Jan 2023 - now

  • Coordinator, Circular Economy

    Jan 2023 - Jan 2023