Len Verwey

I have worked for the last two decades in the South African policy and development fields as an economist, public finance expert and governance analyst, in recent years with a growing focus on climate finance. 

I have worked for a large democracy think tank (Idasa), in the South African government at a senior level, as an independent economic consultant for a wide range of clients, for a large South African philanthropy (The Motsepe Foundation) and, currently for Just Share, a shareholder activist organization focusing on corporate governance, inequality and climate change, where I lead the corporate governance programme.

My technical skills include, in particular, public budget analysis, tax policy, especially tax fairness and domestic resource mobilization, fiscal policy and fiscal governance, poverty and inequality alleviation policy, competition policy, as well as climate finance and supporting Africa’s climate transition. 

I believe I am a skilled workshop facilitator and presenter, as well as an experienced public speaker. I have done considerable speechwriting private and public sector leaders and at one point co-partnered a public speaking consultancy. 

I hold Masters degrees in English literature and in Economics and, for better or worse, have published two collections of poetry.