Harpinder Collacott

Start date with DI: April 2012

Where I am based: Bristol

What I do: As the Executive Director of Development Initiatives I’m responsible for ensuring that our organisation is working towards its vision: a world without poverty and with greater human security. Our role is to make sure that data and evidence are prioritised and used to inform decisions on the allocation of resources – focusing on reducing poverty and increasing people’s resilience to crisis.

DI has staff and offices in many locations around the globe, and I provide overall coordination to ensure that wherever our work occurs, the strands connect. I also lead the organisation’s work on IATI and represent DI on IATI’s Member Assembly. In my previous role, as DI’s Director, I conceived and oversaw development of the flagship Development Data Hub. I spend a lot of my time on strategic planning, internal organisational change, external relations as well as driving new ideas and initiatives.

Previous experience: Political advisor to the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (an international criminal tribunal for war crimes), Programme officer at Oak Foundation, Head of Communications and Campaigns at Meningitis Research Foundation. I spent three years living and working in Washington DC as research analyst for South Asia supporting Ambassador Dennis Kux at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Affairs, and Director of Strategic Planning for Citizens for Global Solutions. I have extensive UK and European public affairs experience as a research assistant and media manager for Nick Clegg at the European Parliament, Edward Davey MP and Lexington Communications. I hold an undergraduate degree from Cambridge University and a post-graduate degree in international relations from London School of Economics.