C4 ECOSOLUTIONS (PTY) - Key Persons
Abdul-Lateef joined the C4 team in 2023, working for the AfriCarbon Thicket restoration project. His post-graduate experience involved the vegetation ecology and classification of subtropical thicket, the biome that AfriCarbon is actively restoring. Abdul-Lateef's role on the project focuses on the monitoring of biodiversity and the investigating intricacies of site-selection.
Anke joined the company in 2024 and is currently working on projects across multiple areas of Zambia. Her MSc studies focused on predicting the effects of climate change on the mussel aquaculture industry in Saldanha Bay, South Africa. She has experience in multi-disciplinary environmental sciences, research and writing.
Anthony is the founder and CEO of C4 EcoSolutions and AfriCarbon. The focus of his career has been to catalyse investments in ecosystem restoration and regenerative agriculture within the public and private sectors so hundreds of millions of hectares can be restored. He has worked on GCF and GEF projects and designed the strategy on the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. He is working with a wide range of private sector investors to realise the vision of restoring one million hectares of degraded thicket landscapes in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Anthony is also an Extraordinary Professor in the Department of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University where he undertakes primary research on soil chemistry and ecology.
Ayesha joined C4 in 2024 and has a background in environmental science, data analysis and business intelligence development. Her technical expertise includes advanced Microsoft Excel, PowerBI, data visualisation, SQL and data management. Ayesha has contributed to GIS mapping and feasibility studies in Zambia and SADC. She has created detailed stakeholder matrices and consultation questions for a recent project. Prior to working for C4, she led multiple projects and coordinated with stakeholders to achieve client deliverables for a data analytics company in Cape Town. Her focus was on the fleet and solid waste department. Her responsibilities included creating business intelligence reports to manage vehicles within the fleet department and to aid with monitoring CO₂ emissions related to vehicles.
Job Titles:
- General Manager
- Leadership Consultant
Barbara Ikin is a leadership consultant who specialises in Conscious Leadership. She has over 17 years' management experience in diverse settings, including healthcare, banking, the non-profit sector, and hygiene and sanitation, as well as international experience. Her role at C4 is to support the leadership team in developing the right skills and processes for managing in uncertainty and complexity. She works closely with the team to develop relationship intelligence in teams, building resilience and emotional intelligence, and ensuring the organisation is on track to being a leader in the industry, in terms of employee well-being and engagement, as well as one of excellence and innovation.
Bianca has a keen interest in conservation, with an academic background in Animal Science. For her Master's she conducted a novel study on giraffe meat, aiming to aid in their conservation and has published several papers on her findings. She has further experience in the conservation sector, specialising in elephant behaviour and leopard population distributions across Southern Africa. She has also worked in education, hotel and business management, museum curation and customer service. Bianca has experience in conducting field work, data analysis and report writing.
Job Titles:
- Project Administration Manager
Chantel joined our team in 2022. She has more than 20 years of experience managing the operations and project divisions at different companies. This included engaging professional stakeholders on large projects such as a 400-unit residential development and most recently a 10ha light industrial development.
Chris has contributed to the evaluation and advancement of Scoping and Feasibility Studies for carbon credit projects, with a specific focus on Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use initiatives, encompassing REDD+ and Improved Agriculture Land Management projects. His involvement extends to ecosystem modelling activities within the SADC region.
Claire holds a BSc degree in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Stellenbosch, majoring in Horticulture and Entomology. With a background in auditing and agriculture, Claire brings attention to detail and a fresh innovative approach to the Spekboom planting operation. Her final year project was on measuring absorbance as an indicator of maturity in dark skinned avocado cultivars which was published in the Journal for Subtropical Crops.
Job Titles:
- Office Manager ( Finance Accounts )
Debbie joined C4 in 2014. She has performed various functions as C4 has grown and is currently the Administrative Office Manager. She is versatile, reliable and efficient and has extensive experience in supporting managers and executives in a fast-paced environment.
Ehlke has a background in scientific research and product development, including experience in remote sensing for polar research with a focus on the Antarctic atmosphere and sea-ice environment. Before joining C4, she developed analysis and visualisation tools for organisations to better understand and conceptualise their impacts on the environment and communities.
Emily has been involved in the development of innovative climate change adaptation and mitigation projects. She has also been involved in the development of a Climate Information Services (CIS ) study for the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) . She has recently expanded her role to reviewing and editing documents to enhance quality of deliverables.
Emily joined the company in 2024 and has provided support on a range of international projects, in countries including Tanzania, Eswatini, Somalia, Mauritania and Jordan. Emily has an interdisciplinary background in Psychology, Biodiversity Conservation and French, with a specialisation in Evolutionary Psychology and Animal Behaviour and Cognition. Through her studies, Emily has gained extensive experience in conducting independent research and writing discursive essays, as well as scientific reports. Emily brings to the team ecological knowledge of the principles underlying EbA and restoration, as well as an understanding of how to bring about change in human behaviour.
Gerhard has led a carbon Feasibility Study in Zimbabwe focused on improved agricultural land management and forest conservation. Prior to this, he worked on projects in South Africa where he developed tools to analyse crop health using satellite images and created an online portal for farmers to monitor their crops remotely.
Giselle brings over 18 years of administrative expertise to her role at C4. She has served as a trusted Executive Assistant to high-level executives, demonstrating her exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail. Giselle has experience coordinating national events, managing travel arrangements and maintaining financial records with precision. Her adept multitasking abilities ensure seamless operations in dynamic environments. With a diploma in Secretarial Computing and a wealth of experience in office management, Giselle is a valuable asset to the team, embodying qualities of self-motivation, problem-solving and strong communication.
Jade is part of the C4 AfriCarbon scientific team, with 3 years' experience as an Environmental Monitor in game reserves. Jade completed her Master's degree in Nature Conservation in 2023, with her thesis titled "The effects of pulse-driven resource availability on mammalian communities in the Kalahari, South Africa". Jade's research has identified changes in the Kalahari landscape during below and above-average rainfall years and how this affected the mammal communities in the area. The research provided insight as to how the unpredictable landscape may be affected with the increased threat of climate change, and how large antelope would be the first to be affected.
Jaun joined our team in 2022 and works as a remote sensing specialist. For his MSc, he investigated the spatial and temporal variability of rainfall in South Africa. He is pursuing a PhD in Environmental Sciences which focuses on using remote sensing to characterise maize crops in South Africa. He has >8 years' experience in using GIS and remote sensing in numerous conservation, climate, agriculture and ecosystem projects. Prior to joining C4, he worked on developing bespoke remote sensing solutions for farmers in South Africa to monitor crops, implementing climate change adaptation programs in the Sahel, West Africa and developing GIS solutions for complex environmental challenges.
Jethro is involved in analysing and interpreting data to support the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation. This role involves collecting data, creating reports, and providing insights that help drive business decisions and optimise processes. Jethro is also involved in managing payroll data of staff for on-the-ground operations. Jethro has approximately 12 years of experience in business with five years in management positions.
Jillian holds a BSc (Honours) in Geography and Environmental Science from the University of Pretoria. For her Honours project, she investigated the use of an air quality index in the Highveld Priority Area in South Africa. She joined the C4 team in 2024 and has contributed to the research and development of literature reviews, analysing several carbon registries, standards and project methodologies. She has also assisted with feasibility studies, specifically contributing to agroforestry modelling and denitrification and decomposition data processing.
Jordan has been actively involved in four distinct climate adaptation projects contributing to baseline research and engaging in more specialised technical tasks. Her experience extends to working on ecosystem restoration initiatives, with a focus on NbS and disaster risk preparedness.
Keith's experience is in the environmental and conservation sector. Initially he worked on a project that investigated the impact of rangeland and game farming on animal conservation. His involvement in the ecosystem restoration project was primarily centred around innovation and scientific experimentation. As the project has grown, his responsibilities increased to focus on managing teams of workers and supervisors to execute the company's vision.
Kezia joined the C4ES team in 2024 and has since assisted in developing climate change adaptation projects for international clients (UNEP and UNDP) and funds (GCF and GEF). Her work has included the development of simple future narratives, climate rationales, and conceptual diagrams such as problem trees, solutions matrices and Theory of Change diagrams. Her studies encompassed global change, climate projections, sustainable development, ethnoecology, biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management and biocontrol. She draws on this knowledge and associated skills in the workplace, incorporating her understanding of rural livelihoods and sustainability into project development. Kezia is a stickler for detail and loves grappling with the complexity and uncertainty of socio-ecological systems.
Kristen joined the C4 team in early 2024. She holds a MSc in Zoology from Nelson Mandela University. For her MSc, she modelled medium- and large-sized mammal populations across the envisaged Camdeboo-Mountain Zebra (C-MZ) mega-reserve in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Her research showed that the C-MZ mega-reserve - if established - would effectively conserve viable populations of the endemic Cape mountain zebra, blesbok and black wildebeest, as well as many smaller co-existing species. However, her research showed that an area of that size (784,000 ha) is not large enough to support viable populations of large herbivores (such as the African elephant) and large carnivores (such as the African wild dog). Consequently, larger and more connected protected areas are needed to effectively conserve species and ensure their long-term persistence.
Mari's academic work involved developing a tissue culture protocol for Crocosmia aurea with the aim of commercialising the antidiabetic compound Montbretin A (MbA). She has contributed to the research and development of Scoping and Feasibility studies for carbon credit projects, particularly in the Agriculture, Forestry and other Land Use sectors, encompassing REDD+, ARR, and Improved Agricultural Land Management projects. She has expertise in Verra methodologies and a nuanced understanding of relevant legislation for carbon credits, carbon ownership, land tenure, and associated intricacies of the process. Prior to joining C4, Mari has also been an Environmental Consultant at Biosylx (Pty) Ltd.
Matthew joined the C4 team in 2024 and has since contributed to developing GCF Funding and NAP Readiness Proposals. His academic background encompasses international politics, business law, economics, global change ecology and conservation biology. He is currently pursuing an MSc in plant ecophysiology at the University of Cape Town, focusing on the plasticity of functional and hydraulic traits in key species across a climate gradient in the Cape Floristic Region. Matthew is particularly interested in the potential for communities and their surrounding ecosystems to benefit each other.
Mthokozisi joined the team in 2024, bringing his experience working on various aspects of climate change. His PhD focused on how rainfall seasonality drives ecosystem processes in Africa and his MSc revolved around how phenology changes in response to changes in the climate in the Enkangala grasslands in South Africa. Mthokozisi has experience as a research assistant on many projects, using GIS and working with long-term data and large datasets. He also has extensive experience in science engagement, working with high school learners, teachers and local communities.
Niclas joined the company in 2024 and has a background in Marine Biology. He is completing his Master's on the life history, diet and reproduction of three local species of grenadier fishes. Niclas is experienced in scientific planning, analysis and report writing, as well as having coding experience. He takes a keen interest in observing and documenting different wildlife in his spare time, taking a particular interest in reptiles and scorpions.
Job Titles:
- Environmental Specialist
- Principal Consultant
Reinhardt is an environmental specialist who addresses climate and environmental challenges through a multidisciplinary approach encompassing carbon sequestration projects, climate adaptation strategies, and geospatial analysis. He employs recognised methodologies from standards such as Verra, Voluntary Carbon Standards (VCS), Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Gold Standard (GS) to design and implement carbon projects in agriculture, forestry and land use.
Job Titles:
- Head
- Scientist
- Project Analyst
Robbert joined the C4 team in 2021 as a spekboom project analyst and now leads our implementation arm. He has a background in spekboom ecophysiology and ecology, having studied this in detail from honours through to PhD. During his time at C4, he has coupled his academic background with his experience in commercial-scale horticulture to implement the Kuzuko Thicket Restoration Project - a massive project with a diverse team of >350 people, who planted >30 million spekboom in a Big Five game reserve. Robbert and the implementation arm are now in the preparatory phases of the Spekboom Thicket Restoration Project, which aims to restore >100,000 hectares of degraded thicket landscapes across the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. He and the implementation arm are also starting to apply their lessons from the Kuzuko project in other restoration projects around the world, with the vision of pushing back degraded lands and deserts across the globe.
Job Titles:
- Junior Geospatial Data Scientist
Robel has a background in computer science and geophysics, focusing on advanced data analysis and solutions for environmental applications. His expertise in data processing and visualisation significantly enhances monitoring and decision-making. He has previously worked on innovative projects that automated and visualised data, using technologies such as Python, SQL, JavaScript and Azure Cloud Services. His work includes engineering for large datasets and creating portals for real-time data access to deliver impactful insights.
Job Titles:
- Ecologist, Editorial and Training Specialist
Ruan joined C4 EcoSolutions in early 2023 as a research and publishing intern, carrying out primary scientific research at the company, with a background in plant ecology and evolutionary biology. Ruan has published work on various aspects of the Cape flora's biodiversity, including phylogenetics, biogeography and macroecological patterns in relation to soil characteristics. Passionate and skilled in data wrangling, visualisation and statistical analysis, Ruan contributes to ongoing research projects on savanna, grassland, and spekboom thicket soil ecology, working with the AfriCarbon team. He also develops in-house training material on a variety of topics at C4, leveraging his teaching experience as a postgraduate at UCT, and provides editorial support across projects.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Lead Consultant
Ruben joined the C4 team in 2023 as a consultant. He holds a BSc Honours in Zoology and a Master of Arts (MA) in Creative Writing, both from the University of Pretoria. For his Honours project, he analysed the climate change-induced shift in the foraging range of southern elephant seals. His MA in Creative Writing comprised a fiction novel and a mini-dissertation, both focusing on identity crisis in South Africans. Ruben has >4 years' experience working as a software developer and data scientist. He is proficient in Python, SQL, JavaScript/TypeScript, R, C#, HTML and CSS. Ruben has a passion for creating software products, automating processes and extracting value out of data, especially in the field of conservation.
Job Titles:
- Financial Controller
- C4 in 2024 As the Financial Controller
Shawn joined C4 In 2024 as the financial controller. He has over 20 years' experience in finance systems and operations, in variance settings, including hospitality, retail, advertising and export. His role is to merge the project and finance teams and streamline process to ensure efficient collaboration and cost-effective project execution.
Tammy is a Human Resource Manager with experience in various industries, including healthcare, hospitality, property development and construction. Tammy is passionate about fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace by building strong teams and developing professional growth. Her excellent communication skills and approachable demeanour make her a trusted resource for employees seeking support and guidance. She has a strong background in talent acquisition, employee relations, promoting a positive work culture and driving organisational success.
Tara has conducted research on measuring trace aluminium in seawater expeditions to the Southern Ocean, contributing to the trace metal field. Tara holds an undergraduate degree in geology and is passionate about understanding how the atmosphere, ocean, and land interact and influence the global climate. Tara has experience in using various analytical techniques such as flow injection analysis and fluorescence, while also possessing skills in GIS, data analysis, and data visualisation.
Job Titles:
- Junior Geospatial Data Scientist
Tristan became part of our team in 2024 as a technical writer on climate adaptation projects. He earned his BSc (Honours) degree with distinction, where he took a climate change module while specialising in entomology. Tristan is pursuing an MSc in entomology, a field increasingly connected to climate change. His academic career has developed his skills in scientific writing, field sampling, public speaking, community engagement and data analysis. He also developed a keen interest in graphic design through his studies.
William started his career as an intern for the Rhodes Restoration Research Group. He has mainly worked with Portulacaria afra research and its potential in restoration ecology. He has continued his career working in the AfriCarbon thicket restoration project. He has also gained experience in the voluntary carbon market and the requirements of Verra methodologies, modules and tools required to implement an AFOLU ARR project.
William obtained his MSc in Water Resource Science from Rhodes University, where he analysed the vegetation use of livestock in the Transkei region of the Eastern Cape. After completing his studies, William went on to work as a research assistant at Rhodes, collaborating with SANBI to assess the population distribution of Aloe ferox in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces. He is now employed as a project coordinator for C4's Spekboom Restoration Project, where his main responsibilities involve assisting with the management and roll-out of project implementation.