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Team

Our team brings together experience in software, environmental science and policy, and building start-ups.

Team

Kieran Abbott

User Experience / User Interface Designer

Kieran is a product designer passionate about creating meaningful digital experiences. Over the past twelve years, he has designed many products across varying industries with a focus on positive impact. Previously a co-founder of a B Corp product organisation, he also volunteers on a charity board. When not in the office, Kieran is likely to be found in the Welsh mountains, hiking, mountain biking, or walking with his black labrador, Gus.

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Kieran on LinkedIn

Bryony Blades

Data Scientist

Bryony is a PhD student at Oxford, researching the distribution and origins of biodiversity, with a particular focus on spatial modelling and landscape genomics. With experience in both ecology consultancy and academia, she works with Verna to help us use data to better understand the impact of environmental change. In her spare time, you’ll find Bryony watching sports or birds, and spending time with her family.

Bryony on LinkedIn

Dr Matthew Brown

Co-founder & Co-CEO

Matthew leads Verna (with Rafi), with a particular focus on science, engineering, products, and communications. Before Verna, he led the climate change mitigation team at Defra, co-founded a social enterprise which raised over £50m, and researched computational physics at Cambridge. When not at his desk, his favourite pastime is herding his kids through forests, heathlands, and seashores.

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Matthew on LinkedIn

Rafi Cohen

Co-founder & Co-CEO

Rafi leads Verna (with Matthew), with a particular focus on commercial strategy, operations, finance, and investor relations. Before Verna he led climate and nature work at Boston Consulting Group, KPMG, and Quadrature Climate Foundation. He also founded a national social enterprise. He is a Chartered Accountant, studied neuroscience at Oxford, and recently fulfilled a life-long ambition to keep chickens.

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Rafi on LinkedIn

Dr Ian Dickinson

CTO

Ian is Verna’s Chief Technology Officer, and leads the software product development team. He has a PhD in user-software interactions, and believes strongly in the application of user-centred design to create accessible and engaging products. Previously a senior researcher with HP and co-founder of a data consultancy, he volunteers as a coding mentor and coach. Although a keen technologist, you’ll also find him hand-carving spoons from greenwood!

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Ian on LinkedIn

Dr Mikael Forup MCIEEM

Ecology Adviser

Mikael has a PhD focused on the restoration of ecological interactions, and he has retained a passion for conservation and enhancement of biodiversity throughout his career. Mikael led Verna’s ecology research during the development of our Mycelia software, and still maintains an advisory relationship with us. Mikael is based in Scotland, and when he’s not in his office you may find him with his son on the local beach looking for fossils.

Mikael on LinkedIn

Eric Li

Software Engineer

Eric is a software engineer who has worked in various roles throughout the software development cycle, primarily within the financial sector. He is passionate about sustainability. In his spare time, he enjoys creating different flavours of popcorn with his kids.

Ben Smith

Software Engineer

Ben has been developing commercial software for over twenty years, yet he still finds enjoyment in debugging and fixing bugs in code. Away from a computer screen, Ben enjoys getting out on the water all year round to kitesurf and wing foil. He is also a keen masters runner and still achieving personal bests in distances from 5K (16:50) to the marathon (2:52:18).

Ben on LinkedIn

Polly Spragg

Associate

Polly has joined Verna as an Associate, supporting the co-founders across customer success, operations and communications. Before Verna, she studied geography at the University of Oxford, where she specialised in sustainable cities and transport. She also set up a clothes sharing community for students at her university, to help people shop more sustainably. During her free time, she loves to run and cook!

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Polly on LinkedIn

Dr Claire Tancell MCIEEM

Director of Ecology

Claire’s career in ecology began researching the biogeochemistry of UK peat bogs and now spans more than 30 years including as a team member of marine ecology expeditions to the Southern Ocean with the British Antarctic Survey; a PhD from the University of Cambridge on spatial statistics, albatross tracking and the impact of geopolitics on marine protected areas in the high seas; contributing to Natural England’s advice on UK Marine Conservation Zones as well as working in ecological consultancy and recently as a Local Planning Authority ecologist implementing BNG. When she is not at work, Claire enjoys improving her botanical and entomological ID skills, playing the cello and attempting to throw and fire pots.

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Claire on LinkedIn

Advisory board

Tom Butterworth

Head of Ecology, WSP

Gi Fernando

Chair, Climate Subak

Tom Hill

Director of Impact Economics, Savills

Liz Milne

Chair, Association of Local Government Ecologists (ALGE)

Libby Penn

COO, Improbable

David Singleton

CTO, Stripe

Peter Whitfield

Former Director of Operations, Tilhill Forestry

Join the team

Like ecosystems, teams are more vibrant, innovative, and resilient when they are more diverse. We are keen to connect with anyone, from any background, who is passionate about addressing the climate and nature crises.