Dr Mao Amis

Dr Amis is the Co-founder and Executive Director at the African Centre for Green Economy (African Centre), a leading non-profit think tank based in South Africa. The Centre’s mission is to champion an inclusive and just transition in Africa, through undertaking research and providing thought leadership.

Dr Amis has more than 15 years experience in the green economy sector in Africa and globally, as a researcher and thought leader and advices on a range of issues including climate finance, low carbon development, inclusive business models, public-private partnerships, corporate sustainability strategies, water stewardship etc. Dr Amis began his carrier as a conservation biologist, working for WWF-South Africa as a freshwater programme manager, where he worked with leading companies in South Africa, to help them understand their water related business risks and develop mitigation strategies.

Between 2016- 2017 Dr Amis was an Adjunct Professor, at the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town, and currently serves as an external examiner for the MBA programme at the Said Business School, University of Oxford. He also serves on various Boards as a non-Executive Director, including the South African Renewable Energy Business Incubator (SAREBI), the Freshwater Research Centre, and the Table Mountain Fund (TMF) among others.

Dr Amis holds an MSc and PhD in Conservation Biology from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Dr Amis who is originally from Uganda speaks multiple languages, including Kiswahili and Arabic.