Advocate and Scientist. Neil is a water and development specialist. Neil leads the Water program at ACIAR.

Neil is a talented and experienced project and program manager. He has successfully delivered large multi-disciplinary projects for key clients such as Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Autoridad Nacional del Agua (Peru), Southern Peru Copper Company and Gold Coast City Council. Neil has previously led CSIRO’s Water Program and International Water Practice, responsible for managing over 100 personnel and $50M in programs.

Neil’s work and interests focus on how society makes complex trade-offs in resource constrained environments drawing on his socioeconomic and natural science skills. His works spans social and environmental justice and poverty alleviation, marine and coastal resources management, drought and water security. Neil is passionate about the use of systems approaches and citizen science. Neil has worked extensively in the Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

Neil’s pioneering work in non-market valuation continues to inform beach management and tourism investments. Neil's design and delivery of the Australian Government's Coastal Adaptation Decision Pathways Grant program sets the benchmark for management and adaptation to climate risk in the coastal zone. In 2016, Neil led a team to deliver a multi-method impact evaluation framework that offers improved approaches to measure diffusion and impact to support Australia's international aid program. In 2019, he led a team to deliver Peru’s first ever drought management plan, which has rapidly emerged as industry standard for the region.