Jiska de Groot - Energy & Development Specialist

Jiska is an energy and development specialist with over 12 years’ experience working in the climate change, energy access and development space in predominantly Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Australia. Jiska holds a PhD in human geography, a MSc in International Development Studies and a MA in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology. 

Starting her career as a researcher in energy and climate change in Australia, she has been an advisor to governments and private sector stakeholders, and has led research and capacity building programmes that engaged over 25 African and Asian countries with climate-friendly technologies and practices for energy access. She has advanced knowledge of the implementation of energy access, low-carbon technologies, and energy transitions in developing economies, combined with extensive experience in the design of gender and social inclusion and capacity building programmes.

Jiska has held a variety of business and research positions, first at the University of Cape Town and subsequently as CEO of GDS, a development consultancy, focused on the design and implementation of projects that are technologically and economically feasible, environmentally sound and socially desirable.