Vidhisha Samarasekara
Strategic Program Director – Water Climate Change and Resilience
Areas of expertise
Adaptation Policy & Governance climate risk management disaster risk management water resources management program developmentVidhisha is an ecologist by training with over two decades of operational experience in agriculture, water resources management and climate change adaptation with proven project implementation successes across the Asia Pacific, Central West Asia and Africa regions. She has designed and led major environment and climate finance initiatives with support from several multilateral/bilateral organizations and has facilitated high-level climate change negotiations with public and private sector counterparts. Before joining IWMI she has held several senior staff positions with IUCN, KPMG and ADB. At ADB she served as the South Asia focal point on climate change adaptation planning (agriculture and water resources management), contributing towards the development of key climate change adaptation policy and legislation development in South Asia. She has also designed and led major environmental and climate finance initiatives with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF), Climate Investment Fund (CIF) and UKAid. As Director for KPMG’s International Development Advisory Services in East Africa, she managed the UK Government financed BRACED program.
