C4W is delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Smith to its Board of Governors. Mark, currently serving as Director General of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, brings extensive expertise in water resources, agriculture, climate and sustainability to the Board. His addition strengthens C4W’s leadership alongside Board Chair, Dr. Letitia Obeng, Treasurer, Peter Lochery, and Secretary, Sarina Prabasi.
Mark Smith has dedicated over 25 years to research and program management in water governance and environmental sustainability. He was appointed Director General of IWMI in August 2020, following his tenure as the organization’s Deputy Director General – Research for Development.
Before joining IWMI, Mark served as Director of the Global Water Program at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), where he spearheaded multi-regional initiatives across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. His work focused on river basin management, transboundary water cooperation, climate change adaptation, and nature-based solutions. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in shaping global water policies through advocacy in platforms such as the UNFCCC, the Ramsar Convention, Rio+20, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Earlier in his career, Mark was a Research Group Leader at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), where he provided critical analysis on environmental policy, sustainable development strategies, and integrated management of water, land, and ecosystems. At the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), he collaborated with the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) to explore the effects of agroforestry on water resource management in smallholder farming systems.
Smith holds a PhD in ecology and resource management from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and a Master’s in Climatology from the University of Guelph, Canada.
C4W warmly welcomes Mark to the Board and looks forward to his contributions in advancing sustainable water management and environmental resilience worldwide.