Meet our employees
Why are our employees happy to work in NIRAS? Read these portraits and learn more about what it is like to work with us.
Seeing soil and building materials as resources, not waste materials
Jette Karstoft is one of the Danish advisors, who is a true frontrunner in sustainability. Jette wants to make a difference, and she acts upon it.
Anna Cecilie Varnild: Maintaining Denmark’s strategic contribution to peace and security in fragile states around the globe
The Team Leader of one of NIRAS’s longest running development consulting projects shares her thoughts on why the Peace and Stabilisation Response (PSR) is seen by many as a role model in project and team management.
Sven Hindkjær: Proud of the NIRAS spirit and efficient way of working
After almost 30 years with NIRAS Development Consulting, our Country Director for Denmark shares why he is dedicated to an organisation that cares about the common good.
Dr Flora Ismail Tibazarwa: Strengthening innovation systems and cross-border collaboration as a means to boost entrepreneurship
The Programme Director for the Southern African Innovation Support Programme outlines the importance of early stage start-ups in job growth and value creation.
Aino Himanen: Defying expectations and delivering “the impossible”
Based in Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy in Addis Ababa, NIRAS’s Disability Inclusion Specialist is working to bring previously unheard voices to the table in a large water, sanitation and hygiene project.
Lizzy Whitehead: Stretching a little further with each new task
Our Edinburgh-based Business Development Director for climate, land, agriculture and forestry weighs in on working for a dynamic and open organisation with a ‘heart’.
Claes Clifford: Increasing business unit collaboration to expand market presence
NIRAS’s former Technical Director for Water relishes his new management position
Maxi Stephen Opwonya: Making markets work more effectively for the poor
A specialist in market system programming, NIRAS’s Country Director for Uganda shares what he hopes to achieve in his role heading up our newly established Kampala office
Trevor Robertson: The art of process design
Trevor Robertson is a highly experienced mechanical engineer with a keen sense of both functionality, economy and safety. He epitomizes NIRAS core values of ‘listen, learn and deliver’, and having an artistic streak he is also fascinated by the aesthetics of process design.
Scott Geller: The African forest policy landscapes expert finding his way in the multi-faceted NIRAS matrix
From his global, regional and country perches, NIRAS’s International Consulting Deputy VP of Business Development has a unique perspective that he uses to help colleagues work together better.
Jane Bech Larsen: The adventurous agronomist managing grant funds all over the world
The team manager for Fund Management and Finance at NIRAS tells us about her zig-zag path to the work she does today – and the importance of taking initiative
Chris Holt: We have experts in almost every single area
With more than 28 years of professional experience, electrical engineer Chris Holt has nearly seen it all in terms of projects in the food and beverage industry. But he still finds it gratifying to deliver a project all the way from its initial design phase to its conclusion.
Ebenezer Ato Simpson: Building the case for investing in skills development across Ghana
The Fund Manager of a multi-year Challenge Fund aiming to improve productivity and market competitiveness explains the importance of showcasing good business practices
A passion for effective and sustainable infrastructure in Scandinavia
Head of Infrastructure and interim general manager for NIRAS Norway, Theis Tarp Rasmussen appreciates the large perspectives. So much so that he is contributing to ensure faster, safer, and more sustainable means of transportation for millions of Norwegian citizens through new roads and railways.
David Shirley: The closet ‘geek’ with a drive to do development differently
With 14 years in-country experience, the newly appointed Director of our Indonesia operations brings a rich background in development aid to the NIRAS team
Luke Roberts: From complex calculations to hands-on practicality
Chemical engineer Luke Roberts is an example of the versatility that dominates NIRAS’ team in United Kingdom. Luke combines hands-on practicality on construction sites with a self-confessed nerdy love for giant spreadsheets that carry out complex calculations.
International tunnel expert with a taste for challenges
Greece, England, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Denmark. Marios Dimitriadis has relocated with his family four times in his pursuit for challenging projects. He is making heavy underground infrastructure – the more advanced, the better.
Alexander Aronsson: ‘More opportunities for projects and work abroad’
Drainage and sewage solutions for 4,400 new homes, making 3D modelling of 15 km pipes and designing of stormwater solutions. These are just some of the tasks that 27-year old Alexander Aronsson is dealing with in NIRAS in Sweden.
Charlemagne Fandohan: the financial expert with a literary flair
Our representative in Benin and deputy project manager of the Off-grid Clean Energy Facility project shares what he loves best about his work at NIRAS.
Andre Ban: Master of reinvention
Open to new opportunities, our Cambodia Country Director embraces change and new challenges
Damaris Rozo: Challenges are a chance for learning something new
Damaris Rozo is a relative newcomer to NIRAS, but her job at the Bogotá office has already given the 26-year-old Colombian a series of opportunities to enhance her professional competencies and undertake a lot of meaningful work.
Roger Sutton: “Delivering projects is a passion”
Delivering projects is a passion for NIRAS’ project director in the United Kingdom, Roger Sutton. Having worked for two decades in the food and beverage sector, he believes that being transparent and up-front with clients is crucial to a successful project.
Using eDNA as a weapon on the hunt for the garlic toad
By using clever methods such as eDNA, Søren Nøht Thomsen can map species like these in aquatic environments and thereby create a foundation for us to better protect their habitats.
When the professional heart beats for safety and security
Security specialist Jens Kristian Krüger works his way from the outside in when he designs security strategies for buildings, such as anti-terrorism measures. Jens takes pride in uniting the wishes of customer, client and architect into one solution.
Karen Soboleosky: New week, new challenge
For the Director of NIRAS’s EU Framework Contracts Unit, short deadlines and changing priorities make for demanding but exciting work
From client to environmental consultant: “It’s more dynamic and the deadlines are shorter”
Navigating giant projects is nothing out of the ordinary for project lead and environmental consultant Bent Sømod. He calmly oversees all from large wind farm projects to the Baltic Pipe Line in Lillebælt, Denmark.
Jonas Novén: No “fly-in, fly-out” outfit here
NIRAS’s Laos Country Director relishes being close to field operations, project activities, and clients
Environmental engineer protects Danish and Swedish groundwater against contamination
Environmental engineer and project manager, Freja Rebecca Johansen inspects contaminated sites, among others at closed down military bases in Sweden. Here, she both upholds her childhood and is challenged professionally.
Gladys Savolainen: Walking the talk in gender and social inclusion
With a career spanning 15 years in Africa, Southeast and Central Asia as well as the Middle East, this Filipino Finn injects a participatory approach into much of NIRAS’s projects
The marine biologist who wants kitchen gardens at sea
Per Andersen is a senior specialist at NIRAS, who mainly deals with monitoring the Danish waters in his everyday work. Per keeps track of the occurrence and development of plankton, toxic algae and water quality, among other things, both for the commercial bivalve industry, aquaculture and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency.
Johan Boerekamp: A bond built up over time
Even after 30 years in Mozambique, the Managing Director of our Maputo office is still surprised by the country’s unspoiled and undiscovered beauty
Mikael Segerros: Still passionate after all these years
With more than four decades of agriculture experience under his belt, Mikael is one of NIRAS's longest serving employees
Maja Bosnic: Putting beneficiaries at the centre of government budgets
The team leader of Sida’s seven-year Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) project in Ukraine has always been passionate about finding ways to include citizens in budget decisions.
Irene Karani: New NIRAS Africa Director and life-long student
Coming into the NIRAS family through the merger with LTS International, Irene brings 25 years of experience and a passion for learning every day
Eilidh Young: The Agony Aunt of Biodiversity Project Managers
Having worked with LTS International since 1999, Eilidh takes the record (just) of being the newest member of the NIRAS family’s longest standing current member of staff.
Ole Stokholm Jepsen: A lifetime of learning
The team leader for NIRAS’s "Water for Eastern Equatoria" Project in South Sudan brings decades of experience to a challenging situation and explains how the simplest solutions are often the best.
Karin Höglund: Experiencing the world without leaving Sweden
Working as part of the team who manages International Training Programmes for Sida and Danida, this NIRAS employee interacts with people from around the globe on a daily basis.
Jeppe Kieldsen ensures the quality of our beer
When Chief Consultant and Master Brewer Jeppe Kieldsen is not consulting on worldwide brewery projects, he detects errors in beer in NIRAS’ taste panel.
Vincent I. Sikelo: "You use current engineering technologies blended to suit the country context"
Vincent has been part of the team of experts involved in the “South Sudan - Joint Evaluation agriculture and food security” project, where he offered his expertise as Infrastructure and Feeder Roads Expert.
Sabra Saleh: A sense of purpose and belonging
Almost exactly 11 years ago, this Tanzanian joined the NIRAS office in Dar es Salaam. NIRAS has become a big part of her life, offering wonderful experiences to work with colleagues around the world on various assignments.
Slobodan Novkovic: Manila Calling
Meet the Serbian heading up our new office bringing tender support services to the Philippines.
As a medico advisor, I bring – along with the hospital staff – the best out of the operating room
Expertise director and client advisor Carsten Dollerup knows all about how the advanced medico technical equipment works on patients and how it works for the staff, e.g. on the effects of noise and vibration exposure.
NIRAS’s talent programme helps Tor specialise in development consulting
The past year Tor Jörgensen has stayed in Serbia, Finland and Zambia as part of NIRAS Young Professional Academy. Soon he will go to Kenya, where he will be challenged on his understanding of cultural differences and working in areas of conflict.