Peter Burgess Connections ... LinkedIn
Alesh Brown

Alesh Brown Project Leader: Cash Coordination Platform ... London, United Kingdom ... Information Technology and Services

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Alesh Brown 1st Alesh Brown Project Leader: Cash Coordination Platform London, United KingdomInformation Technology and Services Current apt-info & ACT Alliance Previous ACT Alliance, UN International Fund for Agricultural Development & the Lao Ministry for Agriculture, Helvetas, Swiss Association for International Cooperation Education SEEP Network 500+ connectionsSend a messageEndorseMore options Relationship Contact Info Connected 21 days ago Background Summary A highly motivated freethinker with a keen interest in the power of networks, aid metrics and technology. I have experience in market analysis and am able to landscape the performance, players and issues affecting markets from realising their full poverty reduction potential. I thrive on building new relationships and am passionate about Mobile and ICT 4 Development with experience in:  Humanitarian information architecture & metrics.  The application of mobile & ICT in emergencies.  Designing cash-transfers in relation to food-security, livelihood & shelter objectives.  Humanitarian & agricultural market, value-Chain & M4P development.  Systems thinking, complexity & mapping incentives for 'reciprocal' exchange & development.  Big data, digital data collection, analytics & visualisation tools.  Start-up's, public-private partnerships & humanitarian innovation. Experience apt-info & ACT AllianceCo-founder & Project Leader: Cash Coordination Platfrom apt-info & ACT Alliance May 2014 – Present (1 month)Philippines Purpose: To rapid prototype an online platform to improve the coordination, design and delivery of inter-agency cash-based responses in the Philippines. This collaborative mapping/ guidance / situational assessment tool will support the Government, Aid Agencies and the Private Sector by helping each actor to directly update/understand each others respective services / requirements. AID AGENCIES will have access to a common stepped system for coordinating targeting, transfer sizes and payment systems, able to directly tag CT projects, adding relevant information e.g. sector, transfer modality, FSP provider, duration, livelihood types, transfer size, objective, beneficiary lists - all at the Barangy level (smallest administrative unit). FINANCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS will be able to directly input information on cash readiness; locations and requirements. This will help create a single marketplace for understanding payment systems, negotiating economies of scale and comparing prices - helping to link short-term pay outs to longer-term financial inclusion. GOV. will be able to drop relevant policy on transfer sizes, employment, SSS, 4P's recovery plans, able to monitor injections geographically. DONORS: donors would benefit as they would have greater visibility about CTs and associated impact. LOCAL AID AGENCIES will benefit, as they will be able to advertise experience and propose CT projects tagged to specific locations speeding up the contracting/delivery process. MICRO-FINANCE will be able to tag similar project data with info on graduation schemes, linking short term CT to Micro Finance. TWO WAY CTP COMMUNICATION / ACCOUNTABILITY: Finally, were also looking at adding some pre-positioned tools, e.g. Mobile Market Assessments, SMS updates, Mobile PDM tools, interactive voice systems which beneficiaries can use to find out info on targeting criteria, project donors how to complain etc. apt-info.org // making aid smarterFounder & Director apt-info.org // making aid smarter October 2012 – Present (1 year 8 months)London, UK apt-info is a non-profit social enterprise helping aid agencies use innovative technology to design, deliver and evaluate their programs in concrete, data-driven ways. Borne from the humanitarian sector, apt-info is specifically designed to enable a common digital language (metrics e.g. data-collection tools, dashboards, analytics etc) tailored to user from field to donor. It's current focus covers the food security and livelihoods, cash-transfer and early warning sectors. Mission:  Accelerate the systematic design / uptake of innovative technology across the humanitarian sector.  Improve evidence based decision-making, bridging the gap between technology providers and aid agencies.  Ensure a common digital architecture via a shared agile space for software development.  Standardise digital assessment and reporting before systems become embedded. Services:  Facilitating relationships with technology providers.  Linking humanitarian agencies to common web-mobile applications that improve aid delivery.  Ensuring a common approach / architecture between responders.  De-risking technological investment for humanitarian agencies.  Standardising digital assessment & reporting via automated data collection & analysis.  Linking NGOs to the big data / analytics nervous system.  Enabling disaster affected communities to turn this data into useful information. Specialties Location Intelligence, Mobile, Big Data and ICT4Development, Humanitarian Metrics, Innovation Funding, Organisational Transformation. (Open)1 recommendation Luis E. (Lucho) Osorio-Cortes Luis E. (Lucho) Osorio-Cortes Social Alchemist working as International Market Systems Specialist at Practical Action Consulting Winner of the MaFI Top Influencer of the Month Award! A true knowledge champion…View Presenting apt-info // making aid smarter Presenting apt-info // making aid smarter ACT AllianceCash and Markets Advisor ACT Alliance November 2013 – May 2014 (7 months)Philippines Previously advised the ACT alliance on the design, delivery and implementation of cash- based humanitarian interventions in response to Typhoon Hyan. I was directly responsible for advising on targeting, design and delivery for a number of cash for work and voucher programs. My role also included: Supporting inter-agency rapid market assessments, price monitoring and electronic delivery mechanisms, acting as a cash focal point for N.Cebu, W.Leyte and surrounding areas; Running trainings on designing cash transfers; And the development of a $4M livelihoods recovery strategy. UN International Fund for Agricultural Development & the Lao Ministry for AgricultureValue-chain/M4P Consultant UN International Fund for Agricultural Development & the Lao Ministry for Agriculture 2012 – July 2012 (less than a year)Lao PDR Working with two national consultants, I led a 3 month value-chain assessment mapping market potential and remunerative returns for 6 commodities in Oudomxay and Sayaboury. Offering practical recommendations, the report is being used to design a 7-year, $19.3 million project in order to improve the food security and income situation for 17,000 subsistence households. Helvetas, Swiss Association for International CooperationMarket Assessment Adviser Helvetas, Swiss Association for International Cooperation November 2011 – March 2012 (5 months)Laos PDR Took the lead to implement two value-chain sub-sector assessments for the organic farming market. The first supported Lao's first organic co-op to develop a business plan and further embed itself through profit driven relationships with distributors. The second explored the feasibility of aligning existing export orientated projects in order to diversify consumer channels and income through the establishment of a new domestic market in the south. Save the ChildrenProject Officer: Cash Based Programming Save the Children 2011 – November 2011 (less than a year)London, United Kingdom Helped to develop an online platform and tools to improve Save the Children's capacity to deliver cash-based (emergency) assistance. Save the ChildrenConsultant: Portfolio Analysis & Financial Forecasting Save the Children June 2011 – September 2011 (4 months)London, United Kingdom Took the lead on analyzing Save the Children's (UK) current and future income/expenditure portfolio worth in excess of £400 million. Developing a number of quantitative analytical tools, this feeds into wider organizational, financial and programmatic restructuring, cited as 'fundamental' to its transition to Save the Children International. (K.Dodd's, Head of Information & Planning) Save the ChildrenFood Security and Livelihoods Intern Save the Children November 2010 – July 2011 (9 months)London, United Kingdom Supporting the SCUK emergency food security and Livelihoods advisers to provide up to date technical advice to the field. Specific duties - Assist with Household Economic Analysis. - Produce ‘hunger watch’ reports to facilitate emergency response planning. - Lead on gathering learning for the cash projects. - CaLP admin support to Save the Children components. - Support the development of the child survival in emergencies technical training. - Assist in the roll out of the Integrated Food Phase Classification (IPC) and Listening Posts surveillance system across the alliance. UN Habitat / Habitat for Humanity, HaitiValue-Chain Analysis Consultancy UN Habitat / Habitat for Humanity, Haiti May 2011 – June 2011 (2 months) Edited a 35 page report on Leogane’s construction market. The report used a multi-chain analysis in order to understand and support local market capacity as a means of shelter recovery. By offering a range of practical recommendations, the report aimed to help interventions move dependence off aid towards a more sustainable interdependence between people and markets. International Rescue CommitteeResearcher, Haiti International Rescue Committee April 2010 – July 2010 (4 months)Port au Prince, Haiti Research evaluating the effectiveness of the Emergency Market Mapping Analysis (EMMA) assessment tool - used to improve practitioner literacy and integration of markets in emergency and cash-based programming. (Report accessible at http://www.alnap.org/resource/6088.aspx) (Open)1 project Volunteer Community Bridge, Costa Rica June 2009 – July 2009 (2 months)Costa Rica Worked in a community-based NGO for 2 months, supporting the implementation of agricultural diversification projects with the Bri Bri Tribe. Volunteer Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA) February 2004 – June 2004 (5 months)Namibia Worked for 5 months in the Namib dessert as a support officer. My role involved tracking migratory routes, identifying land ownership. Projects Emergency Market Mapping Analysis: An exploration of EMMA's diagnostic processes and impact on humanitarian response logic(Link) April 2010 – June 2010 To explore and evaluate user understanding of the EMMA toolkit; to look at how practitioners perceive its strengths and weaknesses in order to gauge where EMMA sits within practice. (Open)6 team members, including: Alesh Brown Alesh Brown Project Leader: Cash Coordination Platform No photo The International Rescue Commitee No photo Save the Children No photo UN Cash Working Group Languages French Limited working proficiency Slovene Limited working proficiency English Native or bilingual proficiency Skills & Endorsements Top Skills 29NGOs 16Program Management 13Value Chain Analysis 11International... 10Food Security 7Capacity Building 6Organizational... 5Market Analysis 5Analysis 5Humanitarian Assistance Alesh also knows about... 3Humanitarian 3Nonprofits 2Vulnerability Assessment 2Leadership 1Project Planning 1Proposal Writing 1Community Development 1Corporate Social... 1Social Entrepreneurship 1International Relations 1ICT4D Payment Systems Education SEEP Network Certificate, Minimum Economic Recovery Standards (ToT) 2014 – 2021 (expected) Completed the SEEP Trainers of Trainers course on Minimum Economic Recovery Standards (MERS), a companion to the Sphere Handbook. I am now able to apply and train others in articulating the minimum level of technical and other assistance to be provided in promoting the recovery of economies and livelihoods affected by crisis. UN Transformative Leaders Certificate, Developing Transformative UN Leaders, Full Scholarship 2013 – 2013 The purpose of this program is to develop capacities and skills of UN leaders who are interested in transforming the UN system. Guest speakers will be invited from United Nations Headquarters and UN agencies, the Global Vision Institute, and facilitators trained at the Presenting Institute (MIT). Based on the latest approaches this 8 month course will improve my ability to:  Effectively engage in difficult interpersonal situations  Navigate organisational change and power dynamics  Build high-performing, self-directed, motivated teams  Understand your own leadership style and values  Create and communicate a compelling vision  Manage stress, build trust and overcome obstacles  Practice strategies to foster an innovative work environment. USAID MicroLinks Certificate, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, TBC 2012 – 2013 Micro-enterprise Development Course - USAID I am at the start of a four part micolinks e-learning course focusing on USAID’s value-chain approach, taking participants through the project cycle from market selection to evaluation. Practical Action // EMMA Certificate, Emergency Market Mapping Analysis 2012 – 2012 This 5 day course reinforced by ability to undertake market analysis in post-emergency settings. STATA Statistical Impact Assessment - The University of Sidney & AusAid, Lao PDR Certificate, Stata - Statistical Market Analysis, Certificate 2012 – 2012 This day 5 course taught me how to interpret, analyze and integrate statical analysis into market-assessment and program design. I am now able quantify price dynamics and better advise about how to make more out of markets. UN International Labor Organisation Diploma, Pro-Poor Economic growth through Value-Chain & Buisness Services Development 2011 – 2012 I've completed a one year distance learning course on Enterprise Development through Value Chains and Business Services: A Market Development Approach to Pro Poor Growth. Cash Learning Partnership (CaLP) Certificate, Cash Transfer Programming 2011 – 2011 I completed the CaLP level 1 cash transfer course. This reinforced my understanding and capacity to deliver cash/voucher programs in emergencies. Save the Children UK Household Economic Approach + Cost of Diet., This couse taught me how to interpret and understand data from the HEA & Cost of Diet tools. 2011 – 2011 EC in partnership with the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation Certificate, Market Assessment and Analysis 2010 – 2010 This taught me how markets operate and how they relate to, and affect, food security and vulnerable households. EC in partnership with the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation Certificate, Linking vulnerability assessment and analysis to improved Food Security 2010 – 2010 Through this I better understood the most commonly used methods to assess vulnerability and criteria for selecting the appropriate vulnerability indicators. MSc Liverpool School of Tropical Medcine & Bioforce (Lyon) MSc (Merit/Hons), Humaitarian Programme Managment 2009 – 2010 Practitioner taught course by individuals from DFID, Red-R, Mango and the Sphere project. Including field research into the effect of the EMMA (Emergency Market Mapping Analysis) toolkit on Haiti's humanitarian response. Ba University of Liverpool Ba (2:1 Hons), International Development 2006 – 2009 Contemporary historical over view into development debate and theory, offering an insight into some of the main pathways, legacy's and issues affecting human development. Additional Info Interests Semi-professional beat-boxer (performed in the world beat-boxing convention 2007 and other events), hiking, snowboarding, saxophone. Honors & Awards Additional Honors & Awards V-Inspired award in recognition of volunteering and contributions to my local community. Recommendations Received (1) Peter, would you like to recommend Alesh? Recommend Alesh Founder & Director apt-info.org // making aid smarter Luis E. (Lucho) Osorio-Cortes Luis E. (Lucho) Osorio-Cortes Social Alchemist working as International Market Systems Specialist at Practical Action Consulting Winner of the MaFI Top Influencer of the Month Award! A true knowledge champion… April 8, 2014, Luis E. (Lucho) was with another company when working with Alesh at apt-info.org // making aid smarter ConnectionsAll (500+)Shared (11)New (1) Tom MurphyTom Murphy2nd Director of Communications, Windows at Microsoft Corporation Connect5David PriorDavid Prior2nd Practical applications of emerging things.... Connect4Nicholas GoodwinNicholas Goodwin2nd Director at Tulodo - social & behaviour change services; Research Scholar at George Washington University. Connect6Gisli OlafssonGisli Olafsson2nd Emergency Response Director at NetHope Connect19Mark ZawackiMark Zawacki2nd Founder at 650 Labs Connect5Raj GollamudiRaj Gollamudi2nd Director at Intel Capital Connect16Mike SanterMike Santer2nd mHealth Director at Pajat Connect5Marcin HejkaMarcin Hejka2nd Vice President at Intel Corporation Connect3Steve AdamsSteve Adams2nd Business Analytics | Big Data | Visualisation | Pentaho | Jedox | Tableau | RoamBI | LION Connect4 PreviousNext Groups Agri Business Group Agri Business Group Join Agribusiness & Retail Agribusiness & Retail Join Aid Transparency Aid Transparency Join Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development (AIARD) Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development (AIARD) Join Business Development Services for Micro-Enterprises(BDS4mE) Business Development Services for Micro-Enterprises(BDS4mE) Join CGAP's Branchless Banking and Digital Financial Services CGAP's Branchless Banking and Digital Financial Services Join CGIAR CGIAR Join Complexity Science Complexity Science Join EMMA Toolkit EMMA Toolkit Join Food Security Strategies Food Security Strategies Join Food Value Chains Food Value Chains Join FrontlineSMS users and supporters FrontlineSMS users and supporters Join GSMA Mobile for Development GSMA Mobile for Development Join Global ICT4D Network Global ICT4D Network Join HEA Practitioners HEA Practitioners Join Humanitarian & Disaster Response Technology Network Humanitarian & Disaster Response Technology Network Join Humanitarian Information Management Network Humanitarian Information Management Network Join Humanitarian Professionals Humanitarian Professionals Join ICT4E - Information Communication Technology for Emergencies ICT4E - Information Communication Technology for Emergencies Join Impact Investing Forum Impact Investing Forum Member Integrating ICTs into Agricultural Commodity Value Chains Integrating ICTs into Agricultural Commodity Value Chains Join Livelihoods Livelihoods Join M4P Consultants M4P Consultants Join M4P Hub M4P Hub Join MaFI (The Market Facilitation Initiative) MaFI (The Market Facilitation Initiative) Join MicroStrategy Business Intelligence MicroStrategy Business Intelligence Join Mobile Money Group Mobile Money Group Join Practical Action Practical Action Join Practical Action Consulting - Consultants Practical Action Consulting - Consultants Join Pro Poor Sustainable Economic Development Pro Poor Sustainable Economic Development Join Pro-Poor Systemic Thinking Pro-Poor Systemic Thinking Join ReliefWeb humanitarian discussion group ReliefWeb humanitarian discussion group Join SME Finance Forum, managed by IFC SME Finance Forum, managed by IFC Join Save the Children UK Careers Save the Children UK Careers Join Social Labs Revolution Global Network Social Labs Revolution Global Network Join Social Network Analysis in Practice Social Network Analysis in Practice Join Systems Thinking World Systems Thinking World Join Technical Assistance Consultancy Network; EU, Worldbank, Calls, Grants, International Development Technical Assistance Consultancy Network; EU, Worldbank, Calls, Grants, International Development Join The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU) The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU) Join UN Transformation Network UN Transformation Network Join UN World Food Programme UN World Food Programme Join United Nations Careers United Nations Careers Join Value Chain Thinking Value Chain Thinking Join See less Following Companies Donor Committee for Enterprise Development International Trade and Development Follow Save the Children UK Nonprofit Organization Management Follow Global Communities International Trade and Development Follow Overseas Development Institute Think Tanks Follow Beechwood International Management Consulting Follow Practical Action Consulting Asia Practical Action Consulting Asia Management Consulting Follow Adam Smith International Government Administration Follow Pact International Trade and Development Follow InSTEDD Civic & Social Organization Follow MangoMap Information Technology and Services Follow apt-info International Trade and Development Follow Swisscontact Nonprofit Organization Management Follow Habitat for Humanity International Nonprofit Organization Management Follow Save the Children International Nonprofit Organization Management Follow Oxfam Nonprofit Organization Management Follow ACDI/VOCA International Trade and Development Follow Humanitarian Outcomes Humanitarian Outcomes Research Follow See less Schools University of Liverpool Liverpool, United Kingdom Follow Following Companies Donor Committee for Enterprise Development International Trade and Development Follow Save the Children UK Nonprofit Organization Management Follow Global Communities International Trade and Development Follow Overseas Development Institute Think Tanks Follow Beechwood International Management Consulting Follow Practical Action Consulting Asia Practical Action Consulting Asia Management Consulting Follow Adam Smith International Government Administration Follow See 10 more Schools University of Liverpool Liverpool, United Kingdom