Dr Hannah Rudman joins the team as Business Development Director

Meet Hannah, who is focussing on identifying more potential partners, investors, collaborators and customers: initiating conversations, negotiating deals and forging alliances that will ensure we are a sustainable nature-based solutions business. She describes her ambition to take nature-based solutions to new heights,

“Nature uplift projects, when anchored in appropriate human environments, have potential to strengthen synergies and effectively develop system-wide transformation which results in so much value. Yes, in credits which we will trade into emerging natural capital markets, but also value for communities as we co-create new green jobs and businesses as joint ventures. Highlands Rewilding has a trailblazing ecosystem of business models - all of which I can nurture to flourish.”

Hannah has previously worked with us as a researcher studying nature tech and its data as a method for improving transparency and trustability in nature improvement projects and their financing. She also holds a non-executive director position at Highlands Rewilding and will remain on the board as she is experienced in dealing with risk, transparency, integrity, culture and fiduciary duties. In her new capacity as Business Development Director, she will spend 40% of her time working with the executive team too, as we enter another busy fundraising period. Drawing on her background in scaling start-ups within the creative, consulting, and computing industries, Hannah sheds light on the unexpected synergy with rewilding. She explains,

“The creative, consulting and computing industries have been exciting sectors to be in as the grand societal and ecological challenges we face - climate change, food security, loss of biodiversity, and pollution – have disrupted business as usual. These industries will contribute innovative ideas to the challenges, but it’s the natural economy sector and it’s nature based solutions which give me real reason for hope”.

Hannah will continue her academic research and public service duties as Board Trustee at the National Galleries of Scotland part time. For Highlands Rewilding, alongside developing our fledgeling nature credits and rewilding operating system services, Hannah will also support the ecotourism, ecobuilding and renewable energy joint venture businesses that we are co-creating with the local communities in which we are embedded.

You can email Hannah directly, or reach out to her on LinkedIn.