Asia Williams has joined the Waitt Institute as Blue Economy Manager. In this role, she will support the Institute’s work helping nations design and implement sustainable Blue Economy strategies to support long-term ocean health, job creation and community wellbeing. As governments all over the world plan for a blue recovery post-COVID, her support and experience will be crucial to help large ocean states reach Blue Prosperity.
Asia brings extensive experience in project management and the Blue Economy sector. Prior to joining the Waitt Institute, Asia served as a Blue Economy Consultant for the Branson Centre Caribbean, supporting Blue Economy entrepreneurs to access grants, finance, and training opportunities to grow their businesses. As part of this project, she also worked in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank to assess how to diversify the tourism sector and make it more environmentally sustainable. She also worked as the Project Management Office Lead for the Digicel Finance Powered Finance Programme across the Caribbean and Latin America Markets.
Asia also holds a background in sustainable infrastructure development. She worked on affordable housing and public transport programs in the United Kingdom to ensure effective community engagement and BREEAM sustainability compliance. Asia has significant program management experience from working with Central Government and the Environment Agency to support their flood risk mitigation program across the United Kingdom and ensure that finances were brought forward for flood defense schemes identified as needed in future based on climate change modeling. She took this knowledge to Jamaica where she supported UN Habitat on a flood risk and waste management scheme in Montego Bay.
Additionally, she has supported Commonwealth Climate Change Network in engaging young people on climate change and raising awareness of impacts to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and at COP25 and COP24 negotiations, hosting intergenerational climate dialogues with Commonwealth members.
Asia joins the Waitt Institute’s Blue Economy team led by renowned expert Dr. Angus Friday. Her addition will strengthen the organization’s capacity to support governments around the world reach Blue Prosperity. She is based in Jamaica.