After graduating with an American BSc in Economics, Virginie completed an MSc in Environment and Development (Merit) at the LSE. Her dissertation, for which she was awarded a distinction, assessed the role played by risk perceptions and environmental attitudes in influencing public support for global and national climate policies.

Virginie is an Economist at Acclimatise. She brings to Acclimatise an important understanding of the economic and financial aspects of climate change risks and opportunities. Virginie has worked on the National Adaptation Plan in Kenya, particularly focusing on the economic and financial implications of climate change risks and adaptation actions. She is currently project managing two projects for the Indian Ocean Commission (assessing the Commission’s capacity to respond to climate change at the systemic, institutional and individual levels) and for the Fonds Français pour l'Environment Mondi-al (review and benchmark international climate finance financing mechanisms to inform the adaptation financing strategy in developing countries). She is also responsible for liaising with clients and contributing to the company’s business development, along with the preparation of expressions of interest/ and proposals.

Before joining Acclimatise, Virginie worked for a fair trade organisation based in Paris and launched two impact assessments on food and non-food products in Brazil and Madagascar. She also delivered a benchmark of fair trade trademarks aiming to influence French public and private decision-makers in their procurement practices.

Top tip in getting a job: It’s difficult to provide just one tip. If you are lucky enough and you know in which areas you want to work, develop quite early during your master a targeted list of organisations you would like to work for (and key contacts within each organisation). Even though no job openings are posted, apply anyway as most of these companies receive at least 10 applications per week (according to their size) and hence, do not really need to post job openings. This is particularly relevant for smaller sized companies. If you have limited experience, suggest in your cover letter an internship. Any kind of experience is good to take and if you prove your value, you are likely to get a job offer. Finally, avoid standardised CVs and cover letters: do your homework and tailor them to the company profile! Oops, it’s more than one tip.

Whilst studying at the LSE, Virginie did an internship working with a MP on environmental affairs. After that, she realized that politics was not for her! So, her advice would be to explore as many areas as possible, so you know what you would like (as well as would not like to do) and can develop a strategic approach to your job search. By being focused on one or a few areas, you can tailor your profile to the particular job segments.