About me

Michael is Professor of Development Politics and Economy at UCL’s Development Planning Unit (DPU). He has twelve years’ experience in senior management in the private sector and lectures in ‘market-led approaches to development’ (a module titled ‘Society and Market: Private Agency for Development’). For seven years, he was responsible for teaching development management at DPU (‘Development in Practice’).

For the past two decades one strand of his research has focused on the Somali Horn of Africa; specifically on the evolving political settlement in Somaliland and across the region, while a second strand of research focuses on the impacts of climate change on people’s lives in different regions.

As well as undertaking research on state formation and political representation, he has been a part of the coordination team for international election observations to Somaliland elections in 2005, 2010 and 2012, and is Head of Mission (Chief Observer) for the 2017 international Election Observation Mission for presidential elections. Michael is actively involved in a number of Somali-related groups, including the Anglo-Somali Society, Somaliland Focus (UK) and Kayd Somali Arts and Culture Ltd.

If you want a fuller summary of Michael’s work, research and publications, then please go to his profile page at DPU, UCL.