Alex Benkenstein

Programme Head, Governance of Africa’s Resource Programme SAIIA

Alex Benkenstein is the Programme Head of the Climate Change and Natural Resources Programme of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), a leading African think tank.

His work in SAIIA has focused on a number of resource governance-related issues, particularly in the fields of extractive industries governance, climate change and blue economy. Through his work with SAIIA he has collaborated with a number of partners in the public and private sector, for example, the World Gold Council, the African Union Commission, the Southern African Development Community Secretariat, and various UN agencies. He has extensive experience across the Africa region, with a focus on Southern and East Africa. Before joining SAIIA, Alex worked as a researcher for the South African consultancy Managing for Excellence and was subsequently appointed Head of Research for the NGO Regency Foundation Networx, where his work focused on climate change, particularly private sector corporate social responsibility responses to emerging issues surrounding climate change.