Executive Director

Karim Elgendy is an energy and climate policy expert based in London. His research and policy interests include climate policy, the energy transition, energy geopolitics, climate resilience, climate diplomacy, climate security, and urban sustainability, all with a focus on the MENA region.

Elgendy has authored numerous publications and articles on energy and climate policy. He has been invited to over one hundred public speaking engagements to-date, and has delivered guest lectures at some of the world's leading universities. Elgendy is regularly interviewed and quoted by broadcast, print and digital media, and has appeared in most global and regional mainstream media outlets.

Research Fellow

Jemima focuses on promoting climate diplomacy and cooperation between China and MENA states to foster a sustainable decarbonization process.

Previously, Jemima worked as an environmental security consultant for international organisations, governments, NGOs and academic institutes.

She holds an MSc in environmental sciences from UNESCO IHE Delft Institute and has linguistic skills in Arabic.

Research Fellow

Fatin focuses on investment governance, energy transition, and the regulatory and financing frameworks shaping industrial and energy systems. As part of the Decarbonization Pathways Program, he contributes to the development of national roadmaps and policies for accelerated and just energy transitions, with a focus on pathways analysis, policy design, market integration, and economic modelling for climate-compatible development.

Previously, he worked with the OECD, Sabancı University, and the TÜSİAD EU Representative Office in Brussels.

He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Paris Sorbonne University and is a PhD candidate at Paris Panthéon Assas University.

Communications Manager

Isis is a multimedia communicator and researcher specializing in the intersection of energy, climate policy, and geopolitics.

She has worked across governmental and international organizations, including the United Nations Development Programme, where she led global communications for COP29, COP16 Riyadh, and the IRENA Assembly.

Her work also extends to geopolitical analysis, with a particular focus on Taiwan–China–U.S. relations and their implications for energy and climate security.

Her work also extends to geopolitical analysis, with a particular focus on Taiwan–China–U.S. relations and their implications for energy and climate security, working across Spanish, English, and Mandarin.

Operations Manager

Amira Shawky is the Operations Manager at Carboun Institute. She leads the design of internal systems, governance frameworks, and operational processes that enable effective climate research and engagement in the MENA region.

With a BA in Economics and an ongoing MA in International Political Economy at Cairo University, Amira's work combines policy design, strategic partnerships, and multi-stakeholder project management to deliver impactful, sustainable outcomes. 

Research Associate

Lamia Boumazgour works at the intersection of energy, climate policy, and geopolitics across the MENA region.

Her research and policy interests include geopolitical and investment trends, with a particular focus on China–MENA energy relations, critical minerals, and the evolving role of capital in shaping energy and industrial transitions across emerging markets.

She holds an MEng in Industrial Management from Emines School of Industrial Management, with a minor in critical minerals for the energy transition in collaboration with Mines Paris – PSL.

She brings a multidisciplinary perspective to regional climate and energy challenges, working across Arabic, French, and English.