Liz Carlile

Director of Communications

Liz Carlile is a marketing and communications strategist, a qualified performance coach/mentor and CEDR accredited mediator leading a team working across the full range of communications channels.

Full biography

Over the last 13 years at IIED Liz has driven forward a number of communications group initiatives: the expansion of the communications team to include key disciplines; a values refresh and rebranding exercise; launching the bi-annual Barbara Ward Lecture series; launching the IIED Communications Learning Week; co-developing in 2012 the Fair Ideas event in Rio and more.

During this time Liz has been a reviewer for the DFID’s Research Programme Consortia, has carried out strategic reviews for UNDP’s Equator Initiative and the UNDP/UNEP’s Poverty Environment Initiative, has been communications advisory on the DFID/ESRC/NERC seven-year £41 million Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation research programme, and has co-led on a $950,000 communications and engagement programme for the World Bank WAVES initiative.

Liz has also published on social learning and climate change communications and has been part of the CCSL programme in the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security programme of the CGIAR. A recent speaking engagement was at the UN Youth Assembly in 2017.

Expertise

Marketing and communication strategy, with a particular focus on research communications and policy influence.

Before IIED

Liz has worked in the development sector and specialised in communications work for over 30 years. Originally with IIED/Earthscan working on raising awareness on key issues through seminars/press briefings and publications, she was a co-founder of Panos London in 1985. There, she worked in the communications trading arm and latterly as head of information marketing and acting director of the organisation.

Ten years of consultancy in the development sector on strategic communications across a wide range of development, environment and voluntary organisations (heritage sector and adult education) and SMEs. A short stint in the House of Commons as a researcher for an MP has provided good understanding of communicating in the parliamentary space.

Education
An alumna of London University’s School of Oriental and African studies, Liz has a first degree in geography. She also has postgraduate qualification in strategic marketing communications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and University of Newcastle distance learning qualifications in performance coaching.

Current work

Liz is responsible for the Communications Group in IIED and is member of IIED’s senior management team and research strategy team. The Communications Group is responsible for the central communications work and for direct project support across IIED’s four research groups.

Liz’s strengths are multi-stakeholder partnerships and engagement, research communications – evidence into use, strategy development and implementation, public relations and media and management, and organisational change.