Speaker Bio
Dr Jakob Granit is the Director-General of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) since September 2023.
Prior to taking on this position, Dr Granit was the Director-General at the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, the Swedish national government agency responsible for delivering on the blue economy in the areas of water, ocean- and fisheries management, for seven years.
Dr Granit is an experienced leader, manager and researcher in the area of sustainable development. He has 30 years of global experience working with freshwater and ocean management issues from the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility Scientific and Technical Panel (STAP) and Sida including applied research, policy and management experience at the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Stockholm International Water Management Institute. Dr Granit was appointed Chair of the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).
Dr Granit holds a Ph.D. in Physical Geography, from Stockholm University. He has published over 50 research papers and reports spanning a broad range of topics in the area of sustainable development. He has a strong interest in innovation, business development and digitalization to support sustainable development, green and blue growth.
Dr Granit has extensive work experience from Sweden, Europe, Eastern & Southern Africa, the Middle East and the U.S and regionally in the Southern Oceans and the Baltic Sea. He has worked and lived abroad in Singapore, Zimbabwe, USA and Belgium.