East Midlands-based environmental consultancy, EMEC has appointed Susanna Smale as its new consultancy director.
Susanna joins the team with a wealth of international operational leadership experience, bringing a strong focus on conservation, environmental impact, and strategic growth.
She holds a BA in Geography from Newcastle University and postgraduate law qualifications, including a GDL & LPC and an LLB from the University of Law.
Prior to joining EMEC, Susanna enjoyed a distinguished career with The HALO Trust, the world’s largest humanitarian charity, where she oversaw operations that cleared landmines and other remnants of conflict, saving lives and restoring livelihoods.
Her roles included regional director Africa, head of global training, and country director among others. Susanna has managed complex operations across multiple continents, led teams of thousands, developed environmental programming in Angola and the Horn of Africa, and secured multi-million-dollar government and donor contracts.
In her new role at EMEC, Susanna will lead the operational delivery of the consultancy, overseeing multi-disciplinary teams and strengthening governance, operational systems, and reporting frameworks.
She will drive strategic growth while ensuring high-quality ecological services that contribute to meaningful conservation outcomes. Additionally, Susanna will represent EMEC to clients, partners, and stakeholders, helping to expand the consultancy’s impact across the UK.
Commenting on her appointment at EMEC, Susanna said: “I was motivated to join EMEC because of its mission and its work with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. I’m excited to bring my international experience to support EMEC’s next phase of growth, ensuring strong governance and operational excellence while driving positive conservation impact.”
Paul Wilkinson, chief executive at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and managing director at EMEC, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Susanna to EMEC. Her exceptional track record in leading complex international operations, combined with her passion for environmental conservation, makes her the ideal person to drive our consultancy forward.
“We look forward to seeing her apply her expertise to support both our clients and wider conservation outcomes in the UK.”
