Kobie Brand is the regional director of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability at the Africa Secretariat and is also the director of ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center. Ms Brand is responsible for the strategic direction, positioning, partnerships, programmes and scope of work of the ICLEI Africa Secretariat. Ms Brand has over 17 years of practical and managerial experience in Integrated Environmental Management - specifically policy, strategy and programme development and management at local, national and international level. Her experience is broad-based and includes Coastal Zone Management, Capacity Building and Informatics, Sustainable Livelihoods and Poverty Alleviation in South Africa and East and West Africa.