Alan AtKisson

Alan AtKisson is Assistant Director-General and Director at the Department of Partnership and Innovation at Sida (the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency). As a representative of Sida’s senior management team, Mr. AtKisson leads a department of over 100 development professionals that has responsibility for research programs, capacity development and training programs, civil society, financial instruments such as guarantees, and engagement programs with business, investors, other Swedish government agencies, as well as other key international partners.

Before joining Sida, Mr. AtKisson worked for over 30 years as a strategic advisor, author, and communicator in the field of sustainability, sustainable development, and transformative change. He worked in over 50 countries and keynoted many conferences and seminars, advised governments, businesses, global NGOs, and the United Nations.

He was inducted into the Sustainability Hall of Fame in 2013, selected to serve on the President's Science and Technology Advisory Council of the European Commission in 2014, and elected a Full Member of the Club of Rome 2015-2019.

He has published, among other books, “Believing Cassandra: An optimist looks at a pessimist’s world” (1999, 2010), and “The Sustainability Transformation” (2010). His latest book, “Parachuting Cats into Borneo” (2017) offers practical advice leading change in complex systems.