Professional Overview

Alessa Widmaier is an economist specialised in climate change and biodiversity economics, renowned for developing sophisticated analytical tools that translate complex environmental and economic data into strategic insights. Currently serving as Technical Lead at Geonometrics, she leads the development of innovative models including GeoSChEMES, GeoTHREATS, and GeoSECURE, developing critical guidance to public and private sector clients worldwide.

Previously, Alessa was a Knowledge Specialist at McKinsey and a Senior Economist at Vivid Economics, where she delivered high-stakes projects in sustainability, market forecasting, supply-chain resilience, and economic modelling. Her work has shaped policy decisions, guided investment strategies, and helped multinational corporations navigate environmental risks and opportunities.

Alessa is also actively engaged in research, pursuing a PhD in Economics at the University of Cambridge, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Her doctoral research focuses on quantifying the economic impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss, under the supervision of leading scholars in environmental and macroeconomic modelling.

Career Milestones

• Technical Lead | Geonometrics, London (Dec 2023–Present)
  Leading cross-sector projects, developing cutting-edge models for assessing geopolitical, economic, and environmental risks.
  
  

• Knowledge Specialist | McKinsey, London (Jun 2022–Sep 2023)
  Managed teams and delivered strategic economic forecasts in sustainability, natural resources, and supply chain competition.
  
  

• Senior Economist | Vivid Economics, London (Sep 2019–Jun 2022)
  Led analytical projects across sustainability, food-water-energy systems, and infrastructure resilience, rapidly advancing from Analyst to Senior Economist.
  
  

Academic Credentials

• PhD Economics (ongoing), University of Cambridge (Trinity College)
  Focus: Economic implications of climate change and biodiversity loss.
  
  

• MPhil Economic Research (Distinction), University of Cambridge (2018–2019)
  Dissertation: The Effects of Immigration on Wage Distribution in Eastern Germany.
  
  

• MA Economics (First-Class Honours), University of Aberdeen (2014–2018)
  Dissertation: Wage Differentials Post-German Reunification.
  Recognitions: Best Senior Honours Student (Economics), CELMR Shedden Prize, Henry Prize for Best Junior Honours.
  
  

Awards & Recognitions

• Martin Beckmann RSAI Annual Award – Best Paper in Papers in Regional Science (2021)
  
  

• CELMR Shedden Prize – Best Dissertation in Labour Economics
  
  

• Best Senior Honours Student – University of Aberdeen, Economics Department
  
  

• Henry Prize – Best Junior Honours Student, Economics
  
  

Technical Skills

• Economic & Spatial Analysis: Econometrics, micro/macroeconomic modelling, spatial analytics.
  
  

• Technologies & Tools: R, QGIS, ArcGIS, AWS, Stata, MatLab, LaTeX.
  
  

• Languages: English (fluent), German (native), Spanish and French (conversational).