George Lakey is a Programme Manager at the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) responsible for designing and implementing programmes that support ACU members in the area of research strengthening. George has been responsible for managing the FCDO-funded Climate Impacts Research Capacity and Leadership Enhancement (CIRCLE) programme, a climate-focused research capacity strengthening initiative that support individual and institutional levels of strengthening at 31 institutions across 10 sub-Saharan African countries. George also manages the ACU-British Council partnership programme the Commonwealth Futures Climate Research Cohort, an initiative working with early career researchers from low resource contexts with the aim of enhancing the contribution of science to national, regional, and international decision making in the area of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Previously, George managed the ACU’s Blue Charter Programme, a UK BEIS and Waitrose & Partners-funded initiative supporting research in the area of marine plastic pollution.