Our Story
In 2009, Dr. Nigel Bradly set out to build a team dedicated to creating lasting environmental impact.
The EnviroStrat team works at the intersection of climate and ecosystems, designing practical, investable solutions that respond to challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, and food security. This includes nature-based solutions, marine spatial planning, and emerging approaches in nature finance, carbon, and environmental markets.
With experience spanning carbon accounting, supply chains, impact measurement, and blended finance, EnviroStrat supports clients to move from strategy through to implementation, monitoring, and verification.
Clients include multilateral institutions such as The World Bank, governments, and private investors and developers globally, reflecting the team’s ability to operate across policy, science, and investment contexts.
We walk the talk. For six years we’ve actively invested, developed, and are leading multiple high impact, commercially scalable ventures in the New Zealand blue economy that drive ocean regeneration. Visit www.oranz.org to find out more on our ventures.
Our People
Diverse perspectives bring diverse problem solving capability. EnviroStrat is multidisciplinary and global, with projects in the Pacific, Southeast Asia and Africa, and clients that include World Bank Group, and Governments globally.
Alongside our team members with long experience, we have a young team of smart problem-solvers, tackling environmental challenges with optimism and hope for a future where people and nature thrive.
Through EnviroStrat’s ventures, a collaborative approach has created several ‘first in New Zealand’ Blue Economy solutions, adapted for Aotearoa.
Executive
Nigel is a natural resources, energy and marine specialist with 22 years experience in both the public and private sectors around the world. Strategy development and execution has become a particular focus in the past 15 years and includes leadership roles in multiple acquisitions, mergers, divestments, restructuring, capital raising, execution of a public- private partnership, and creation of new businesses in the energy, primary, environmental, tourism, and financial services sectors.
Cerasela works with private sector and government organisations on sustainability solutions and integration of natural capital and ecosystem services in policy and business decisions, including performance measurement and disclosure. She is focused on investment for impact as a viable concept for landscape level solutions in New Zealand and working with interested parties on supporting actions at the nexus between water, food and carbon.
David brings 30 years of career experience as an operating CEO in private companies and as a private equity portfolio manager. He now specialises in private equity and alternative investments, working with a wide range of clients including long-term trusts, family offices, Superannuation Fund managers, and private equity funds. David has a special interest in the practical application of "ESG" and responsible investment governance and on the opportunities in New Zealand for environmental and agritech investment.
Advisory and Impact Ventures
Rebecca is EnviroStrat's ventures portfolio lead, through Ocean Regeneration Aotearoa. Bex is a coastal and freshwater policy specialist and programme manager with over 15 years’ experience working with central and local government and in the consulting sector, most recently in a management position with Healthy Waters, Auckland Council. Rebecca was lead policy analyst on Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan and offers expertise in iwi and stakeholder engagement, policy analysis and project management. Rebecca holds a BSc in environmental science, a Grad Dip in Marine Studies and MLS in Ocean Governance.
Sylvia is an environmental and sustainable development practitioner with international experience working on environmental impact assessments, risk assessments, environmental feasibility studies, management implementation and monitoring plans. With an academic background in marine biology, environmental management and technologies, global environmental politics and climate change, Sylvia has worked for the private and public sectors and led research for the academic sector. Sylvia is currently completing her PhD in climate change adaptation success factors in developing countries' coastal areas funded through multilateral financial mechanisms. Sylvia is fluent in Portuguese and English.
Elle Tye is a dedicated Operations Manager at EnviroStrat, committed to supporting the team across operational and support functions. Her passion for environmental sustainability and impact projects stems from a desire to see a change in the world where her children can thrive in harmony with nature. Elle excels at building strong partnerships both within and outside the organisation. She brings a positive, lighthearted energy to her work, always valuing a good laugh while fostering collaboration.
Alison Smith is the communications and marketing lead at EnviroStrat, with more than 25 years’ experience in journalism, media, and public sector communications and engagement. Her work spans content strategy, stakeholder engagement, media relations, and the development of high-impact storytelling to support project uptake and investor confidence. She also serves as an elected councillor with the Thames-Coromandel District Council, and has a Masters of Technological Futures.
Will’s background in aquaculture is diverse and deep: scientist, fish farmer, innovator, and investor. He’s led new technology development, R&D programs, and commercial strategies for his own ventures and multiple clients. Serving as Chair of the Return on Science Agritech and Foodtech investment committee - and with prior venture capital experience - Will offers a unique “both sides of the table” perspective on novel opportunities and value creation. At EnviroStrat, his part-time role will focus on commercialisation and investment strategy, supporting our growing pipeline of sustainable projects.
Ross is a sustainable landuse practitioner with over 20 years' experience within regional councils, dairy sector, and research institutions in New Zealand. He has worked in various project management roles considering the impact of agriculture on climate, land and water. Most recently Ross has led projects such as the Waikato Freshwater Policy Review interacting with Council and iwi co-governors, and led on-farm footprint assessments within the dairy industry. Ross holds a Master of Social Science in Geography and is leading EnviroStrat work in design and implementation of landscape scale solutions.'
Riccardo Stanco is a sustainable finance specialist focused on mobilising capital for climate and ocean-related investments. He works with governments, development finance institutions, and financial sector stakeholders to structure blended finance solutions, sustainable finance frameworks, and investment strategies that translate sustainability commitments into bankable opportunities.
He has worked across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Small Island Developing States, contributing to financing initiatives that have mobilised USD 300m+ for climate and sustainable development investments.
Nadine Nagel is a Climate and Nature Consultant at EnviroStrat, working at the intersection of climate, ecosystems, and resource management. Originally from Germany, she moved to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2020 to complete her degree in Food Logistics and Management, focusing on sustainable supply chains.
Over the past six years, Nadine has built experience across the sustainability sector, including food waste solutions, carbon accounting, certification programmes, and climate reporting. Her work centres on helping organisations translate environmental ambition into practical, measurable action.
At EnviroStrat, she contributes to the design and implementation of nature-based solutions, supporting clients with policy analysis, strategy development, and approaches to impact measurement, reporting, and finance. Nadine is particularly interested in strengthening the business case for investing in nature, and in developing integrated solutions that address both climate and ecological outcomes.
Ryan is Operations Lead for our venture Greenwave Aotearoa. He has a background in marine science and technical roles in sustainable aquaculture, with a focus on commercial macroalgae cultivation and regenerative aquaculture. During his tenure at the Spanish Research Council in Galicia, Spain, Ryan delved into the intricate world of seaweed microbiomes in recirculating aquaculture systems. Building on his research he transitioned to a Technical Support Scientist role at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in Oban, Scotland, maintaining numerous strains of microalgae, macroalgae and protozoa at the Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa. Continuing his journey at SAMS, Ryan assumed the role of Seaweed Nursery Technical Lead and Lab Manager from September 2022 to January 2024. In this capacity, he led the seaweed nursery operations, overseeing commercial seeded twine and bulk gametophyte & sporophyte production, as well as biobanking of numerous kelp gametophyte strains from around Europe. Ryan holds a BSc in Marine Biology and MSc in Sustainable Aquaculture.
Laura is a geospatial analyst with expertise in GIS, statistical analysis, and user experience design, applying these skills to transdisciplinary problem-led research in marine and terrestrial ecosystems. She holds a BSc in Environmental Science and Geographic Information Science and a BBus in Sustainable Enterprise and Design. At EnviroStrat, she leverages her geospatial expertise to support impact investment, ecosystem restoration, and nature-based solutions projects. Laura is well-versed in Python, R, JavaScript, PostgreSQL, Google Earth Engine, QGIS, and the ESRI suite. She brings a technical and analytical perspective to sustainable resource management and blue economy development, with a particular interest in utilising deep learning, remote sensing, and ocean condition models.
Alicia holds a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Environmental Studies and Biology from Victoria University of Wellington. Originally from Auckland, Alicia is passionate about sustainability, biodiversity and conservation. She is focused on building her expertise in environmental management, through involvement in projects that promote sustainable development and ecosystem restoration. She is eager to apply her scientific knowledge to a business context, helping to create practical, nature-based solutions that benefit both communities and the environment.
Sophie has a BCom with a double major in Economics and Innovation & Entrepreneurship from the University of Auckland, and is currently completing a Masters of Commerce in Global Leadership Management & Innovation, focusing on impact entrepreneurship / entrepreneurship education. She is a co-founder and now the Director of social enterprise Girls Mean Business, an entrepreneurial education and finance programme for intermediate aged girls, focused on empowering girls through teaching them how to create a business. Sophie has a passion for creating impact through business, and works at EnviroStrat as an environmental sustainability researcher and programme coordinator.
Peter leads product development at Greenwave Aotearoa, working across biomass extraction and fermentation. His role is to turn raw biological feedstocks into scalable products - specifically within the cosmetic and companion animal categories.
The challenge he enjoys most is the industrialisation phase. Peter Bacherlor of Science in marine biology and post-grad in Entomology.
Taranaki-born Ayla is project co-ordintor for ORA Reefs, with the Ocean Regeneration Aotearoa team. She holds a double major in Marine Science and Ecology from the University of Otago. She is passionate about applying innovative solutions to marine conservation while continuously learning and contributing to regeneration industries. Splitting her time between ORA Reefs - a venture of Envirostrat - and Blue Nature Aotearoa, founded by Nikki Kaye and Nigel Bradly, Ayla supports sustainability, biodiversity restoration, and the next generation of environmental leaders.
Georgia Wilson is an aspiring marine biologist from Pukekohe, Auckland, with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Auckland University of Technology. During her studies, she worked as a research assistant and completed her final-year project on seaweed, which sparked a lasting passion for its ecological and commercial potential. After gaining experience in the cosmetics industry, Georgia became particularly interested in how marine ingredients can be used in natural, sustainable formulations. She is excited to combine these interests and contribute to marine restoration in Aotearoa New Zealand through sustainable seaweed aquaculture.
Liam is currently project lead for our scallops venture at www.oranz.org. He has a BCom majoring in International Business and Economics, a BA with a major in Global Studies, and a Master of International Business. His master’s research focused on sustainable transitions and development with a lens on New Zealand’s seaweed industry. He has a profound passion for the ocean and sustainability and is committed to advancing impact initiatives that make a difference.
Careers
Inquisitive and comfortable thinking outside the box? Technically strong? Passionate about transformative solutions? Let’s chat.
To find out more about opportunities to join the EnviroStrat team, contact [email protected]
Alongside our natural resource sector advisory work, we deliver impact investment project development through Ocean Regeneration Aotearoa (ORA).
We embrace collaboration, learning from others and sharing our own knowledge and experience, amplifying everyone’s ability to address the environmental challenges of today to enable the sustainable future we need to create. Our collaboration has seen us lead several ‘first in New Zealand’ projects; adapting solutions that have been successfully developed and deployed elsewhere to our unique context.
While based in New Zealand, much of our work is international. Over the past 12 years we have worked on a large number of multi-year programmes across the globe, supporting central and regional governments, non-profit and philanthropic organisations, indigenous communities, multilateral banks and multinational corporations to lead major change programmes, lead research, contribute to policy and regulatory reforms and create and implement new services.
At EnviroStrat, we bridge the gap between science and investment to deliver high-impact, scalable nature-based solutions that generate real returns. We’re building a pipeline of investable, replicable projects that attract capital from public, private, and philanthropic sources. But we don’t stop there – we lead from concept to execution, measuring impact and ensuring transparent, results-driven reporting that maximises both environmental gains and investor returns.
At EnviroStrat, we’ve secured over NZ$60 million in grant funding for both our clients and our own groundbreaking projects, driving the blue economy revolution. We don’t just talk – we act. As a direct investor in the Blue Economy, we’ve pioneered New Zealand’s first regenerative ocean (seaweed) farming operations, adapted the world’s top sea urchin (kina) ranching business, and seized opportunities in aquaculture.
The challenges and opportunities in the natural resources sector
The many impacts of human-induced climate change are negatively impacting the sustainability of natural resources and economies globally. We are seeing world leaders declaring climate, waste, water and biodiversity emergencies, yet change is slow and very few countries are matching tangible action and outcomes with the rhetoric. These challenges are complicated, controversial, long-standing and can not be solved by incremental business-as-usual solutions.
Without innovation and collaboration between governments, the private sector, investors and communities to identify, develop, fund and implement bold and innovative solutions our environmental challenges and risks to society and economies will only get worse.
We believe the future has to generate positive economic growth in sync with sustainable solutions that deliver multiple ecosystem outcomes. That is why EnviroStrat’s focus is on designing, leading and executing high-quality projects in a way that can enable environmental change to slow down or reverse degradation, while generating positive financial returns.
