Chris Thorpe

What is your role at Ricardo?

I am a Principal Consultant in Ricardo’s Evidence & Policy Business Area. I am currently seconded to the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as a Climate Science Advisor, supporting the delivery of a 4-year research to policy programme titled “Climate Services for a Net Zero resilient World” (CS-N0W). 

What does your average day here look like?

In essence I provide a bridge between the UK Government policy teams (who benefit from the climate research, supporting the development of evidence-based policy and tracking its progress) and the teams in academia and research centres delivering the climate research services.

There are approximately 20 climate research projects being delivered under CS-N0W at any one time.  Much of my time early in a week is taken up with progress meetings with the various policy and research teams. These can be online or in-person - I’m based at the BEIS offices 1-2 days per week.

Beyond this I’m reviewing research programme outputs, hosting webinars and workshops, organising engagements with policy teams and actioning a variety of other aspects that might pop-up. 

What do you look forward to at work?

Engaging with the policy teams from across UK Government, creating and shaping CS-N0W’s climate research focus and how it is synthesised and made accessible to policy makers. The role ensures that I am constantly learning, from the different thematic foci of the climate research to the roles of the different policy teams – truly locked into the heartbeat of the UK policy making world – you never stop learning. 

What do you find most rewarding at work?/ Are you proud to work at Ricardo?

To represent Ricardo every day in the heart of Government. I try to bring a flexible, creative and “can-do” approach to problem solving.  The various training and resources that I’ve benefited from over the last few years, including through the Ricardo high-performance hub, have been a huge support. 

What was you or your team’s latest achievement and how was it celebrated?

One of our research teams recently delivered a global climate impacts tool that really “landed” with policy makers from across UK Government. We shaped the tool from an initial back of the envelope concept, through to design and specification creation sessions together with the policy teams, and now to the point that it has been delivered and is being used to inform UK Government briefings and workstreams. It’s been a real success story for CS-N0W. 

How have you developed your career at Ricardo?

I joined in 2017 as a Senior Consultant and have progressed to Principal. The chance to work with a talented and passionate team, both within Ricardo and in our partners and clients, has ensured I’m always learning. I’ve also benefited from more formal learning and development, and recently passed exams in climate change mitigation and climate finance analysis resulting in me being accepted by the UNFCCC as a National Expert. 

What opportunities do you have at Ricardo to share your knowledge or expertise?

My role has meant I’ve had the chance to introduce junior staff onto projects that I have managed – providing them a chance to follow their own development path. I have also run monthly “how to” drop-in sessions for colleagues interested in upskilling in project planning and time management as well as acting as a mentor. I have greatly enjoyed supporting several colleagues with their own roles within CS-N0W.