DNA's people

Our core team has substantial experience in economic, business and development consulting. Where DNA Economics does not have the requisite skills in-house, we bring in world experts through our network of associates, our close links with regional academic institutions and our strategic partners abroad.

Kreyan Shunmugam

Consultant

Kreyan Shunmugam

Consultant

Kreyan Shunmugam is an economist at DNA Economics, specialising in the Trade, Regional Integration, and Industrial Policy practice. With a strong background in consulting and development economics, Kreyan’s expertise extends across various domains. At DNA Economics, his role encompasses economic analysis and policy advisory. Before joining DNA Economics, Kreyan served as an intern at the African Development Bank in the Director General’s office, where he played a role in advising on country strategy papers and conducting portfolio reviews. Prior to this role, he worked as a private equity analyst at Oceanrock Consulting, spearheading several research pieces and commercial due diligence for London-based private equity firms and companies engaged in mergers and acquisitions. Preceding his tenure at Oceanrock Consulting, Kreyan worked as a strategy consultant at Genesis Analytics, collaborating with African governments and multilateral organizations to shape financial services strategy, particularly in the realms of payments and financial inclusion.

He holds a BCom Honours in Economics from the University of Cape Town and recently completed a Masters focused on Economic Development from the same institution. His master’s thesis delved into the analysis of structural transformation and premature deindustrialization in middle-income countries

Keatlaretse Mooketsi

Senior Analyst

Keatlaretse Mooketsi

Senior Analyst

Keatlaretse is a senior analyst in the Financial Empowerment, Monitoring and Evaluation Practice at DNA Economics. She is an emerging evaluator with more than 5 years of experience in research and programme monitoring and evaluation for government, private and non-profit organisations. Keatlaretse has experience in a variety of sectors including finance, education and training, entrepreneurship, and employment, and has contributed to several evaluations and research studies in these sectors. She has a keen interest in education and training, specifically with regard to the impact these sectors can have on people`s livelihoods. Keatlaretse’s current focus is on the assessment of Consumer Education and Financial literacy programmes in the country.

Prior to joining DNA, Kea worked as a data analyst at Statistics South Africa where she focused on the poverty and inequality research. She also worked as a researcher at Mzabalazo Advisory services contributing to research and evaluations in skills development and training, including various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

Kea holds an undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Administration in Economics from North West University and a BCom Honours Degree from North West University. Kea is also a member of the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA).

Dr Matthew Townshend

Practice Head: Network Industries

Dr Matthew Townshend

Practice Head: Network Industries

Dr Matthew Townshend joins DNA Economics as the Practice Head of Network Industries. This practice area will focus on economic and regulatory research related to transport, energy and other network sectors.

Matthew has 14 years’ experience as a development economist, with previous roles at the United Nations, Transnet, the University of South Africa, and the South African National Treasury. Matthew has consulted to a range of national and sub-national governments, development finance institutions, and non-governmental organisations in over 20 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.

Matthew has a wide range of expertise in areas related to economic regulation, including leading on feasibility studies, regulatory reviews, regulatory submissions, as well as the development, evaluation, and reform of national policies and guideline frameworks.

Matthew has a particular interest in applying his theoretical competencies to industry contexts to generate efficient solutions to pressing client challenges. To ensure projects are successfully undertaken and the findings subsequently implemented, Matthew has also specialised in complex stakeholder engagement and knowledge transfer.

Nicola Grace Wills

Consultant

Nicola Grace Wills

Consultant

Nicola joined DNA Economics in the beginning of 2022 and works in both the Climate Change and Energy (CCE) and the Trade, Regional Integration and Industrial Policy (TRIPP) practice areas. She holds an MCom degree in Development Economics from the University of the Cape Town (UCT), and an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge. Nicola is passionate about research and will be working part-time at DNA while pursuing her PhD in Economics at UCT from 2025 to 2028.

Her work has involved research with respect to the carbon abatement strategies and potentials of various industries, carbon emission calculations and reporting, climate change and trade, the South African Just Transition, and the overall sustainability reporting for companies in different sectors (including Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) reporting). Moreover, she has worked on a variety of industrial competition and regulatory policy projects throughout Africa. Nicola has a particular interest in energy policy, industry and competition, sustainability, gender mainstreaming, and education in emerging economies.

Shirley Robinson

Practice Head: Climate and Public Economics

Shirley Robinson

Practice Head: Climate and Public Economics

Shirley Robinson joins DNA Economics as Practice Head: Climate and Public Economics. As a senior public policy economist with over 29 years of experience, Shirley specialises in urban and public finance management, alternative and blended financing approaches. These have been directed towards a range of areas, including urban resilience, climate response strategies, public infrastructure planning, policy and regulatory reform, regional and local economic development, and broader inclusive economic development.

Shirley’s extensive career in the public and private sectors showcases her adeptness in leading and managing complex projects while maintaining a sharp focus on their successful execution. A creative thinker with a track record of conceptualising, initiating and leading new approaches and programmes, Shirley is skilled in public policy implementation, and is an experienced research and project manager. Her main interests focus on how policy analysis may be used to articulate development challenges and advocate for multi-sector partnerships. She also has a particular interest in the design and implementation of collaborative solutions that often involve innovative financing approaches, and which have positive social and economic development impact.

Experience

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Industry expert

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