Profile

Alessa Widmaier.

Quantitative economics for the planet & its people

Professional economist and peer-reviewed researcher at the University of Cambridge. Two roles, one objective: building resilience into economies, ecosystems and health systems so that people and the planet thrive together.

2 roles, 1 objective

Research and consulting that reinforce each other.

I am a professional economist and peer-reviewed researcher at the University of Cambridge. My objective is to build resilience into economies, ecosystems and health systems so that people and the planet thrive together.

At Geonometrics and Mode Economics, I apply rigorous quantitative methods to real-world challenges across climate, biodiversity, trade, health and resilience – ensuring the work stays actionable and grounded in what matters. Alongside this, my PhD research at Cambridge pushes the frontier of economic methodology, bringing the latest academic rigour back into every engagement. The consulting keeps the research relevant; the research keeps the consulting rigorous.

Career

Roles.

Dec 2023 to present
Director & Technical Lead / Geonometrics, London
Manages projects with private and public-sector clients delivering work through rigorous modelling. Leads development of in-house models GeoSChEMES, GeoSPREAD and GeoSECURE. Focus: sustainability, biodiversity, supply chains and competition, resilience. Clients have included Mode Economics, Melbourne Water, Sylvera, the Grantham Institute and Greencroft Economics, among others.
Aug 2025 to present
Technical Lead / Mode Economics, London
Technical lead on analytical engagements across sustainability, health, resilience and climate adaptation. Sets modelling approach, leads teams delivering for public and private-sector clients, and serves as technical expert across adjacent projects to steer methodology and quality-assure outputs.
Jun 2022 to Sep 2023
Knowledge Specialist / McKinsey, London
Delivered economic models and forecasts across sustainability, natural resources, and supply-chain and competition work. Managed team members and quality-assured outputs.
Sep 2019 to Jun 2022
Senior Economist / Vivid Economics, London
Started as Analyst, promoted to Economist (October 2020) and Senior Economist (January 2022). Led econometric and economic analyses across sustainability, food-water-energy systems and resilience.

Education

Academic training.

Oct 2022 to present
PhD in Economics / University of Cambridge, Trinity College
Topic: economic impacts of environmental change. Supervised by Dr K. Mohaddes; advised by Prof T. Cavalcanti. Fully funded (fees and maintenance).
Sep 2018 to Aug 2019
MPhil in Economic Research / University of Cambridge
Distinction. Trinity College full funding. Dissertation: The Effects of Immigration: An Analysis of the Wage Distribution in Germany’s East.
Sep 2014 to Jun 2018
MA in Economics / University of Aberdeen
First-Class Honours. Scottish Government funding. International exchange to Hong Kong University and Lingnan University.

Recognition

Awards.

Awards

Recognition for recent peer-reviewed research.

Martin Beckmann RSAI Annual Award, best paper in Papers in Regional Science.
ESRC Doctoral Studentship, full PhD funding (fees and maintenance), University of Cambridge.
Trinity College Studentship, full MPhil funding, University of Cambridge.

Geonometrics clients

Selected clients.

Clients

Geonometrics has delivered modelling, analytics and advisory work for public-sector bodies, research institutes and private firms across climate, biodiversity, supply-chain and resilience domains.