The team that makes it possible
Founded by Dr. Bali Lee, Climate Resilient Solutions operates through a network of researchers, practitioners and domain experts — bringing together the expertise needed to move from research into real-world application.
Rather than a fixed structure, we scale and adapt to each challenge with the right mix of skills, perspectives and experience.
Dr. Bali Lee
Dr. Bali Lee is a climate solutions specialist with expertise spanning research design, stakeholder alignment, fundraising, strategic communications, and market development. She works at the intersection of science and practice — translating complex research into frameworks & stories that attract investment, build coalitions, and drive real-world adoption.
She currently leads the expansion of the Carbon at Risk framework, a multi-sector initiative that emerged from her work at Rethinking Removals, bringing together insurers, climate organisations, and academics to standardise risk assessment in carbon removal. She also directs climate adaptation research at Gulre, investigating indigenous water conservation practices in Pakistan's high-mountain regions.
Bali holds a PhD in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology from the University of Manchester and has led research across a wide range of subjects.
Founder, Climate Resilient SolutionsCARBON AT RISK TEAM
Ben Groom
Dragon Capital Chair in Biodiversity Economics, University of ExeterBen is an applied economist who focuses on biodiversity and climate change economics including the valuation of carbon removals in terms of the climate and ecosystem damages avoided, biodiversity measurement and valuation, and the thorny issue of intergenerational equity and social discounting for long-term public projects. This research agenda tries to shift policy and guidance on climate change and biodiversity conservation.
At CaR, Ben oversees pathway-level risk modelling and plays a central role in translating the framework's findings for scientific and policy audiences.
Frank Venmans
Frank Venmans' research spans integrated assessment modelling, carbon markets, discounting, and policy evaluation. Before joining Grantham full time in 2020, he was Associate Professor in microeconomics and environmental economics at the University of Mons, where he completed his PhD on the European carbon market. He has been President of the Walloon Expert Committee on Climate for five years, advising the regional government on its 2030 emissions reduction targets.
At CaR, Frank leads portfolio-level risk modelling.
Deputy Research Director, Grantham Institute (LSE)
Tom Bearpark is a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Land, Environment, Economics and Policy Institute (LEEP) at the University of Exeter and Visiting Fellow at the Grantham Research Institute at LSE. He completed his PhD in Public Affairs at Princeton University in 2025, with fields spanning environmental economics, climate impacts, econometrics, and quantitative methods. Prior to Princeton, he was a pre-doctoral fellow at the Climate Impact Lab at the University of Chicago and an economist at the UK energy regulator Ofgem. At CaR, Tom leads the quantitative modelling of pathway-level carbon storage risk.
Post-doctoral Research Fellow, University of ExeterTom Bearpark
GLACIER MARRIAGE TEAM
Laila Kiran
Laila Kiran is a filmmaker, artist, and entrepreneur dedicated to storytelling for positive change. As CEO of Reality Beyond Dreams, she leads a team producing content on climate change, innovation, sustainable business, and women's and children's rights — with expertise spanning all facets of production from concept to final cut. Her work has been recognised by the Girls Impact the World film award and UNDP's International Mountains Day film award, the latter highlighting the effects of climate change in mountainous regions and climate migration.
At Glacier Marriage, Laila serves as producer and co-director, leading community engagement and stakeholder alignment.
Founder & CEO of Reality Beyond Dreams
Zarrak Baloch
Founder, Gul-Re & Chief Production Officer, Reality Beyond DreamsZarrak Sattar is a filmmaker, researcher, and social impact leader with over a decade of experience directing, producing, and managing documentary projects across four continents. As Chief Production Officer at Reality Beyond Dreams and founder of Gul-Re — an organisation merging indigenous knowledge, art, and science for social and environmental impact — he has led end-to-end productions across more than 100 documentary projects.He has held fellowships at the American University in Washington DC, NYU, and the Seeds of Peace Global Institute, and currently mentors young leaders through the MCW Global Fellowship.
At Glacier Marriage, Zarrak serves as Director and Editor
Neil Glasser is a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar and founding editor of Quaternary Sciences Advances, he serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Glaciology and has held multiple roles with the NERC Peer Review College.His research spans glacial erosion and ice sheet reconstruction, debris-covered glaciers, Himalayan glacial lake outburst floods, and the long-term glacial history of Antarctica. He holds university-level responsibility for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Environment and Sustainability.
At Glacier Marriage, Neil leads the scientific research providing expertise in glacier dynamics and long-term ice mass change.
Professor of Glaciology and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityNeil Glasser
Qasim Akbar
Qasim Akbar is a multimedia communications specialist with seven years of experience developing campaigns for social, non-profit, and development organisations. He specialises in crafting messages that resonate with target audiences while reflecting institutional values, with clients including UN Women, Aga Khan Foundation, HelpAge International, Right to Play, KP Police, and Accelerate Prosperity.
At Glacier Marriage, Qasim leads logistics, communications and multimedia campaign development.
Country Director, Pakistan at Reality Beyond Dreams
