Over 30 years of experience (largely at Director, Team Leader, Lead Consultant or Chief Technical Adviser level) in the Pacific islands, the Mekong subregion of SE Asia and elswhere working in energy policy and planning (including renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy security) and broader environmental policy/planning. Clients have included the Asian Development Bank, Australian Aid, East-West Center, European Commission (EC), Climate Parliament, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Global Environment Facility, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Greenpeace Pacific, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN Oceania), River Commission (MRC), Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), New Zealand Aid, Pacific Power Association, Regional Community Forestry Training Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RECOFTC, Bangkok), Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC and earlier SOPAC), Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Swiss Agency For Development and Cooperation (SDC), various UN agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, UNIDO, UNOPS, UNESCAP), and the World Bank. Recent work related to climate resilience has been in the energy sector and includes the following:Pacific Small Islands States Scoping Study and Project formulation (senior consultant, Global Green Growth Institute, 2013-2014) Promoting Energy Efficiency in the Pacific, phase 2 (International energy efficiency expert), International Institute of Energy Conservation and Asian Development Bank; January 2012 - early 2015)o Evaluation of EU/SPC North Pacific Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Project (North REP; team leader, Cardno, 2012)o Report on Pacific Perspectives on the Challenges to Energy Security and the Sustainable Use of Energy (consultant, UN ESCAP, 2012)o Improving climate change resilience for energy sector investments (lead researcher for peer-reviewed report, ADB, 2011-2012)
Principal partner of auditing and accounting firm: Suá ma Pauga & Associates. Firm won the Gold Star Award on Quality Service. A Chartered Accountant for both New Zealand and Samoan Institute of Chartered Accountants. Working experience in finance, accounting and auditing, research, loan and credit facilities, financial specialist on educational system, climate change, budgeting, financial and business analysis, report writing and survey consultants - in Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand. Finance/Economics Consultant for ADB/Government of Samoa in Education Sector Project II. Lecturer in University on Government Accounting, Finance and Accountancy, and Head of Departments and providers of various workshops on finance, budgeting, and financial reporting.
A sustainability generalist, with wide ranging skills, knowledge and experience to bring in solving complex problems. Over 12 years experience in the environmental management sector, including government, private industry and the education sector. Experience working across the Pacific Islands delivering training in project design and proposal preparation. Project design, management, implementation and evaluation experience. Experienced trainer and facilitator.
Knowledge and understanding of social, cultural, economic and environmental dimensions of natural resource management (marine & terrestrial) and sustainability, with a focus on community change and adaptation. Extensive practical experience in government and industry, including liaising with community groups and stakeholders, conducting surveys, and report writing. Experienced integrative team player with strong relationship building skills, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, prioritization and multi-tasking abilities, and an ability to operate autonomously.
Key skills: providing strategic, targeted knowledge network, evaluation and technical services to international environmental and development programs and institutional capacities. Thematic interests and work experience: project design, implementation and results based monitoring: child rights, disability mainstreaming in UN funds and programs, inclusive education sector planning, biodiversity strategic planning, disaster risk reduction , climate change and resilience, natural resources and protected area management, ecosystem services and environmental science. Policy and bottleneck analysis and implementation problem resolution including work in environment sectors, poverty alleviation and education, improved service delivery and transparent government initiatives. Advocacy interests focusing on one UN programming, education for sustainable development, education systems and planning, climate change adaptation, emergencies, disaster risk reduction and resilience. Communication: training and education experience, including organizing and leading workshops. Research: data analysis, writing/editing materials for a wide variety of audiences and preparing content for websites.
Environmental strategy and policy, specializing in climate change and community development; Project management, M&E, O&M programming, training manual and
module development; Sustainable development tools & frameworks: EMS, SEIA, EIA, ISO; “Triple bottom line” assessments and reporting (social, environmental
and economic factors); Occupational Health, Safety, Security and Quality Assurance
Social scientist (economics, gender expertise) with over 12 years experience providing advice, analysis and technical assistance to governments including eight years in the Pacific as an economist and policy adviser with the Land Resources Division of SPC and a climate change adviser with GIZ.; Experience with supporting policy development processes, information and knowledge management strengthening, providing economic and gender analysis to inform and evaluate interventions, trainer and facilitator of various training courses and workshops, development partner coordination structures, monitoring and evaluation processes.; Author of the "Pacific Gender and Climate Change Toolkit" (2013) and associated training course, contributing author to the " Cost-benefit analysis for natural resource management in the Pacific: A guide" and trainer for its application, management and strengthening of the Pacific Agriculture and Forestry Policy Network (PAFPNet), strategic oversight of the Pacific Youth and Agriculture Strategy development.
Countries of Work Experience: Asia-Pacific: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Vanuatu
Other regions: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Comoros, Dominica, Egypt, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Madagascar, Mauritius, Montserrat, Norway, Seychelles, South Africa, St. Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe
Member - Pilot Program on Climate Resilience (PPCR) Independent Review Expert Roster appointed by the Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
Member, Roster of Experts (Climate Change) appointed by the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF)
Member - Roster of Experts (Climate Change) appointed by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)
Member - Roster of Legal Experts on Biosafety (Latin America and Caribbean), appointed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Elected member of the International Council of Environmental Law(ICEL) (based at the Environmental Law Centre of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) in Bonn, Germany)
Member of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA)
Advocate of the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe
Chartered Mediator (Environment) accredited by the Arbitration and Mediation Institute of Canada (AMIC) - Chair of the Accreditation and Training Committee (Regional), 1996-2002
Member, Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Environmental Auditing (APEA) - Member of the Standards, Training and Accreditation Committee, 1996-2002
Former Member of the Standards Committee appointed by the Forest Stewardship Council for Atlantic Canada
Key Achievements:
- Principal author of the Review of the Regulatory Framework for the Port of Darwin – a requirement of the Competition and Infrastructure Reform Agreement (CIRA) under the National Reform Agenda (NRA)- All findings and recommendations of the Review of the Regulatory Framework for the Port of Darwin were approved by Cabinet and have since been implemented. - Successfully advocated to other members on the Northern Territory Climate Change Steering Committee that local-level policies included in the Northern Territory Climate Change Policy Framework should be 'complementary' to the proposed national emissions trading scheme or carbon tax
Over 10+ years consultancy work on climate resilience policy & institutional review; CC project & program design including development of PPDs & financial proposals; MfDR-based corporate planning; M&E/R; Organisation Review; Community development/assessments etc for Samoa and the Pacific. Designed & developed the Pacific Island owned Rapid Response Fund & Regional Technical Support Mechanism (ADB funded; SPREP implemented; overall guidance by WARD/CROP agencies). National consultant for several projects including PPCR Samoa country track; DRM/DRR Act/policy review; CRPD impacts ratification for GoSamoa etc. SQA/NUS Professional Unit Certified Adult/Community Trainer- conducted in-country training & workshops/forum including the 2015 post-SIDS Joint CSO Forum (CSSP SUNGO/GEF-SGP/PIANGO) for Samoa. 20+ years experience in Pacific island project design, management & implementation in the areas of environmental information, knowledge management and clearinghouse mechanisms.
Ainsof So'o is an Australian Leadership Award recipient with a Master's in Software Architecture who currently drives digital innovation for SPREP, architecting mission-critical applications that serve entire Pacific nations and territories. With expertise spanning modern cloud infrastructure, full-stack development, and government-grade security systems, he has successfully delivered everything from national electoral biometrics systems to environmental monitoring databases used across multiple countries. His unique combination of elite technical education, PRINCE2 project management certification, and proven team leadership makes him invaluable for organisations seeking scalable, future-proof digital solutions.
Beyond his impressive credentials, Ainsof possesses that rare ability to operate at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and transformational business impact. He doesn't simply build systems – he architects comprehensive digital solutions that revolutionise how organisations operate, from streamlining communication across Pacific Island governments to processing thousands of insurance policies through robust database platforms. His cross-cultural expertise, government clearance experience, and commitment to knowledge transfer ensure clients receive not only world-class technical implementations but also the strategic guidance and team training essential for long-term success.
His comprehensive technical arsenal spans the complete technology stack: cloud infrastructure mastery in Amazon Web Services (AWS) for scalable, secure deployments; modern frontend frameworks including Vue.js, React, and Flutter for responsive web and mobile applications; content management specialisation in Drupal for robust websites and database systems; and enterprise development capabilities across database architecture, API integration, and system administration. This diverse skill set, combined with Windows Server administration and mobile app development expertise, enables him to deliver seamless end-to-end solutions that integrate effortlessly with existing enterprise infrastructure while positioning organisations for sustained growth.
Knowledge and Management Specialist
Climate Financing Specialist
Disaster Relief/Management Specialist
Environmental and social safeguards specialist
Economist [Cost-Benefit Analysis of CC]
Director at the Solomon Islands Financial Intelligence Unit
Community Trainer Specialist
Capacity Building Specialist
Credit Control Supervisor at National Bank of Solomon Islands
Manager Finance at DIDAO Development, Solomon Islands
Countries of Work Experience: Solomon Islands
