Naomi Yehdego is the policy and advocacy adviser supporting the delivery of research pieces including reimagining the role of Development Finance Institutions (such as British International Investment (BII)) and Decolonisation of Economic Development. Additionally, Naomi supports policy work on G7 and MDBs reform.
Prior to Bond, Naomi worked at the Advocacy Team and Equity Index and contributed to a discussion paper entitled ‘Positive action: An exploration of equity and UK equality law’ which explores and encourages the use of positive action within the development sector whilst looking at how existing approaches can be extended. She brings experience in business development and project management of private sector and financial development programmes and has worked for a variety of clients and donors (FCDO, CDC, EU, UNDP, GSMA, GIZ and SIDA). Naomi proactively led anti-racist efforts across the sector and internally. Sector-wide, she co-chaired the British Expertise International (BEI) working group comprising EDI champions across and co-created the advocacy strategy which sought to collectively bring change with donor policies.
Naomi is currently an Advisory Board Member for the Racial Equity Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) collective, a UK Network for people of colour and ethnic minorities working in UK International Development. Naomi holds an undergraduate degree in International Development and Economics from the University of Sussex and is currently completing her Master’s in Race Media and Social Justice from Goldsmiths University.