Tom Bowen Joins Mathematica’s Growing Climate Change Practice as Director

Mathematica announced today that Tom Bowen has joined the company as director for climate change. In this newly created role, Bowen will help shepherd Mathematica’s climate strategy, cultivate relationships with relevant clients and partners, and lead business development.

“We were impressed with Tom’s formidable technical experience in resilience and adaptation, which makes him well suited to provide the leadership we need to help our growing climate change practice flourish,” said Tulika Narayan, vice president for climate change. “Mathematica is focused on shaping impactful climate policies and investments through our expertise in social science, data science, and technology, and Tom will be an integral player in moving our mission forward.”

Bowen joins Mathematica with a background in social policy and climate change adaptation, developed during his decade-long tenure at the World Bank Group. There, he led and supported the design and implementation of policies, programs, and projects in countries across the East Asia Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa regions, helping governments manage the impacts of climate risks on vulnerable populations. In 2021, he received a World Bank Vice President’s Award for his role in supporting the government of Sierra Leone to rapidly deliver emergency assistance to at-risk households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bowen has been deeply engaged in thought leadership and analytical work for the World Bank Group on topics related to social protection, resilience, climate adaptation, disaster risk finance, and disaster response. He was recently the lead author for a flagship World Bank publication on how to design and implement social protection programs to build resilience to climate change.

“Having worked on the front lines of implementation, it’s clear to me how much value Mathematica brings as a partner to entities engaged in climate action that are navigating complexities and uncertainty as they consider how to have the biggest impact with limited resources,” said Bowen. “Through its proven track record in program evaluation and cutting-edge analytical capabilities, I believe Mathematica has the tools needed to offer clarity and direction against this sometimes dizzying backdrop. With that in mind, I’m eager to collaborate with Mathematica’s many experts across sectors, domestically and internationally, to ensure our skills are deployed meaningfully at the forefront of the global effort to address climate change.”

The appointment of Bowen marks the latest of several key steps Mathematica has made within the last year to accelerate its climate practice, including naming Narayan as vice president for climate change, convening climate resilience measurement experts, hosting a conversation on the risks that extreme heat and climate change pose to human health, and joining the Adaptation Research Alliance.