Q&A with Daniel Clarke, Director

The Centre for Disaster Protection has now appointed its full leadership team.  You can find out more in a series of Q&As with each of them. Here Daniel Clarke, Director, talks about who has inspired him and what in DRF is exciting him currently.

Why did you want to join the Centre?

The work is important and extremely interesting. It’s sobering that so many people have their lives devastated by disasters.  I believe that the Centre’s work does save lives and alleviate extreme, unnecessary suffering.  The work itself is fascinating and the people inspiring.  I learn so much every day.

What one thing do you think could make the biggest difference in DRF?

Anything that makes the right kind of teams or partnerships work better has the potential to have major impact.  In my experience the best risk finance solutions are not developed by impressive individuals or organisations operating in isolation – they’re developed by teams and partnerships. The best teams combine policy and strategic leadership with the right kind of technical and delivery expertise to ensure that solutions actually deliver what they need to.

What innovation in this field is exciting you currently?

If I had to pick one, I think it would be the set of methodological advances in evaluation and quality assurance which allow technical experts to do a pretty good job of distinguishing great risk finance solutions from mediocre or ropey ones.

You wouldn’t buy a second-hand car without checking if it’s likely to break down as soon as you leave the showroom.    If a government or donor has no way of checking whether a risk financing instrument will deliver what its proponents say it will, why invest?  We’re talking about saving and protecting lives - it couldn’t be more important to get this right. 

These quality assurance methodologies are only really coming of age now, but I think they are going to lead to radical increases in the amount and quality of risk finance solutions, and lead to fewer lives being devastated by disasters.  There is a lot more that needs to be done to get this message out.  At the Centre we’re going to do a lot of work on this, including developing the toolkit further, and through our offer to all governments, donors and multilateral agencies of free, impartial quality assurance of any risk finance strategy or instrument from a development perspective. 

What do you think the Centre’s biggest contribution to disaster risk finance will be?

I think our most enduring contribution will be through our investments in people, both our own staff as well as building the strength, confidence and capacity of people in partner governments and organisations.  Empowerment is both the means and the end of our work.

What has been a career highlight for you to date?

For me it’s about the amazing people I’ve had the opportunity to work with.  Before working with the brilliant Centre team, one highlight was writing a book with Stefan Dercon, who somehow manages to combine an incredible energy and passion for making the world better with deep intellect and wisdom.  Another would be working with James Sina, Andrew Mude, and many others in Kenya to crack the wicked problem of how to make agricultural insurance markets work for vulnerable farmers and pastoralists.  It was hugely rewarding and a privilege to work with such an impressive, committed team.

What are you reading?

Following Leonardo Martinez-Diaz’s presentation a few weeks ago at our seminar series, I’m reading the book he wrote recently with Alice Hill: Building a Resilient Tomorrow.  Lots of interesting ideas about what people, institutions, and governments need to do now to prepare for climate risks over the coming decades.  I’m also enjoying The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, a book about starting up startups.

Favourite app?

I’m using Toca Band with my family, it’s such an inventive way to introduce composing music to very young children.

Most looking forward to in 2020?

2020 looks set to be a year of accelerated experimentation and learning on risk finance.  Experimentation with different budgetary and financial instruments of course, but also experimentation with better ways of finding out and making sure that systems and processes include and protect the most vulnerable people in the best way possible.  I’m looking forward to contributing to this effort as part of a team that thinks big and gets stuff done.


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Q&A with Sophie Evans, Associate Director - Advisory