After 6 years with GIZ Thailand and in the last 2 years as Country Director of GIZ Thailand and Malaysia, Mr. Tim Mahler returned to Germany at the end of April to assume the position of Director for Business Development at GIZ headquarter. His replacement, Mr. Reinhold Elges, will take up his post as Country Director with effect from July 2020.

Before coming to Thailand, he was attached to GIZ headquarters in Berlin where he was in charge of climate change work. He relocated to Thailand in 2014 where he held various leading positions including Cluster Coordinator for Climate and Environment, Programme Director of the Thai-German Climate Programme, Project Director of Thailand Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (RAC NAMA) and spokesperson of GIZ´s sector network on transport, environment, energy and water in Asia (TUEWAS) and was appointed as Country Director for Thailand and Malaysia in January 2018.

He serves as the link between headquarters and the projects in Thailand and is involved in steering and positioning GIZ for the future and in its efforts to be more effective in sustainable development, as well as overseeing the projects implementation. He gives a great deal of thought to how the Thai – German cooperation can further develop, how Thailand can potentially contribute to regional and global cooperation towards sustainability.

During his tenure, he has led the GIZ Thailand team to great accomplishments and enhanced the long-standing partnership between Thailand and Germany. Examples of the successful initiatives include:

• The concept development and steering of the Thai-German Climate Programme, which has 5 components, namely agriculture, energy, climate policy, waste and water management.
• “10 Years: The Journey of Thai-German Cooperation – Together for a Better Climate”, an event hosted by the Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the German Embassy Bangkok, to celebrate the collaborative efforts to conserve the climate and environment.
• The success in project acquisition of the first NAMA facility project in Thailand, namely “RAC NAMA”. It aims to support Thailand in reaching its energy saving and climate target through climate friendly and energy efficient cooling technologies.

Beyond his portfolio, Mr. Tim Mahler has demonstrated unforgettable qualities in leading the team. His open-door policy has allowed for discussion of any issues emerging as a result of work activities. He has also emphasized the personal development of his staff and partners as a foundation to their moving up to the next level and ensured that innovations and changes that allow for improved environmental responsibility are implemented in the workplace alongside the security of the workforce.

His efforts have greatly contributed to the strong cooperation between the two countries leading to sustainable development and the continued prosperity of GIZ Thailand and Malaysia. His replacement, Mr. Reinhold Elges, will take up the position of Country Director, with effect from July 2020.

Let’s watch the special interview of Tim Mahler on the CSH and Gender issues in Thailand here: