The ASEAN training course on disaster risk management for urban planning practitioners was developed by a team of international experts in urban planning and disaster risk management from ICEM, with input from ASEAN-based authorities. The technical experts that formed part of the project team that designed and wrote the course are:

Kenneth Westgate

Mike Sharrocks

Ian Wilderspin

Luke Taylor
  • Disaster risk management specialist, Kenneth Westgate: Ken’s long career in addressing and reducing disaster risk has included work with numerous international organisations across the globe. He has worked extensively in Africa and Asia, including in Uganda, Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya, Geneva, Egypt, the Balkan States, Cambodia and Timor Leste. Ken has served as Director at the Disaster Management Centre at Cranfield University in the UK and regional adviser for Africa in Disaster Risk Reduction for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Throughout his career, he has been involved in the training of disaster management specialist. His work at Cranfield culminated in the establishment of the first Masters Degree in Development and Disaster Management, among others. He is currently also supporting the Yemen Red Crescent Society in the development of their disaster management strategy.
  • Urban planner, Mike Sharrocks: Mike has over 35 years’ project experience in sustainable tourism strategies, urban planning and urban design work, sustainable land management, urban and rural regeneration strategies, infrastructure and land use development, master plans and development frameworks. He has worked on numerous projects worldwide in more than 30 countries, either as a team leader or as a team member, in North America, Europe, the Middle East, South and South East Asia, the Far East and the South Pacific, for various international organisations and funders.
  • Disaster and climate risk specialist, Ian Wilderspin: Ian has over 25 years of diverse experience in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, building urban resilience, capacity building, and humanitarian response. He has worked with major international non-government, civil society and government organizations, including the American Red Cross, UNDP, DFID, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Save the Children, and Oxfam. Much of this work has been in South and Southeast Asia, including in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, The Philippines, and Vietnam. As an independent consultant, Ian’s clients include the ADB, AusAID, the European Commission, several INGOs and UN agencies, and the World Bank. He holds a PhD from King’s College University of London. Ian is Team Leader for Enhanced Use of Disaster Risk Information for Decision Making in Southeast Asia – ASEAN Component.
  • Senior environmental scientist, Luke Taylor: Luke is a Senior Environmental Scientist at ICEM who specializes in conducting environmental assessments, natural resources management and development planning. He has over ten years’ experience working in the Asia-Pacific region in conducting environmental assessments and building urban resilience. He was the Disaster Risk Management Training Coordinator and Project Manager for the ADB Enhanced Use of Disaster Risk Information for Decision Making in Southeast Asia – ASEAN Component project, and assisted in designing the regional training course on urban disaster risk management and conducting the regional training event for urban planners and practitioners from the ASEAN Member States. He was also ICEM project manager including technical backstopping for the Second Greater Mekong Subregion Corridor Towns Development Project – Integrated Disaster Risk Management (IDRM) project that provided capacity development and technical assistance to improve urban services and strengthen IDRM in seven towns in Cambodia, Vietnam and Lao PDR.