Dr. Muhammed Sayed

Principal Specialist in the Climate & Nature Finance Unit Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Dr. Muhammed Sayed is a Principal Specialist in the Climate & Nature Finance Unit at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), where he leads efforts to mobilise and structure climate and nature finance solutions that support sustainable development across Africa. He provides strategic advice to the Bank on access to international climate finance mechanisms, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and other bilateral and multilateral funding sources. He also advises across DBSA’s infrastructure sectors on climate change, biodiversity, sustainable finance and just transition matters.

With over two decades of experience spanning development finance, climate finance, innovation funding, venture capital and scientific research, Dr. Sayed has played a leading role in the conceptualisation and development of programmes in areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, water reuse, waste management, climate resilience, blended finance and nature-based solutions. Prior to his current position, he held senior investment and innovation leadership roles at DBSA, the Technology Innovation Agency, and the Innovation Fund, where he focused on technology commercialisation, investment structuring, entrepreneurship and sustainable development initiatives.

Dr. Sayed serves on several national and international advisory and technical working groups related to climate finance, sustainable finance and the just transition. His expertise combines scientific, financial and policy perspectives, enabling him to bridge the gap between development priorities and investment solutions. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).