Brian Pratt 

Since the early 1970s I have worked on international development initially as an academic and since 1977 primarily with civil society organisations. Most recently I have sought to keep an independent perspective on what has at times become an unwieldy aid business. My interest lies in doing whatever is required to ensure a strong civil society globally. I am less enamoured by short term fads, including some dubious methodologies sold to us by those with little understanding of our real business which is to counterbalance the state and private business with healthy and democratic citizen organisations. I have always been committed to ensuring civil society organisations learn from their experience and to achieve this I developed Oxfam’s first evaluation department and linked this to a research and communications department and eventually the first development Policy unit. I have always continued to write and share my experiences with a wider public through books, journals, blogs, working papers as well as public speaking, organising conferences and seminars as well as training programmes.

I have evaluated, designed and help run civil society strengthening programmes in many parts of the world (including Bangladesh, India, Ethiopia and Central Asia). I helped found INTRAC with John Hailey and Alan Fowler in 1991 later becoming the Executive director of INTRAC until late 2013 when I stepped down. So I have experience as a senior manager in development at both Intrac and earlier Oxfam. I am now enthusiastically working on new challenges and interesting assignments and consultancies, as well as maintaining some of my earlier work with INTRAC as an associate and as Editor of Development in Practice. Recently I have helped several agencies with major learning reviews/evaluations, strategic positioning including alternative funding scenarios, political analysis and I continue to write and lecture.