Dr. Helal Ahammad has specialised in program leadership and collaborative project management in both academic and government settings, as well as providing technical and policy advice to a range of stakeholders.

He was a Lead Author of the Fifth Assessment Report of Working Group III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change. In a congratulatory letter to Dr Ahammad (dated 1 July 2010), the Honorable Penny Wong—the Australian (federal) Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water at the time—noted “… the role of a Lead Author is a demanding one and I thank you for giving your time and expertise to undertake this role. There was considerable interest in Australia and internationally in fulfilling these roles and your selection is an indication of your eminence in the field.”

Dr. Ahammad was also a Lead Author of the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (AgAssessment) Global Report Agriculture at a Crossroads.

During 2015-7, as an International Consultant, he successfully led and delivered an economic study on the Bangladesh ship recycling industry, jointly commissioned by the UN International Maritime Organization and the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, with financial support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Corporation.

Dr. Ahammad worked for the Australian (federal) Government for about 15 years in various senior executive positions; provided strategic leadership for a number of research programs of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARE/S); and also contributed to the development of the Australian Government’s climate change response policies.

Between 1987 and 2001, Dr Ahammad held teaching and/or research positions at the University of Rajshahi, the Australian National University, and the University of Western Australia. He is an Associate with the Australian National University’s Centre for Climate Economics and Policy.

Dr Ahammad has published in reputable refereed journals including Agricultural Economics, Australasian Journal of Regional Studies, Economic Modelling, Energy Economics, Global Change Biology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Resources Policy and Review of Urban and Regional Development Studies. He has published a book on the Bangladesh economy: Foreign Exchange and Trade Policy Issues in a Developing Economy: The Case of Bangladesh.