Verena has over 10 years of work and research experience in the field of policy advisory/project development especially on the topics of energy efficiency: policy & finance, energy/climate policy and urban governance in the South East Asian context. In her PhD research, she explored how far the public sector can assist to optimize energy efficiency finance initiatives by analyzing in-depth two energy efficiency finance programs, one focused on ESCOs and one on banks. Previously, she has worked in Indonesia and Thailand for the German International Cooperation (GIZ) on the issues of climate change finance, cities, and climate change. She has also worked as a short-term consultant for international organizations such as GIZ Thailand; GIZ-IS, the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), UNESCAP and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Energy and the Environment on issues related to energy efficiency, policy, physical incentives, and green finance. In a 2018/19 project, she conducted a series of workshop to raise awareness and the development of EE finance mechanisms for ASEAN member states. She is also a RENAC certified Green Finance specialist.