Read a little about our history

Lumec was founded in early 2016 by Joanne Parker and Paul Jones, two development economists with a passion for tackling complex social and economic questions. Over time, they became increasingly frustrated with the fact that research conducted rarely transferred into action or impacted the lives of citizens. They decided that the best way to address these frustrations was to create their own organisation. 

They both recognised the importance of building a company that can provide innovative and sustainable analyses, using relevant research methodologies and technology to ensure that research outcomes are practically implementable. They also felt it was important to have an open approach to research which is underpinned by inclusivity and transparency. 

The name Lumec is a combination of the word ‘lumin’, meaning light in Latin, and ‘economics’ and reflected their desire to bring an innovative, alternative perspective and approach to economics in the country. 

Over the first 6 years, they worked on a wide range of projects and built a strong reputation for providing informed economic solutions that are relevant, data-driven and practically implementable. In June 2022, Joanne decided to pursue an opportunity as Cities Programme Lead at Open Cities Lab. Paul saw this as an opportunity to reflect and refocus, and Lumec 2.0 was born. 

Combining extensive experience and a passion for the environment and people, Lumec continues to provide research and project management services to support evidence-based decision making in green and circular economy projects.