Charles Shachinda is a Civil Engineer by background spanning 6.5 years of industry experience in the civil-water sector at both local and international levels. He holds a MSc in Engineering from University of Leeds, a joint BBA with specialisation in Business Engineering from Paris Graduate School of Management and International Trade and Higher International Management Institute, a BSc in Engineering from University of Science and Technology of Oran, and a French Language Certification from University of Annaba.
Throughout his academic and professional journey, Charles has received notable scholarships and awards, along with a global fellowship. He was a recipient of the 2024-25 University of Oxford-Blavatnik School of Government Policy Leadership Scholarship, 2020-21 Beit Trust-University of Leeds Scholarship and the 2012-2016 Zambia-Algerian Scholarship. In 2022, Charles was among the 12 young water professionals from across the globe who were awarded the International Water Association and Grundfos 'Youth Action for SDG 6' Fellowship, highlighting his dedication to addressing water challenges to achieve SDG6.
Charles has also had a number of media features and has given talks, delivered presentations and speeches as either a valedictorian, guest presenter or keynote speaker at notable in person and virtual events including in the United Kingdom and the United States, both in his individual and professional capacity.
Charles’ professional career began in the private sector for a short stint as a Site Civil Engineer for the Egyptian based Grid Technology Infrastructure Company. He then transitioned to the Zambian Local Government between 2017-20, where he served as a Senior Building Inspector and later as Deputy Director of Engineering. Over the last 3 years, Charles worked for British Water as Technical Officer – International, where he was responsible for heading up British Water's international programme. This encompassed providing technical support, leading business development engagements and managing partnerships across various regional water markets, including in SE Asia, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
Beyond his professional endeavours, Charles is a Trustee for Water for Kids, a UK-based charity providing access to water and sanitation to especially underprivileged communities in Uganda and Zambia. Charles is also a versatile individual with a passion for leadership and writing, with his works broadly intertwined between the self-development, philosophical and socio-political interfaces of contemporary literature. His debut book, Unravel The Genius In Your Story was published in 2019 and his second book, Thoughts Indulged: An Anthology of Aphorisms and Musings was published in 2024. Charles has also co-authored an academic book and paper on WASH development.
Charles’ interests span STEM, business and entrepreneurship, humanitarianism, cultural tourism, political leadership, and as well as golf, chess, swimming, and global trotting. Charles' diverse experiences, intellectual pursuits and extensive travel contribute to his unique ability to convey insightful perspectives through his talks and writings.
Charlie is a Policy Leadership Scholar.