Our People
We have built a strong professional team that combines technical skills and professional experience in economic and social development with sound judgement, honesty and clear thinking.
Our consultants have backgrounds in academia, economic development agencies, community organisations and the private sector, bringing a range of different perspectives to our work.
Jonathan Coburn, Associate Director
Jonathan Coburn leads our Strengthening Communities team. He is a highly experienced consultant and social researcher, who has a reputation for his expertise in the field of social enterprise and is known for his creative thinking and clear style of communication. He has experience in areas as diverse as community health, social housing, youth services, social care, community learning, ethnic minority issues, community empowerment, neighbourhood management, and environmental justice. Over the last five years he has built up a large and growing client base at EKOS – you are just as likely to find him advising large public agencies and funders as you are working with small community and voluntary organisations.
Jonathan has lived and worked in Scotland for 12 years, during which time he has set up and managed community regeneration, capacity building, and action research initiatives in some of the country’s most disadvantaged communities. Prior to joining EKOS in 2003, he was head of social economy support at Castlemilk Economic Development Agency, one of the UK’s most successful community regeneration agencies. He has an honours degree in Economics and Geography, and Masters’ degrees in Urban Development (Distinction) and Local Economic Development (Distinction).