Leo has been working with CDKN since August 2011, when he first joined the LEAD team. Initially he worked with the Global Partnerships team, after which he joined CDKN's Negotiations Support team where he currently manages a portfolio of projects providing negotiators from the poorest and most climate vulnerable countries with technical and capacity support. Previous work on CDKN has included assisting in the coordination of the CDKN Innovation Fund and Low Emissions Development Strategies (LEDS) initiative, contributing to CDKN learning strategies, and managing the redevelopment of COMPASS and the CDKN Roster of Experts.

Leo graduated from the University of Sheffield with a BA in Human Geography and an MA in International Development. Through his MA, Leo began to specialise in the relationship between climate change and development. He has spent time conducting field research in Africa and Central America examining climate-induced livelihood adaptation and the unintended negative consequences of Fairtrade accreditation. Leo has also spent time working on the international trade in endangered species at Defra and writing parliamentary responses for MPs at DfID.