Business & The Environment

Sir Tim Smit

Since it opened at the turn of the millennium, Eden has attracted millions of visitors and generated over £1bn for the local economy. Tim is now focusing on overseas projects, including plans to develop a giant botanical garden in an old industrial city in southern China. In his presentation Tim highlights the need to lead by example, to stick to principles but move out of your comfort zone, to meet challenges head on, and “to dare to be ambitious.”

Dr Gabrielle Walker

Gabrielle has dodged icebergs and pulled fresh lava from a volcano. She’s one of few strategists equipped to focus on the nexus between scientific, economic and political aspects of climate change, and how businesses achieve responsible resource-efficient growth. The ex-Princeton academic uncovers the latest research data and offers leadership tools to bring stakeholders and customers on board. She also explores how the circular economy affects investment, reputation and long-term risk.

Leo Johnson

Combining consulting, research, and presenting BBC programmes including Future Proofing and Hacking Capitalism, Leo explores change and how we respond to it. He argues that disruptive events from pandemics to new technologies give us the opportunity (even the duty) to consider, with a new perspective, environmental, social and capital imbalances. In doing so, leaders will often understand the imperative to change strategy, but will also experience the intense difficulty of realising transformation. Leo delivers a practical understanding of why change is hard and what to do about it.