The Rhona Morrell Podcast

#Ep 92 This will be my last podcast for a little while, so thought I would end on a super positive high with the incredible Paul Goodenough, a true storyteller, narrator and positive genius. Paul brings together a new narrative around some of the common problems in today's society and with a huge dollop of humour. I LOVED recording this session with Paul and it really gave me the boost I needed, thank you Paul.

Paul is an award-winning, purpose-driven storyteller and entrepreneur, working in the environmental, charity, peace-building and entertainment sectors.

For over two decades, Goodenough has founded and led top-flight creative agencies. He launched his first digital agency, Aerian Studios, at the age of 18, enlisting older family and friends to pose as him at meetings, convinced potential clients would be put off by his youth. 

Aerian Studios went on to become one of the most respected agencies in the UK, creating industry-leading campaigns, websites, products and mobile apps for the BBC, CNN, Warner Bros, Sky, Vodafone, BAFTA, the UK Government and many more.

In 2011, Goodenough founded the production company GBK Hybrid with Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz and Iron Giant and Disney animator Richard Bazley. Goodenough was nominated for an Emmy in 2015 for his work as a producer on the 2015 multi-award-winning TV Movie Lost Treasure Hunt.

In 2019, Goodenough co-founded Rewriting Earth (formerly Rewriting Extinction).  Now an independent charity, Rewriting Earth began as a 12-month cross-charity project raising money and awareness for the climate and biodiversity crisis, using the powerful storytelling medium of comics and videos.  Goodenough single-handedly forged collaborations between 300+ celebrities, comic artists and experts to create high-impact environmental stories that deliver clear information to mainstream audiences.

Within 12 months, Rewriting Earth raised £1.54m for the different charities involved, helping to protect 662 species with important milestones, like helping the World Land Trust purchase and protect Guatemala’s Laguna Grande Reserve.  The project was recognised for reaching a wide, global audience, attaining over 150 million engagements with people not traditionally engaged in environmental issues.

The truth behind the rhetoric - in this episode we can get the chance to hear from others who have had the unfortunate experience of Stephen Fern.

Thank you for your bravery in coming forward, I know the fear of association, fear of reputational risk and embarrassment was too great for so many others to speak out, which we all understand.

As always please ensure you do your due diligence. You may want to check to see if you are connected to this man on LinkedIn.

You can find out more about this individual on my LinkedIn posts and more importantly what you can't find online, are any accounts, any team, websites, or delivered projects.

I had the pleasure of being introduced to Anna earlier this year and knew I had to get Anna and Tarek on the show, in this episode we talk about funding, activism, supporting causes and elevating voices.

So, who are The Movements Trust:

FISCAL SPONSORSHIP We provide unincorporated or non-charity movements access to our charitable status in order to qualify for funding and other services.

RE-GRANTING We advocate for trust-based, and movement-friendly grant making and pilot grant making with movements to find a methodology that genuinely helps them

NETWORKING MOVEMENTS We connect movements to each other and to sources of support to amplify their impact and get them to help they need to thrive Anna has worked throughout her career for social justice. She started out as a community organiser building community-led housing, food banks and welcome services for people seeking refuge in the UK, and on human rights education, political and community participation, including citizens’ assemblies and community-led inquiries. She moved into human rights advocacy, both in the UK and internationally, including as CEO of a global movement to end violence against children. She joined the Movements Trust in June 2022 and is committed to a movement-centred approach, to foster collaboration and remove the barriers to accessing funding, advice and infrastructure.

Tarek works as Head of ESG at an investment bank and brings a wealth of experience in sustainable finance and corporate strategy at a senior management level from two investment banks. He has a passion for climate action as well as inclusion & diversity, and he also brings experience as a former Co-Chair of an EMEA-level gender equality network. Tarek is keen to explore how new audiences can learn from effective people-powered movements - he looks forward to partnering with innovative movements to create a positive impact.

Fantastic talking with Jonathan about his extensive experience in manufacturing, supply chain, waste and all things recycling and social impact.

Jonathan Wragg is the Global Sustainability Director at Prominate. He has extensive experience of with governments, blue chip corporations and household brands on packaging, recycling, environmental impact, and the supply chain. In 2023, Jonathan was ranked 12th in the Resource Magazine Hot 100 of the most influential professionals in waste, recycling, and sustainability. Over his career, Jonathan has gained a worldwide reputation for helping eliminate greenwashing, whilst also working alongside global brands to advise on what he sees as the lack of clear knowledge sharing between manufacturing and the waste and recycling industries.

Great to catch up and discuss different perspectives with Dr Judith Curry is the President and co-founder of the Climate Forecast Applications Network (CFAN).  She is Professor Emerita at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she served as Chair of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences for 13 years. Her expertise is in climate dynamics, extreme weather, and prediction/predictability. Curry is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Geophysical Union. 

 Following an influential career in academic research and administration, Curry founded CFAN to translate cutting-edge weather and climate research into forecast products and services that support the management of weather and climate risk for public and private sector decision-makers.  Curry is a leading global thinker on climate change. She is frequently called upon to give U.S. Congressional testimony and serve as an expert witness on matters related to weather and climate. Her influential blog Climate Etc. addresses leading-edge and controversial topics about climate change and the science-policy interface. Her new book is Climate Uncertainty and Risk - Rethinking the climate change problem, the risks we are facing, and how we can respond.

BIO: Educated in architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, my professional path has been shaped by a deep commitment to environmental and social responsiveness. My focus extends to exploring and operationalizing the concept of planetary boundaries, with a keen interest in alternative hedonism and the principles of degrowth.

In spearheading projects like the Reduction Roadmap, Living Places, and Urban Villages, my aim has been to transform theoretical ideas into practical, impactful solutions. These initiatives reflect my belief in creating work that is simple, emotionally engaging, and actionable

As you will know I recently travelled to Innsbruck, Austria to attend the Skinnovation 10-year Festival of Innovation of Skis. This event brings female founders, investors, start-ups, speakers and NOW podcasters to the slopes, in this stunning location and unique way to do business and networking.

It was also a privilege to be able to be a speaker on the Sustainability Panel and loved seeing such a large audience.

This is a special edition 1 Hour 13mins with 3 incredible guests.

Firstly, Kim Wlach from Berg-Macher. We discuss transformational change and sustainability.

Secondly, David Lowe, Co-Founder of Everdrop and all things packaging, challenges and the future of cleaning products.

Last, but by no means least, the formidable Nadja King & Anna Breidt, Co-Founders of OYESS Beauty, talk about all things supply chain, past learnings and how to apply sustainability to the next generation of beauty products.

Sadly we were only able to audio record, so I can't bring you the magic of the location and the slopes, BUT hoping that next year we will have video too, please enjoy

Amazing talking to Kieron on how he is approaching a smarter way for global consumption through technology.

Kieron started Freer in 2019 out of a real-life need and realised that many others had the same requirement - to use products only when required rather than owning them and having them sit idle for 99% of the time. Whilst the idea germinated, was researched and brought to fruition, Kieron called upon his 20-year career in project and programme management to bring the skills required of discipline, determination and resilience to cut through many of the challenges along the way including COVID lockdowns (rather tricky to encourage people to go to each other’s houses in the middle of a killer pandemic), a dysfunctioning app delivered by an overseas 3rd party and a plethora of naysayers who said it’d never work. Kieron says his ability to persevere, keep focused and always be positive comes from his previous career as an engineer in the British Army. Kieron is trying to build Freer as a force for change in the way we consume everyday items and is convinced that by combining community action, connectivity and convenience we can use and consume items in a much smarter, economically and socially responsible way.

I finally get to catch up with Karen as we discuss the 1 BIllion Trees projection in Dubai, its impacts, and the project's future plans.

Karen Bio:

Climate change represents one of the greatest challenges of our era but with it comes unparalleled opportunities for innovation and growth. As CEO of The Storey Group and Board Member of several amazing start-ups, I have had the pleasure of steering and overseeing several projects that leverage innovative, sustainable technologies to combat climate change and drive economic development. We're not just adapting to change but driving it, transforming each challenge into an exciting venture.

Together we can turn the tide on climate change while building a brighter future for the generations to come.

Delighted to welcome Florent to the show and be able to showcase the amazing work that PROTECT AND RESTORE NATURE: ACCION ANDINA do.

Florent Kaiser, CEO of Global Forest Generation, is a passionate conservation entrepreneur on a mission to implement effective solutions to scale up the restoration and protection of the world's forest ecosystems. He is on the Advisory Board of the World Economic Forum's 1t.org Trillion Tree Campaign. As a member of the Board of the Global Partnership for Landscape Restoration, Florent represents GFG's work with catalytic on-the-ground implementers.

I had to get Keiron back on the show, his honest and no BS approach to what he is doing and achieving is what we need. I wanted to explore further the technology he has launched in the form of an app and how that is attacking the waste issue and empowering locals in Indonesia and across the globe.

Bio As the Commissioner, and Director of Ocean Integrity at Ocean Integrity Group, I lead a global organization that aims to reduce ocean plastic pollution and create a positive social impact. We partner with the commercial fishing industry, local communities, and governments to implement our patented technology that collects and recycles plastic waste from the oceans while providing opportunities and empowerment for the economic indigenous people in developing countries.

Nothing like getting together and really calling things as they are, this episode was a breath of fresh air as we talked about some uncomfortable truths.

As the Commissioner, Director of Ocean Integrity at Ocean Integrity Group, I lead a global organization that aims to reduce ocean plastic pollution and create positive social impact. We partner with the commercial fishing industry, local communities and governments to implement our patented technology that collects and recycles plastic waste from the oceans while providing economic opportunities and empowerment for the indigenous people in developing countries.
Before joining Ocean Integrity Group in May 2023, I founded and led Oceans Integrity, a company that shares the same vision and mission. Under my leadership, Oceans Integrity won multiple awards, secured a large contract with a major fishing corporation, and expanded its operations to four continents. I am also a speaker and mentor, sharing my expertise and insights on sustainability, innovation, and social entrepreneurship with various audiences and platforms. I have a high school diploma from Dungarvan CBS, where I developed my core competencies in new business development, process improvement, and social networking. I am passionate about ocean conservation and making a difference in the world.

I'm finishing out 2023 with the amazing Christain Schmitz, we talk about passion, impact, collaboration and The Earthshot Prize, from an official nominator perspective.

Founder at PDIE Group | Official Earthshot Prize Nominator | Investor | CEO at Aventa - Smart Marketing & Lifestyle | CMO at DCX - Rice Exchange and Fertilizer Exchange

I started my career in the agrochemicals divisions of Bayer and BASF becoming a rice crop expert. While holding numerous global and local management positions my work on high-level development projects brought me to almost every rice-producing country in the world.

Visiting local farmer communities and research facilities in developing and developed countries gave me a thorough image of all facets of rice production. After ten years in the agrochemicals business, I became marketing director for Henkel and Japan country manager for the German furniture brand hülsta. Since 2009, I have been managing my boutique consulting firm Aventa providing services for international and Japanese corporations. I also took part in a social media venture called Quchy and invested in two startups by myself. At the moment, I represent the World Innovations Forum/Society3 in Japan. This organization aims to build a global innovation ecosystem to help entrepreneurs and corporate intrapreneurs succeed in bringing their ideas to market.

I am fascinated by the new possibilities of blockchain and joint Rice Exchange as CMO and Head of Asia. This company will create a global trade platform for rice and will bring more transparency, efficiency and liquidity to the 450 bn USD global rice market. 

In this episode, I talk with Marco, about the vital importance of gathering and collaborating on data, across various metrics for the SDG's. We look at his successes and frustrations in building NOAH. and some honest discussions about our sector.

Marco Bio: As the Chief Executive Officer of NOAH Conference, I have over 14 years of experience in bringing technology and financial markets together to develop the natural capital sector. I lead a team of passionate professionals who organize and host Europe's premier event for digital growth and sustainability companies and investors.
With a background in banking, entrepreneurship, and private equity, I have a strong track record of advising and facilitating mergers and acquisitions, capital raisings, and exits for some of the most innovative and impactful firms in the digital space. I leverage my skills in new business development, deal sourcing, and negotiation to create value and opportunities for the NOAH community. My mission is to foster a vibrant and diverse ecosystem that supports the growth and transformation of the digital economy.

This Ep was inspired by Jack Sim and a mutual meeting of the minds for getting sh!t done, Laura Korculanin focussed on water and sanitation in the developing world and here we talk about some of the factors, studies and things we can do to help. BIO:Laura Korčulanin is a pioneer design anthropologist, environmental advocate and water expert. Her long-year passion for water and systemic changes culminates in her founding of the project Give a Shit, a regenerative innovation agency focusing on integrated water solutions and ecological sanitation. She has over 15 years of international experience (Europe, Mexico, New York) as a consultant for impact innovation and sustainability to governments, industry, businesses, and NGOs. From 2016 on she worked as an invited professor at IADE-UE and has created sustainability programs and courses as a visiting professor at John Jay College NYC, Ironhack and Ibero Americana, CDMX. Laura has paved the way for the establishment of business anthropology and holistic design practice in Europe as part of the direction board of Applied Anthropology Network (AAN) and curator of I’MPULSE sessions; Design by Nature. She was a co-founder of Frequency Village, a regenerative community intentional space in the Azores, Portugal, and head of regeneration for the newly established Spatial Innovation Network - SPINN

I’ve been following Jack for a while now, and his vision, determination, storytelling, and compassion really blew me away, so I’m delighted to share this episode with Jack Sim AKA Mr Toilet Man #legend Globally known as Mr Toilet, Jack Sim is a Serial Entrepreneur with 16 businesses turned Serial Social Entrepreneur with 8 social businesses. He retired at age 40 to devote his full time to changing the world. The first step in that journey was that he founded the Restroom Association of Singapore in 1998 and World Toilet Organisation in 2001. He also created UN World Toilet Day 19 Nov. His experiences range from Mass Resource Mobilization Movements, Market Ecosystem Building, Media Communication, and Motivational speaking to Teaching at Singularity University, and Adjunct Associate Professor at NUS and Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. His next steps are to mobilize, align, and facilitate global stakeholders towards transforming 4 billion low-income demography into a massively efficient marketplace.

Delighted to bring this sponsored episode with Robin Edwards and greenIT, to talk about social and environmental impact through technology and some great hints on how you can join in too. Robin Edwards is on a mission to foster positive social and environmental impact through the application of technology! From a young age, Robin developed a profound appreciation for the natural world and the imperative of its preservation. Growing up in the scenic Himalayan foothills, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes and abundant wildlife, he was deeply influenced to value and protect the environment. In 2017, Robin established greneIT, blending his veneration for nature with two decades of experience in systems development and IT expertise. His vision for greneIT was to create a more user-friendly IT landscape while championing environmentally sustainable and ethical business practices. Today, Robin collaborates with conscious individuals and entrepreneurs who share his concerns for the planet, working together to make a positive social and environmental impact through their technological endeavors.

Delighted to welcome back Dinis to the podcast, this time we talk about all things technology and the future of Humanity. Dinis Guarda was born in Portugal. He earned his BA in Languages and Literature from the Universidade de Lisboa between 1992 and 1997 and achieved a Master's in New Media from London South Bank University in 2011. Dinis has lived in Sweden and worked in Denmark prior to moving definitely to London. Dinis started his professional career back in Portugal in 1997 as the Founder Member of the cultural organization Número – Arte e Cultura and created the arts and fashion magazine NumeroMagazine between Lisbon and Paris with Didier Fiuza Faustino. From then on he has held multiple positions in his professional career including Curator and Project Manager for the Portuguese Presidency of Republic in 2006 and 2007. He also has multiple ventures including fashionabc.org- a social impact blockchain fashion directory platform, techabc.org a 4IR – digital transformation blockchain, AI, and Fintech fund. openbusinesscouncil.org- the business B2B wiki directory and search engine – a new financial blockchain AI empowerment platform and fintech marketplace. Dinis has been recognized as a leading global blockchain personality in social media by data analytics report by RightRelevance search engine platform Blockchain (Aug 1 – Sep 20): Twitter Analysis, using the following methodology ‘topical influence’ or Tribes by measuring the quality of network connections within the context of a ‘topic’ and ‘engagement influence’ or Flocks by measuring quality and quantity of engagements (RTs, mentions, replies), reach of tweets etc. within the context of an event or trend. This report highlights his digital presence as the number one personality in the world during the time of the study. Dinis Guarda is listed in various global fintech, blockchain, AI, and social media industry top lists as an influencer in position top 5/10/20 within global first 100 rankings as well as being highlighted in some of the lists as Cointelegraph’s Top People In Blockchain, Rise Global’s The Artificial Intelligence Power 100 and he is ranked or listed as one of the most influential people in Blockchain in the world by Right Relevance and as “30 Most Influential People in the Blockchain Space” by Crypto Compare.

Following on from Ep 71 when we discussed how the West Green Policies are impacting Africa, Hugo and I started to explore the geopolitical issues with the energy transition, please enjoy this ep and the discussion.

Hügo Krüger is a YouTube podcaster, writer, and civil nuclear engineer who has worked on a variety of energy-related infrastructure projects ranging from Nuclear Power, LNG, and Renewable Technologies. He holds a Master’s in Nuclear Civil Engineering from École Spéciale des Travaux Publics, du bâtiment et de l’industrie, Paris and a bachelor’s from the University of Pretoria.

I had just finished reading Post Growth when I saw Jef's LinkedIn post and article and I wanted to chat about it, this episode looks at what degrowth, or as Jef puts it 𝐈𝐬 "𝐃𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡" 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲? Jef Teugels is a Planet and People-First Solutions Designer driven by his desire to assist business leaders with an intention and positively contribute to today's dynamic global environment. He is convinced that businesses, from corporations to micro-companies, can create a new era of environmental responsibility and social advancement. His innovative sustainability approach is driven by his understanding of both theory and practice. He currently acts as sustainability adviser to ‘rpc’ - a BMW Group and H&Z joint venture. Furthermore, he is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cumbria and teaches classes at the Krakow School of Business of the Krakow University of Economics.

In today's episode, Jennifer and I talk about Regenerative Communities and Ecosystems. Jennifer is a serial entrepreneur with a diverse background spanning from management consulting for tech-start ups, launching her own mobile start-up to owning and operating a high-end residential construction company, that is leading large-scale residential remodel projects and large-scale renovations. Today, she is a leading voice in the built environment for sustainability and circularity and leading the transition to net zero in the built environment for existing and new construction under WerkWell.

In this episode, Paul and I discuss how the global North Green Policies are keeping Africa poor.

Paul Hinks is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of The Symbion Group, a US power investor that develops, finances, constructs, and operates electrical power infrastructure in the developing world.

In Africa, the Group has so far invested in 1,400 MW of generation capacity and constructed over 3,000 km of transmission and distribution. Its latest venture ‘MyHydro' is a scalable, continent-wide, 24/7, affordable power solution for off-the-grid customers using next-gen technologies from the United States. Additionally, Paul is Chairman of Invest Africa US.

Symbion was one of the largest US firms contracted by the US government in Iraq and it is now one of the largest US investors in the power sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. As the driving force behind The Symbion Group, Paul has spent his entire working life in the power industry. His career spans 40 years and during this period, he has worked in the United Kingdom, the United States, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. He is an often sought-after expert based on his experiences as an investor in the power sector.

Jed was introduced to me as someone I should chat to and read his book, which I did, so was delighted to have Jed on the show. Jed is presently Chief Impact Officer for Alvarium Tiedemann AlTi. www.alti-global.com. His professional development and experience have ranged from nonprofit to philanthropic to financial investing and sustainable for-profit business development.

For access to previous writings and background, please see www.blendedvalue.org. For information on and a free ebook copy of my latest book, please see www.purposeofcapital.org. Jed has held academic appointments at Harvard, Stanford and Oxford Business Schools.

He was the founding director of both REDF and Larkin Youth Services and focused much of his work on acting as a strategic adviser and consultant to individuals and philanthropic institutions seeking to leverage the greatest impact and performance (financial, social and environmental) from their investments and management of organizations (for-profit and non-profit). He is mostly interested in how to create total, blended value through maximizing the performance of capital, companies (nonprofit and for-profit) and communities.

Specialities: Impact Investing; Performance Metrics; Sustainable Investing; Social Return on Investment; Engaged Philanthropy; Strategic Thinking and Development

After reading Earth4All and discovering the Club of Rome, I knew I had to get some of the authors onto the show, this is the 1st in 3 episodes with authors of the Earth4All Book and I am delighted to start with Anders Wijkman. Anders Wijkman is an opinionmaker and author. He is the Honorary President of the Club of Rome and Chair of the Governing Board of Climate-KIC – the largest public-private partnership on innovation for low-carbon solutions in the EU. He is a member of the International Resource Panel. During 2015-2016 he chaired the Swedish Cross-party Committee on Environmental Objectives, responsible for developing Sweden´s long-term strategy on Climate Change.

Anders has served as a Member of the European Parliament, as Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Policy Director of UNDP, as Secretary General of the Swedish Red Cross, as Secretary General of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and as Director General of SAREC (the Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing Countries).

Anders is a member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences as well as the Swedish Royal Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, the World Future Council and the World Academy of Arts and Science. Anders is an honorary doctor at Linköping University (2011). #earth4all #iregen #clubofrome #toolittletoolate #giantleap #planetaryboundaries

In this episode with Saul, we talk about the continued challenges of getting funded for proven climate tech and empowering the global south. We discuss the lack of climate literacy and short-term thinking about investment opportunities. Saul is currently the CFO of SunExchange with 20 Years of Experience helping young companies in tech, manufacturing, retail, and services to scale and succeed via building out back-office Fin-Ops solutions that scale and support the overall strategic goals of the company. He has ample experience in various fields like Financial Modeling, Legal Compliance, Accounting, Business Processes, HR, and Strategy

In this episode, Im excited to have a great conversation with Tom about one of the hottest topics; Hydrogen Energy. I met Thomas at COP27 and was keen to build my knowledge of all things hydrogen, green, and blue and his plans for the future of hydrogen.

He started out his journey way back in 1990 as a Design Engineer in the R&D Department of BMW, after graduating from the Munich University of Applied Sciences with a particular focus on technical Physics. During this period he was heavily involved in developing two generations of hydrogen vehicles. From 2001, he led the BMW Research Department for fuel cell technology, before relocating to California in 2006, where he was a project Manager responsible for the BMW North America H2 Vehicle and Filling Station Programme.

He moved to Alset and took up the role of Vice-President for Technology and Innovation, and this experience helped him hone his skills for later establishing his own start-up KEYOU. As the Founder and CEO, this is where he is now turning his dream of sustainable and clean hydrogen engines into a reality.

In this episode, I got the chance to talk with Michael Rada about all things waste, and why it is happening? some facts, and of course discussed solutions for the same. Mr. Rada is an experienced business professional equipped with 30+ years of rich business experience. Back in 2013 he invented and developed the systematic waste prevention methodology called INDUSTRIAL UPCYCLING and started to implement it in the real business and industrial environment of Czechia. Two years later INDUSTRIAL UPCYCLING becomes the groundstone of INDUSTRY 5.0 which was launched on December 1st, 2015 by a published article named INDUSTRY 5.0 FROM VIRTUAL TO PHYSICAL. Mr. Rada has held regular webinars and talks of Universities, Schools, and Events all over the Globe and INDUSTRY 5.0 become part of the EUROPEAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK introduced by the EUROPEAN COMMISSION so as it resonates at the ground of UNITED NATIONS conference on October 19, 2021. In 2020 INDUSTRY 5.0 was named one of the TOP TEN INDUSTRIAL TRENDS of the DECADE. **INDUSTRY 5.0 SELF ASSESSMENT FORM that will help listeners to see if INDUSTRY 5.0 is applicable and which impact it can have. It can be downloaded here - https://www.waste-prevention.com/industry-5-0-self-assesment-form/

In this podcast episode, I had loads of good time conversing with Felipe, who is a passionate Agribusiness Expert and whom I also met during the COP27!  

He is also the founder of reNature, a Dutch organization with extensive knowledge & experience in Regenerative Agriculture around the globe.   He is also the lead author at UN Environment for their GEO for a Business brief on “The changing role of Business in Transforming Food Systems” and part of the Leadership Team at the UN Food Systems Summit 2021.  

 Felipe’s ambition is to engage international corporations to make a transition in their agricultural practices using successful regenerative agri showcases that ensure economic viability and farmers' resilience.

In this podcast, I'm excited to talk to Rene about all things decarbonization and Carbon Markets.  

Rene began his career in environmental markets back in 2008, starting in advisory and intermediary roles. He has advised clients throughout on the development and implementation of net zero strategies at Climate Friendly and First Climate, before joining CBL in 2015 where, as Head of Global Carbon, he has overseen the exchange’s growth and helped establish CBL as the premier marketplace in the voluntary carbon market.  

Since 2015, he has played an active role in helping to build capacity within the aviation sector, as the industry prepared to launch the first sectoral-based emissions trading system for international aviation—the Carbon Offset Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)  Rene also led the transformation of the commoditization of the VCM having developed the specifications of the GEO, N-GEO, and C-GEO benchmark contracts which are traded via CBL’s spot market as well as CME Futures.  

He has worked across 4 continents, and speaks 3 languages fluently!

In this podcast episode, I get the chance to talk about the thought-leading & positive work that EPIC group is doing in the world of garment manufacturing and sustainability with the incredible Ranjan Mahtani!

Born and raised in Mumbai, India. At the age of 16, he started “cutting his teeth” in the garment industry, working as an intern at a garment export company in 1980, and was already learning the business in Hong Kong and Taiwan.  

In 1983, he started EPIC Group, as a small buying office in Bangladesh, an emerging country where he saw an opportunity for huge growth to become a global apparel industry powerhouse. From his modest vision of attaining $ 100k in revenues within a four-year horizon, Ranjan grew the business to where it is today, four decades later, producing over 120 million pieces of the garment a year and employing over 30,000 people in Bangladesh, making EPIC one of the largest apparel manufacturers in the world. In 1997, EPIC set up its global headquarters in Hong Kong.  

Helena started her career eager to find solutions to the world's most pressing global issues by working at The Clinton Foundation and at Ashoka. Excited by the impact of technology on every aspect of life she then worked for Techstars and Big Data for Humans.

Today she is on a mission to accelerate the transition to impact and sustainability as the default way of investing.
She currently works for Top Tier Impact the global ecosystem for impact leaders where she oversees membership and programming. She is also an angel investor in alternative protein and climate tech.

Helena and I (Rhona) first met on a panel that she was moderating and ever since we have been following each other's journey. 

In this episode we discuss Impact Investing and Female Investors.

Marie-Josée is responsible for ESG Innovation at Novisto Inc., a next-generation sustainability management platform empowering companies to better manage and create value from their ESG data, reporting, and strategy. 

Marie-Josee draws on nearly 30 years of experience in capital markets, namely as a sell-side Financial Analyst and Head of research, as Director of Investor Relations for a publicly listed company, and as ESG Advisor to companies and investors.  As a topic that has had much debate about its value and credibility and the ever-changing world of ESG data and reporting, it was great to debate the validity and importance of this subject with the incredible Marie  #esg 

#sustainability #investing #greeninitiatives #greeninvestment

My last podcast for 2022 and I couldn't be happier that's it's with Ilkay my partner in crime at COP27. We discuss our experience and what we feel needs changing, enjoy and happy New Year to all my amazing listeners.

In this episode, I interact with Gaetan Cuvillier.

He is a Social entrepreneur at heart with a passion for the environment and its conservation.

It's interesting that he started off his journey by living off-grid as a kid which taught him freedom, and he has been chasing the feeling ever since!

He has about 10 plus years of experience as a solar developer before and that's when he felt that the climate change problem wasn’t being addressed at the source.

With that inspiration, he created The OAK Network, to ensure future generations can prosper in a green and sustainable future for all, powered by nature.

The OAK network uses data to ensure humans, nature, and tech can thrive in a NET ZERO future by enabling a sustainable approach that puts People, Planet, and Profit in that order

In this podcast, I had a lovely chat with Minou who is the founder of The Green Sprint, where she accelerates and facilitates change.    

Minou helps teams to rethink & redesign products and business models to be regenerative and future-proof.  

She all topics from her interest in impact from a young age and how regenerative has always been the default model of nature. She also shares some of her tips for dealing with Climate Anxiety ;)

David is a serial social entrepreneur who creates highly collaborative communities that work together on projects leading to the ecological regeneration of the earth!

In conversation with David Hodgson: This episode is an inspiration for action-orientated connectivity, and David is amazing at connecting people and passions that benefit the planet

Cherique Pohl is a South African wildlife conservation impact producer and documentary producer/director with fourteen years in UK mainstream television at National Geographic Television International and the BBC Natural History Unit. 

Having witnessed the utter beauty and over-exploitation of our wildlife and wild places, Cherique founded IMPACTWILD, a Bristol-based impact company that utilizes the power of storytelling to action change at the heart of the biodiversity crisis.

Catch the latest episode of the podcast with Cherique in which she shares her experience as a wildlife conservationist and her journey on this path.

Great to have Rob Hesrsov back on the show, this time talking all about New South Africa and the plans to create a DAO (decentralized automated organization) by using the blockchain, to drive transparency and accountability.  Please check out the website to see more about the 15 values and principles of New South Africa. 

Robert, 59, is a South African entrepreneur, senior executive, and private investor based in Cape Town. 

He serves as Chairman and Chief Executive of Invest Africa (founder), Chairman of African Capital Investments (founder), Chairman of AltCapInvest (founder), deputy Chairman of VistaJet, and Chairman of AON South Africa.

He has been focused on investing in Africa, a continent close to his heart given his South African upbringing and family ties. He has also made investments on the continent and has close relationships with businesses across Africa. 

In 2013, Rob saw an opportunity to create a platform for the growing number of individuals becoming involved in pan-African investments and founded Invest Africa. He also founded African Capital Investments to build an Africa-focused investment platform. More recently he founded AltCapInvest, an international Family Office advisory and placement firm which is growing rapidly.

Well, who knew Whale Poo had such powers! In this episode starring Jill Storey and Dr. Edwina Tanner, we have a fascinating conversation about WhaleX Project, as a part of the Elon Musk challenge, and the global importance of ocean nourishment.

More about the guests:

1. Jill Storey has 25 years of experience working in the international consulting field having been a partner with Andersen, Deloitte, and KPMG  in the UK,  Hong Kong, and  Australia. She is currently the Strategy and Innovation Advisor to the Ocean Nourishment Corporation and a member of the WhaleX team.

She is also on the World Ocean Council (WOC) Associate for Ocean CO2 Removal (CDR) and Blue Carbon, and a Director at the crowdfunding platform ReadyFundGo.

She is focused on the opportunity the oceans present for climate strategy and how carbon pricing and financial interventions can play a role in assisting organizations and governments to move the dial more rapidly to net zero.

Jill has a background as a qualified Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Taxation specialist, with an MBA and a Master’s in Environmental Science.

2. Dr. Edwina Tanner holds a lot of reputable and prestigious positions such as the Project Manager of WhaleX at Ocean Nourishment Corporation, Project Manager of World Harbour Project at Sydney Institute of Marine Science, and an Associate Lecturer at the University of Sydney.

Her research is in climate science with a focus on carbon emissions, budgets, and dynamics in estuaries as well as large-scale carbon dioxide removal based on phytoplankton and what whales do in the ocean

Anna Poberezhna is a Sustainable development enthusiast and a Tech Entrepreneur. She is the founder of ClearHub / Smart4tech which is mainly into reimagining resources, industrials & infrastructure to rebuild peace, security & prosperity. To add to her awesomeness she Co-designed & Co-developed ventures across 5 industries over the last 5️ years ranging from idea to pilot to MVP, - to launch including award-winning projects and start-ups worth over £40M today. She also Co-designed/developed 1st ground-breaking green development in Ukraine and Co-negotiated a $520M sustainable infra development Ukraine-Saudi deal.

Apart from these accomplishments, she dawns many hats as a Mentor, Published Author, Speaker, Life-Lover, and Daughter.

She is also a part of the Sustainable Finance Live initiative, Blockchain Climate Institute, Mentor @ SWAN, Women in Mining, Responsible materials, Minerals diplomacy, TEDx, Responsible Finance, IWWA, UN COP24 (SIF Forum), Bloomberg Environment, Global Water Intelligence, The Water Report UK and EBRD publications and discussions.

She was the 1st Ukrainian woman recognized for exceptional Digital talent by the UK Government (1 out of 3000 in 2016).

In this podcast with Rhona, she discusses various topics like Beyond rainbow washing - delivering real sustainable options, creating lasting wealth for All, How unsustainable the current Investment Trend has been, and how over-extraction of resources including water is a serious concern.

Incredible to chat with Erika, based in Singapore, we discussed all things regenerative small holdings and future plans. Erika is a purpose-driven thought leader in agriculture, ex-corporate marketeer, entrepreneur, and consultant. With over 20 years of experience in agriculture, she worked in corporates, NGOs, governments, consultancy, and start-ups. Erika holds an MBA (Netherlands) and an MPA from Harvard University.

Erika has worked across Europe, Africa, and Asia developing and implementing impactful projects in climate-smart agriculture focusing on smallholder farmers.

Mid 2021 Erika founded The Sustainable Smallholder, an expert platform for thought leadership, advisory, and training. The platform works with the private sector, social enterprises, and start-ups to help transition to sustainable, profitable, innovative agriculture models.

The Sustainable Smallholder’s fundamental belief is that the risk for smallholders to change is too high; unless we deeply listen to them and co-create sustainable solutions and implementation models with them, the adoption rates will remain low.

In parallel Erika also serves on the Board of Advisors for many other social enterprise start-ups.

With a few 'other side of the world lags in sound' It was amazing to char with Erin on all things degrowth the climate and the myths.  “Erin Remblance is a Sydney-based mother-of-three. She is a freelance writer and studying wellbeing economies.”  A personal story that can be found in many people around the world, not willing to do nothing, enjoy the conversation

Blown away by Sonny, his team and all that FORUS stands for, so excited to see where this goes and how communities all over Africa and the world will benefit.  Sonny is the Founder of FORUS. He conceived the idea of FORUS, derived from his passion for financial inclusion, small business funding, and technology that works for people. He has spent the past decade working and collaborating with partners across the globe to develop the FORUS eco-system for launch.

Firstly THANK YOU to Simon for his professionalism and utter patience with my epic technical issues!!!  In this podcast, we talked about all things conservation its current and future challenges, and how Simon and the team at The Elizabeth Shannon Foundation have got solutions and an action plan. Simon is CEO of the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation and is a socially and environmentally-minded brand and business strategist with an insatiable desire for outdoor adventure and a deep passion for protecting the world’s wildlife and wild places through the upliftment of its indigenous people.

With more than 20 years of strategy experience, Simon has successfully delivered strategies to some of the biggest brands in the luxury goods, vehicles, wine, real estate, financial services and tourism sectors. He has also delivered strategies for Africa Geographic magazine, WWF, Ogilvy Earth, Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s African Leadership Institute, the Volvo Ocean Race and others in the conservation and NGO space.

This vast experience has seen Simon well-positioned to co-author GiveTec, an emerging company that aims to disrupt traditional charitable giving methodologies. By utilizing proprietary technology to improve charitable investments, the company offers cause-based investors a strategic service that ensures measurable impact and the long-term sustainability of their social and environmental philanthropic partnerships.

Simon is also an award winner in magazine publishing and is the founder of the Art Of Conservation Podcast, the number 1 nature and conservation podcast in 8 countries and ranked in a further 30 around the world.

What a drop the mic moment when you really delve into the impact of your actions, investments, or business practices!  Amazing to talk to Gail Hurley who joined Tobacco Free Portfolios in February 2021 as TFP’s UK/Europe Advocate to advance tobacco-free finance with UK and European financial institutions. Gail worked for the United Nations Development Programme for 10 years as a Senior Policy Advisor on Development Finance in New York and has also held roles in the non-profit sector where she continues to serve in several Board and advisory roles. In addition to her position at TFP, she is a Fellow with Development Initiatives, an international development organisation.

In her work for the UN, Gail led a team which worked to develop the world’s first tobacco control social impact bond for smallholder tobacco farmers in Zambia to support them to transition to alternative livelihoods (see here and here). She saw firsthand how tobacco cultivation traps poor communities in poverty and contributes to deforestation and poor health and nutritional outcomes in the communities that farm it. By developing and investing in financial instruments that make a positive social and environmental impact, the financial sector can become part of the solution. Gail is passionate about international development and environmental conservation, particularly the world’s oceans where she has also championed awareness in the investment community of a sustainable ocean economy and opportunities for innovative new finance approaches. She has worked in several countries.

Gail has written extensively on sustainable finance and international development over the years, and has contributed articles and chapters to several journals and books. She has also written for many development and business media outlets on numerous sustainable finance topics.

I am hugely passionate about education and access for ALL.  As a mentor for the Prince's Trust it would be criminal for me not to bring this amazing foundation to my podcast, Pritpal is an incredible asset to the Prince's Trust and I was delighted to have him on the show.  Prit has worked at the PT for 4 years and led on several programs including Mosaic, which links young people in schools with inspirational role models to help boost their confidence and long-term employability.   Prit is currently leading on a program of activity for the Commonwealth Games (we had a great panel session on sustainability for the CWG recently too).  Prit is busy connecting international communities aged 11-30 (god I feel old!) through the global citizen education strategy.  He is also an active member of the LGBTQ+ group 'PULSE' and cultural awareness network 'PT CAN' it goes without saying Pritpal is hugely passionate about communities, social mobility, and inclusion. Enjoy, there is so much to this trust and if anyone wants to become a volunteer mentor, do reach out.

YES, we finally got signal well enough to record with Sam & Dylan as they travelled to a larger town, we talked conservation, bio-diversity, in the amazing Medre de Dios in Peru learning more about Hoja Neuva.  Samantha Zwicker is the founder and visionary behind U.S. non-profit Friends of Hoja Nueva and Peruvian non-profit Hoja Nueva. She is simultaneously completing her doctorate in the Quantitative Ecology Laboratory at the University of Washington researching felid ecology, conservation, and one health in the lower Peruvian Amazon. Sam is also a Panthera Small Cat Action Fund Grantee, a former Wild Felid Legacy Scholar, and a previous NIH Global Health Fellow.  Samantha received her bachelor’s with honors from the University’s Program on the Environment in 2012, her master’s in wildlife ecology in June of 2015, and a degree in non-profit Management in 2016.

Sam’s research involves assessing the effects of land use change on felids and their prey using camera trapping, estimating densities of regional jaguar and ocelot populations, investigating interspecific competition and spatiotemporal overlap between sympatric carnivores, and reintroducing threatened species to the wild.  

Dylan has spent six years in the Amazon, working on a broad spectrum of research & conservation projects. His primary research dedication is the ecology of reptiles & amphibians including projects like the reproductive ecology of gladiator frogs, the effect of human development on herpetofauna communities, anuran ontogenetics (frog development) in disturbed habitats, and the ecology & ethology of green anacondas. He’s collaborated in conservation efforts such as sustainable development in native communities, sustainable tourism strategies in the Amazon, and the creation of a large biological corridor. He has also worked as an educator by supervising several undergraduate dissertation projects, designing & leading student field courses, and undertaking environmental education initiatives in local villages.