Meet our

Speakers.

Meet our

Speakers.

Sir Richard Branson

The Virgin Group

Nisha Pillai

Lonneke Holierhoek

The Ocean Cleanup

Amy Powney

Mother of Pearl

Dr. John Demartini

Prof. Johan Rockström PhD

Richard Quest

CNN

Mandy Hickson

Dr. Martyn Newman PhD

Tara Button

BuyMeOnce

Pandit Dasa

James George

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Toby McCartney

Preethaji

O&O Academy

Andy Hibbert

Car & Away

Alistair Lobo

Larry Grant

Eden Eco Solutions

Sian Sutherland

A Plastic Planet

Sir Richard Branson

The Virgin Group

Sir Richard Branson will take part in a dynamic interview with questions posed by renowned journalist Richard Quest (CNN).Virgin is known for challenging the status quo - taking on industry giants and championing people and the planet. The Virgin Group has reached 35 countries around the world, with nearly 70,000 employees handling affairs in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada, Asia, Europe, South Africa and beyond.Our acclaimed keynote speaker, Sir Richard Branson will share learnings from his own experiences on how businesses can be a force for good and how we can make the world a better place. Branson will also reveal how he’s established pioneering systemic change beyond the Virgin Group.

Ocean Unite | Virgin Unite | Virgin Group | Investment in Sustainable Products and Future Foods | Sustainable Business Solutions

Nisha Pillai

An accomplished former news presenter with BBC World News, Nisha Pillai now specialises in moderating panel discussions and high level dialogues. Nisha has worked closely with UN agencies, scientific institutes such as CERN and with industry events in the Finance, IT and Energy sectors. An award-winning investigative journalist at Panorama, Nisha has notable investigations to her name. She was awarded the Royal Television Society’s Award for her investigation into the late Robert Maxwell.

Awaken Business Sustainability Host

Lonneke Holierhoek

The Ocean Cleanup

Lonneke Holierhoek is Director of Operations and a member of the management team at The Ocean Cleanup. She has over 20 years’ experience in the maritime and offshore construction industry, from companies such as the Dutch Dredging, offshore contractor Van Oord and Elixir Engineers. She also has a Master of Science in Technical Mathematics from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft).

Science | Ocean Solutions | Sustainable Planet

Amy Powney

Mother of Pearl

Amy Powney is Creative Director at contemporary and sustainable womenswear brand Mother of Pearl. She will share her journey and mission on how Mother of Pearl has reduced its impact on the planet. Amy has been on a mission for Mother of Pearl to reduce its impact on the planet. Her collections have been shown at London Fashion Week and Copenhagen Fashion Week and are stocked by prestigious global retailers including Net-a-Porter, Harrods, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Goop.

Sustainable Business Solutions | Women Empowerment

Dr. John Demartini

Dr. John Demartini is widely considered one of the world’s leading authorities on human behaviour and personal development. He is the founder of the Demartini Institute, a private research and education organisation with a curriculum of over 72 different courses covering multiple aspects of human development. He is an expert in all seven areas of life, the universe and values.

Sustainable Business | Leadership

Prof. Johan Rockström PhD

An internationally recognised scientist on global sustainability issues, Rockström is a consultant for several governments and business networks. He also acts as an advisor for sustainable development issues at international meetings including the World Economic Forum, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conferences (UNFCCC).

Science | Sustainable Solutions | Leadership

Richard Quest

CNN

Richard Quest is CNN’s foremost international business correspondent and anchor of Quest Means Business, the definitive word on how we earn and spend our money. Based in New York, he is one of the most instantly recognisable members of the CNN team. He has regularly reported from G20 meetings and at the Awaken Business Summit, he’ll be interviewing Sir Richard Branson.

Business Strategist | Investments | Money

Mandy Hickson

The first women in the Royal Air Force as pilot, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and trained Human Factors facilitator, Mandy will share her remarkable journey in a man’s world. Mandy will reveal her valuable experiences of decision-making under pressure, calculated risk taking and the critical role of humans in advanced systems. She gives a women empowerment speech and an awakening when it comes to how much more you can achieve when you do it together.

Women Empowerment | Gender Equality

Dr. Martyn Newman PhD

A clinical psychologist and a global authority on emotional intelligence and mindfulness, Dr. Martyn Newman is the author of the best-selling book ‘Emotional Capitalists – The Ultimate Guide to Developing Emotional Intelligence for Leaders’. Martyn’s keynotes are a lively and entertaining affair that combine a light touch with serious research based practices and techniques for improving creative thinking for leaders and emotional intelligence to act and think differently for your business or job.

Sustainable Leadership | Emotional Intelligence

Tara Button

BuyMeOnce

The Founder and CEO of BuyMeOnce, Tara Button has become a disruptive environmental voice, speaking about the crucial role of product durability and the Circular Economy at Cambridge University, UCL, LSE on CNBC, and BBC radio. Her company finds the longest lasting and most sustainable products on the planet, challenging manufacturers and campaigning for more environmentally responsible, future-proof products.

Sustainable Business Solutions | Women Empowerment

Pandit Dasa

Pandit Dasa is a highly regarded mindful leadership expert who has spoken at TEDx Conference and SHRM National Convention. Dasa has featured in the NY Times, Wall Street journal, Inc. Magazine and he writes for the Huffington Post. Dasa will share how to transform workplace culture to create a more sustainable, collaborative and engaging environment.

Sustainable Leadership | Mindfulness

James George

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

As part of the business team at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, James’ role is to engage with the broad business community for the Foundation and to stimulate holistic network development. Working with team leads and executive leads, he influences the Ellen MacArthur Foundation network strategy, developing pursuit strategies and looking for opportunities for collaboration with the Foundation. In short, James helps organisations to advance the transition to a circular economy.

Circular Economy | Innovation | Business Strategy

Toby McCartney

“What if plastic waste made roads?”

Creating ‘Plastic Roads’ that are stronger, longer lasting, cheaper and Green! Toby McCartney tells the story of his solution to plastic waste.

Innovation | Waste Reduction

Preethaji

O&O Academy

Co-Founder of the O&O Academy, Preethaji, is one of the most impactful transformational leaders and philanthropists of our time. She along with her Co-Founder and husband Krishnaji, have led millions on a profound journey into consciousness, helping them find the healing, joy, relationships, and purpose they are seeking. Preethaji’s TEDx talk from Kansas City has been viewed by more than 2.3 million people.

Transformational Leadership | Philanthropism | Mentoring

Andy Hibbert

Car & Away

Andy Hibbert is the founder and CEO of ‘Car & Away’ one of the fastest growing Car Sharing businesses in the world. The stated purpose of Car & Away is ‘To do more with less!’ Andy will be talking about the rapidly growing sharing economy and the social and environmental benefits that it is providing.

Sharing Economy | Society & Environmental Impact

Alistair Lobo

“Another level of thinking is necessary to solve the significant social and environmental challenges we face.”

When he is not supporting the Awaken Business Sustainability team, Alistair almost exclusively coaches and mentors what he describes as ‘Level 7 thinking’ entrepreneurs. He explains what exactly ‘Level 7 thinking’ is and how it is driving the innovations and social change that are essential to sustain humanity.

Business Coach | Entrepreneurship | Social Change

Larry Grant

Eden Eco Solutions

Eden Eco Solutions is one of several businesses that have developed a gasification technology that can reduce several tons of toxic landfill waste into a few bags of harmless carbon dust, releasing a harmless vapour and vast amounts of ‘clean green electricity’. Larry will explain how this technology works and the profound implications that it could have on the planet's waste crisis.

Technology | Innovation | Waste Reduction

Sian Sutherland

A Plastic Planet

Co-Founder of A Plastic Planet, Sian Sutherland is a multi-award winner, including Female Marketer of the Year, CEW Achiever Award, Entrepreneur of the Year and British Inventor of the Year. In 2017, Sian and Frederikke Magnussen founded A Plastic Planet; a global social Impact movement with a single goal - to ignite and inspire the world to turn off the plastic tap. A Plastic Planet works collaboratively with industry, retailers, health scientists, Governments, legislators and the UN; to accelerate the pace of change in plastic reduction.

Science | Plastic Solutions | Sustainable Planet