About us

Liesl is an experienced systems thinker with a deep passion for life on Earth and a firm belief that business can drive positive change. She has a track record of transforming vision into reality, having created initiatives such as the Organic Cotton Accelerator, Textile Exchange’s Material Change Index and Biodiversity Benchmark. Other career accomplishments include developing the NSW Government’s Code for Health & Safety in Viticulture, the first Fairtrade Borough in London, and the Watch & Jewellery Initiative’s Nature Pillar. Liesl is a strong advocate for collective action to navigate the business transition to a regenerative economy. She holds a First-Class Honours degree in Applied Science, Environmental Assessment and Management from the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Liesl is a graduate of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) “Women Leading Change” class of 2022.

Nic Cahill is an experienced team leader in fundraising, grant management, project management, and operations, with over 12 years of success delivering complex, multi-stakeholder programmes across the sustainability, conservation, and environmental sectors. Nic has a proven track record in developing mission-aligned fundraising strategies, managing multi-year, multi-currency contracts, and cultivating strong donor relationships across philanthropic, institutional, and corporate funders. Alongside programme and grant expertise, Nic brings operational leadership, having driven digital transformation, system upgrades, and business process improvements. Known for building empowered, collaborative teams and fostering cross-functional alignment, Nic currently leads a global grant management function, mentoring a high-performing team to enable scalable, high-impact delivery.

Alice is committed to helping rural communities transition to sustainable, resilient farming systems. Her experience spans across the entire agri-food system – from farms to global supply chains and the policy landscape. ​Alice specialises in facilitating collaboration through multi-stakeholder projects. She engages farming communities and value chain actors in partnership building, knowledge transfer, research and impact measurement programmes. She holds an MSc in Development and Rural Innovation and a minor in Agroecology from Wageningen University.

An expert in translating complex ideas into clear strategy and measurable results; blending narrative, design, innovation, action and facilitation to align teams, sharpen positioning and build momentum.

Driven by a belief that business can be a force for good. Motivated by working with businesses and communities to architect a world where GROWTH = IMPACT.

Silvère is an agronomist and socio-economic researcher passionate about ecological organic agriculture. As an Associate Professor at the University of Parakou, Benin, he shares his expertise through publications and lectures. He is active in professional networks including the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR) and Network of Organic Agriculture Researchers in Africa (NOARA) where he coordinated the Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative of the African Union. With over 20 years of experience in sustainable agriculture and M&E, Silvère has been the Textile Exchange Africa Ambassador since 2015 .

Prama Bhardwaj is the CEO & Founder of Mantis World, specialising in ethically made clothing using organic cotton and African production. With over 25 years in the industry, she is dedicated to promoting sustainable fashion. Prama serves as a Board Member for Textile Exchange Europe and the Ethical Fashion Forum, advocating for ethical production practices. She focuses on client relations, manufacturing in Africa, and environmental issues while driving positive change in the textile sector.

Krelyne Andrew, General Manager of Sustainability at Verve, Sappi, has over 20 years of experience in the dissolving pulp industry including driving regenerative landscape initiatives and transformative partnerships across sectors. Krelyne fosters cross-sector collaboration to build resilient, sustainable systems that benefit both people and the planet.

Helen Crowley has 30+ years of experience in public and private sectors, driving positive outcomes for nature and people. With a background in conservation, corporate sustainability, and nature-based solutions, she has led programs with Wildlife Conservation Society, Kering and Pollination. As an independent advisor, Helen helps businesses and non-profits on their Nature and Climate strategies and financing, mentors startups, and serves on multiple advisory boards and is a Non-executive Director on company Boards. She holds a PhD in Ecology and was awarded Chevalier de l’Ordre National for services to the country by the Government of Madagascar.

Heather Elgar is Lead for LandScale, an initiative co-led by the Rainforest Alliance and Conservation International to raise the standard for landscape-level MRV and unlock net positive business action and investment into landscapes through its framework, platform and validation services. Heather has 12 years’ experience working across policy advocacy, strategic partnerships and business to drive joined-up action for nature, climate and people across value chains and landscapes, with previous roles at Clarks, Woodland Trust, West of England Nature Partnership and Ecodesk.

David Hazoumé is an agronomist and sustainable development engineer specialising in sustainable sourcing and regenerative agriculture. With experience leading regenerative agriculture initiatives at a worldwide leading cosmetics company and managing global sustainable sourcing projects, David’s expertise focuses on climate change mitigation in arid regions, biodiversity preservation, and ecosystem protection, primarily in West Africa. He is a graduate of ISTOM, a leading international school for agricultural development.

Eoin brings 34 years of experience in natural capital and investment management, with expertise in portfolio construction, trading, and senior client management. He has held key roles at Federated Hermes, GSA Capital, and Callanish Capital Partners, contributing to the successful management of diverse investment portfolios. Eoin is currently studying for a PhD in Nature & Investment, further cultivating this commitment to business playing a vital role in protecting biodiversity. Eoin is based in the UK, where he is Chair of the Exmoor Search & Rescue Team.

Libby Sandbrook is the Director of Business & Nature at Fauna & Flora, leading initiatives to integrate nature into business strategies. With over 20 years of experience in sustainability, she has held leadership roles at Business in the Community, including England Director, Climate Change Director and Head of Circular Economy . Libby has also worked as a sustainability advisor and campaigner for various organisations. She holds an MA from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Environmental Economics from UCL.

An environmental scientist by training, Damien has coordinated habitat restoration in Florida’s wetlands and biodiversity research in Madagascar before focusing on sustainable cotton since 2005. He has worked with organic cotton producers in West Africa, developed sustainable pest management methods, and has also worked with fashion schools across Europe, educating the fashion designers of tomorrow about sustainable materials. After managing Fairtrade’s global cotton programme, he led the development of Better Cotton’s standards and farmer support programme until 2024. He now helps sustainability systems enhance their impact and drive market transformation in global supply chains.

Gus Schellekens is an expert in sustainability and climate change with nearly 35 years of international consulting experience at Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG. He now leads the Sustainability Leadership Forum (SLF), guiding business leaders and CSOs on decarbonization and regenerative models. Gus works across industries in MEA and Europe, helping organisations take meaningful action on climate challenges, while mentoring startups and young professionals in sustainability.

Felicity Spors is Director of Climate Strategy Delivery and Sustainable Business and Infrastructure at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A climate finance and sustainability expert, she brings over 20 years of experience advancing people-centred solutions across agribusiness, energy, infrastructure, and land use. Her work spans systems innovation, nature-based solutions, and landscape strategies that align finance, policy, and practice for long-term resilience. Felicity has shaped global frameworks from supply chain MRV to adaptation finance tools, and is a former EU Sustainable Finance Taxonomy member and World Bank Innovator Award recipient. She champions collaborative models that deliver impact for people, nature, and climate.

Graham Tabor is Head of Knitwear and Strategic Advisor for Sustainable Supply Chain Solutions at Thom Browne, Inc., leading sustainable supply chain innovation and raw material transformation. Graham is working on multi-stakeholder projects in collaboration with UNIDO, Woolmark and others to scale regenerative agriculture systems in textile supply networks, currently in Egypt and Australia. He co-founded Tabor + Villalobos Studio, a multidisciplinary design studio, and has advised brands like Alexander Wang and Helmut Lang. With expertise in creative direction and product strategy, Graham also has a background in art history and international relations.

Phil Townsend is a seasoned expert in biodiversity restoration, water stewardship, and regenerative agriculture. With over 15 years in wildlife conservation, he drives sustainable raw material initiatives, policy, and strategy across industries. Engaging with NGOs, brands, and stakeholders, Phil promotes chemical compliance, environmental stewardship, and sustainable manufacturing. He is also a Reserve Warden at Aston Clinton Ragpits Nature Reserve in Buckinghamshire, South East England, applying his expertise in practical habitat management.

Simplice Davo Vodouhe (Davo) founded the Beninese Organization for the Promotion of Organic Agriculture (OBEPAB) in 1996 after witnessing the devastating impact of pesticide poisonings and deaths in rural Benin. Under his leadership, OBEPAB has evolved into a successful NGO that not only raises awareness about the dangers of toxic pesticides but also conducts pioneering research in organic agriculture and builds capacity for farmers, particularly through its highly effective Farmer Field School (FFS) model. Davo also coordinates the Benin Organic Agriculture Platform and the African Platform for the Promotion of Organic Agriculture. In addition to his leadership roles, he is a professor at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin.

Steph Wray is a Partner at Gleann Mor Natural Capital, where she helps shape innovative approaches to valuing and restoring nature. With a background spanning ecology, ESG strategy, and corporate sustainability, Steph brings decades of experience advising companies on biodiversity risk, resilience, and impact. She has held senior roles across leading environmental consultancies, including RSK Group and Nature Positive, and serves as Non-Executive Chair of the Mammal Society. Steph holds a PhD in Ecology and an MBA in Mergers and Acquisitions, and is committed to unlocking nature-based solutions that work for people, planet, and business.

Jan Biegala is working towards his BSc at Bocconi University, a leading European institution in economics. Alongside his studies, he runs a second-hand clothing resale store, focusing on quality products that embody the principle of ‘Buy Better, Buy Less.’ He has also worked for independent luxury fashion brands in both London (Begg x Co, a B-Corp) and Paris (Husbands Paris). He is passionate about building on his existing range of experiences to emphasise the relevance of sustainable initiatives for young people.

Jillian Bright is an award-winning travel writer and historical fiction author living in rural Italy with her winemaker partner and young son. She also supports creatives, small businesses, and nonprofits with copywriting services, and messaging and marketing strategy with a focus on emotional connection and trust-building across a business’s ecosystem.

Simon Cooper is a Communications Specialist at the United Nations Development Programme’s Food and Agricultural Commodity Systems team and writes for Triodos Bank, and the IUCN Food and Agriculture team. Previously, he supported strategy and communications at organisations such as ISEAL, the Alliance for Water Stewardship and Better Cotton Initiative. With 25 years of experience in broadcasting, Simon was Communications Director at Classic FM. He holds a degree in Geography from Cambridge and an MSc in Responsibility and Business Practice from the University of Bath. Simon is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

With over 18 years across the textile value chain, Özgu helps brands and manufacturers make sustainability workable. Her focus spans ethical sourcing, supplier capability, and data-driven ESG, bringing teams together to improve materials, labour practices, and footprint while keeping commercial realities in view.

Chris Dawson is a highly skilled creative digital and graphic designer with over 20 years of experience in both agency and SME markets. With expertise and proven track-record in a wide range of applications and sectors, he delivers impactful and effective brand, marketing, and web solutions across various industries.

Ffiona is an organisational psychologist and leadership coach who focuses on the human side of the urgent shift away from business-as-usual and its social-ecological costs. She founded Galera Earth after a period of coaching clients from a cave house in southern Spain, where the unusual setting prompted frank conversations about climate anxiety, inequality and personal agency within complex systems. Previously she spent five years at YSC Consulting (now part of Accenture), coaching senior leaders in FTSE 100 companies and private-equity portfolios across Europe. Earlier work includes co-designing Wave Change, a national programme for Irish social entrepreneurs, and leading restorative-justice initiatives with Peacebuilders Canada and Ashoka. She works in English, French and Spanish.

Ffiona is an International Coaching Federation-accredited coach trained in systemic team coaching. She holds a BA in European Social and Political Studies from University College London, a Postgraduate Diploma in Organisational Psychology from Birkbeck College, and a Certificate in Restorative Practices from the University of Ulster. She is also training in Internal Family Systems, with the Centre for Climate Psychology.

Jodi Everding is a consultant with over two decades of experience leading materials teams and sustainability strategy at iconic fashion brands from mass market to luxury. She is focused on innovation and collaboration to improve resource efficiency, bring new materials to market and develop new business models.

Rhett Godfrey, Senior Director at Boma Investments, brings a decade of experience in social impact. With a background in Conservation Biology and Environmental Science from Columbia University and a degree in Philosophy from Skidmore College, he co-founded The Chetna Coalition and serves as a board member for Blockchain for Social Impact and the Good Textiles Foundation. Rhett focuses on innovative solutions to create positive social and environmental change. He now sits on the Advisory Board of the BioFi Project and is building a Bioregional Finance Facility for coastal economic regeneration in the Bahamas.

Amish Gosai is an expert in sustainability, traceability, and regenerative agriculture, with extensive experience leading initiatives across diverse industries. He is currently the Director of TTpro, a digital traceability tool for linear and circular economies, and the Managing Partner at AG Liveable, focusing on sustainability, climate change, and brand protection. Previously, he led traceability at Textile Exchange and contributed to organic and recycling standards. Amish is passionate about driving positive impact through innovative solutions and business growth.

Temujen (Tem) Gunawardena is an Artist, Filmmaker and Live Event Illustrator based in Frome, Somerset. She will be joining us to capture the shape and story of our gathering in a visual way, teasing out the golden threads and helping us navigate the complexity of the topics we will cover.​ As well as her skills with Graphic Recording, she is also an award-winning Film Maker, making poignant animations related to climate, health and imagination. She runs her production studio from Edventure Frome, a pioneering community education project, of which she is also the co-founder.

Madeline is a motivated self-starter passionate about making a positive impact for people and the planet. With expertise in sustainable procurement, biodiversity, impact assessments, innovation, and strategy, her career spans luxury fashion in New York and Milan, as well as non-profits like Textile Exchange and The Biodiversity Consultancy. She holds an MBA in Sustainable Fashion Management and has extensive experience in stakeholder management and driving sustainability in various industries.

Edit Kiss is Co-founder & Managing Partner for Capital Continuum Advisers, a pioneering investment management and advisory firm offering innovative lifecycle investment solutions for climate and nature in the Global South, with a profound commitment to impact and integrity. Edit brings 18+ years of experience in the entire value chain of carbon markets – project development and finance, origination, investment deal structuring and execution, and sales and trading. She has experience working in asset managers, financial institutions, carbon funds, and renewable energy companies in London, Paris, Lugano, Rotterdam, and Budapest.

Edit sits on the Advisory Committee of VERRA and on the Independent Advisory Committee of ICROA; and is Co-Chair of the Biodiversity Credits Working Group of the Coalition for Private Investment in Conservation (CPIC). Previous roles included: Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Integrity Global Partners, Chief Investment Officer at Revalue Nature, Investment and Development Director at Mirova Natural Capital, Structured Origination Manager, REDD+ specialist at Eneco Energy Trade, Carbon Originator at Constellation Energy.

Tim is a coach, facilitator, and organization psychologist with 25+ years’ experience supporting deep individual and organisation change in service of a life sustaining, harmonious and healthy society. ​​Tim’s calls his approach ‘Life.Centered’. It spans many disciplines including eastern spirituality, Jungian psychology, organisation development, action inquiry and more. Tim helps leaders, founders, and professionals center their life and work on what really matters – for themselves, their organisations and wider society.​​

Sophie Mather transforms industry roadblocks into pioneering solutions. As a Material Futurist and Innovation Authority, she helps brand leaders, innovation founders, and supply chain partners push the boundaries of sustainable materials and manufacturing.
With a global career spanning Nike, leading manufacturers, and non-profits like Textile Exchange, Fashion for Good, and The Microfibre Consortium, Sophie has driven advancements in biosynthetics, fibre fragmentation, and sustainable innovation. She thrives in the “head-scratching” phase—when challenges are undefined, and solutions must be invented. Whether inspiring as a keynote speaker or guiding strategically as a NED, Sophie blends storytelling, science, and strategy to turn uncertainty into opportunity.

Arya Patel is the Managing Director at Carbon X Services and Global Carbon Check, where he leads sustainable carbon solutions and environmental projects. With a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Arlington, he brings expertise from roles at Cognizant and AWS, specialising in artificial intelligence, data science, and big data engineering. Arya leverages his technical background to drive innovation in the carbon management sector, focusing on impactful climate action.

Conservationist, naturalist, birder, and founder of “Wilder Skies”, Nick is passionate about British Wildlife and helping to protect, create and maintain it. Nick is passionate about British Wildlife and helping to protect, create and maintain it.​​​ A lifelong Birdwatcher, and former Nature reserve Warden, Nick has devoted his life to shouting about how amazing our native biodiversity is and just why we should care for it.​

Simone held various roles as a buyer, designer, product manager and category manager before working as a supply chain consultant and having strategic roles at global NGOs; shifting her focus to ESG topics and stakeholder engagement towards impact driven, science-based solutions in the textile sector. In 2014, she founded her own company, consulting brands, retailers, suppliers, the educational sector, NGOs, and governments. She delivers ESG projects from strategy to communication and sales, with an emphasis on compliance, supply chain and product innovation, certification, and circular economy. Simone holds a diploma in apparel engineering and design and believes textiles and fashion can be part of the solution, no longer part of the problem.

Sanjana is a sustainability and innovation strategist passionate about driving positive change in the fashion industry and beyond. Her expertise encompasses systems thinking, foresight, and design thinking. With a background including work on carbon neutrality at Lakmé Fashion Week, Sanjana demonstrates a strong ability to connect industry actions with innovative solutions. She holds an MA in Innovation Management from Central Saint Martins and has collaborated with organisations like Tate Enterprises on foresight-driven projects. Her work bridges material innovation scalability barriers to achieve net-zero strategies for fashion through a systems approach.

“My goal? To create 1% more positive impact every day.”

Hugo is an outdoor enthusiast who feels most alive snowboarding, surfing, or wild swimming. A Sixth Form student at Stonar School in Wiltshire, UK, he studies geography, biology, and economics, and is curious about how business, development, and the natural world can work together to shape a better future. Inspired by Stonar’s values of kindness and courage, and mentors like Nick Patel from Wilder Skies, Hugo is helping to launch the Gerana Youth Initiative because he wants young people to help shape a future where nature is protected and where businesses are part of the solution.