Evan Bowen-Jones, Chief Executive of Kent Wildlife Trust, has been working on delivering KWT’s ambitious strategy for a Wilder Kent during his time in the role. This strategy focuses on finding impactful local solutions to address the national and global nature and climate crises we all face, doing so with speed and in the most defensible and pragmatic manner possible. This is where Wilder Carbon was born: an initiative that now has a dozen English Wildlife Trusts, as well as the John Muir Trust in Scotland, signed up as local deliverers, making it scalable and investable. Evan has a 25-year professional conservation background, which includes the implementation of species and landscape-level conservation projects; analysis of international policy; and working with NGOs, governments, and corporations to deliver real gains for wildlife worldwide.

Hector Hughes is the co-founder of Unplugged, a company dedicated to helping people disconnect from their phones and reconnect with nature. Unplugged offers digital detox experiences at off-grid cabins, with a growing network of 30 cabins across the UK and a recent expansion into Spain.

On the outside, Tom is a tenacious, driven, and creative CEO with a proven track record at start-up, scale-up, and global corporate levels. A self-diagnosed workaholic and entrepreneur, he founded, grew, and exited his first business by the age of 28.

On the inside, Tom is a devoted dad, geologist, angel investor, and adventure enthusiast—passions that now drive the next stage of his career.

Tom is currently the energy behind CampWild, a pioneering project to unlock private land for zero-impact recreation. He also heads up his own strategy consultancy, Tor, which supports entrepreneurs in bootstrapping start-up growth and success.

Charles, the Earl of Devon, lives at Powderham Castle, near Exeter, Devon. Powderham has been the Courtenay family home since 1390, and he runs the Castle as a heritage business, sustainably managing the ancient land and buildings for social benefit while hosting all manner of visitors throughout the year. Charles is both an English Barrister and a California attorney. He practiced between 2003 and 2014 in Los Angeles, California, where he became an Intellectual Property and Technology litigator for Latham & Watkins.

Since returning with his family to England in 2014, Charles succeeded his father to the ancient Earldom of Devon, moved his practice to the law firm of Michelmores LLP, and took a seat in the House of Lords as a cross-bench hereditary peer. In the Lords, Charles focuses upon rural, agricultural, environmental, social and technology matters, and he is a passionate advocate and champion of his home county of Devon. He enjoys time with his family between the beautiful Devon countryside and in California; he surfs when he can.

Michelle is the Technical Director at The Rivers Trust, bringing 30 years of expertise in applying geospatial technology to address environmental challenges. She jointly manages a team of specialists in GIS, data science, modelling, and monitoring, delivering innovative data-driven solutions to support The Rivers Trust movement and the local communities they serve. Michelle is at the forefront of The Rivers Trust's citizen science initiatives and spearheads efforts to combat sewage pollution, helping to enhance the understanding and health of river ecosystems.

In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Alexa, the General Counsel at Environment Bank, a pioneering organisation dedicated to restoring biodiversity across England. Founded in 2006, Environment Bank has transitioned from a traditional ecological consultancy to a dynamic force in land investment, now managing approximately 6,000 acres aimed at achieving biodiversity net gain.

As General Counsel, Alexa plays a crucial role in overseeing legal relationships with landowners, local planning authorities, and developers.

In addition to her work with Environment Bank, Alexa serves as a member of the College of Experts at the Office for Environmental Protection. Her exceptional contributions to environmental law were recently highlighted when she was named one of the most impactful environmental lawyers of 2023 on the ENDS Power List. 

Tune in to this episode to hear about Alexa’s truly remarkable journey, her unwavering dedication, and  genuine passion for making a positive impact on our planet.

https://environmentbank.com/

In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome two experts from Abrdn: Ann Meoni and Fraser Green.

Fraser Green serves as the Head of Natural Capital Investment at Abrdn. Working in the real estates side of the business which is where the business has developed a natural capital strategy first, he is spearheading the development and launch of that strategy as a fund. Fraser also manages a portfolio of property assets, aligning investment strategies with natural capital principles.

Ann Meoni is the Senior Sustainability Manager at Abrdn, leading the insights team within the central sustainable investment unit. The teams work focuses on integrating sustainability into investment processes, with particular emphasis on climate change, social issues, governance, and the preservation of natural capital, which is the are Ann covers.

Join Ann, Fraser, and host Rich as they delve into the complexities and opportunities within the Natural Capital sector. They explore the risks, impacts, and evolving landscape of investments in natural capital, discussing both the challenges and the promising potential of valuing nature for a sustainable future.

Cadi is Isio’s Head of Sustainable Investment, leading on sustainability research and client solutions. 

Her extensive experience includes guiding institutional investors through their sustainability journeys—whether setting net zero targets, evaluating ESG capabilities of managers and providers, or implementing strategic portfolio changes. She’s also a key player in advancing industry-wide sustainability goals, chairing the Institutional Investor Consultancy Working Group (ICSWG) to standardize sustainability practices, and working with the FTSE 100 Pension Managers Group on TCFD issues.

Before joining Isio, Cadi spent six years at KPMG and previously worked at St James’s Place Wealth Management. As a qualified actuary, she combines rigorous technical knowledge with a collaborative, approachable style, making her a valued partner in driving sustainable investment solutions.

https://www.isio.com/

The episode is in collaboration with Quietroom.

Kaisie Rayner is the Founder and Director of A Future Worth Living In, a pioneering organisation dedicated to guiding financial institutions in understanding and implementing sustainability practices as they transition to a low-carbon economy. 

With a robust background in finance and organisational development, studying Finance and Organisational Development in Western Australia and over a decade of experience in the finance sector, Kaisie is striving to drive systemic change.

Her career has been focused on transforming financial systems to align with societal goals, advocating for a shift toward sustainable and impactful investment practices. In this episode, Kaisie delves into the transformative power of finance, discussing how its strategic deployment can foster significant positive change. She shares her insights on the value and influence of finance, the necessary adjustments for a sustainable future, and how financial institutions can and should play a crucial role in shaping a better world.

 https://www.afutureworthlivingin.com/

The episode is in collaboration with Quietroom.

Ross Fairley sits on the Board at law firm Burges Salmon and heads the Renewable Energy and Net Zero Services team for its clients. He is one of the most recognised legal advisor names in the area and has spent over 25 years advising developers, generators, investors and funders on UK environmental law and renewable energy and low carbon projects ranging from huge offshore wind projects to community energy.  He and his team have been at the forefront of legal advice on the roll out of many of the UK’s innovative technology projects contributing to Net Zero and have won numerous awards for their work in the sector. Ross is a past Council Member of the UK Environmental Law Association and Deputy Chair of the UK Hydrogen Energy Association and is currently a trustee of the Avon Wildlife Trust and Bristol’s science museum “We the Curious”.  He is passionate about the environment and wildlife and in his spare time keeps bees. 

The episode is in collaboration with Quietroom.