Meet the DEAL Community

Hong Kong

A serial social entrepreneur based in Hong Kong, co-founded • Hong Kong Social Entrepreneurship Forum • Dialogue in the Dark (HK) • Education for Good • Dream Impact • Bamboo Generations • Travel for Better • Impact Partners • Social Investors Club Named Social Innovation Thought Leader of the Year 2020 by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship Co-Chair, B LAB HK & Macau

Rarotonga, Cook Islands

I am an advocate for the doughnut economics approach and I found the page searching for the Maori version of the doughnut that I learnt about during my post-graduate studies. Finding that there is a group dedicated to advancing the approach is amazing. 

Zagreb, Croatia

An entrepreneur and business innovator with a degree in engineering and a MSC on environmental economics.  With a talent for project steering and 15+ years of experience in private sector, Hermes has advised and mentored startups and SMEs around the world, consulted international organizations through co-creating processes and innovation methodologies designing better businesses (Art of Hosting practitioner since 2011, Lego Serious Play certified facilitator and Design Thinking practitioner since 2013). A self-starter with positive energy, entrepreneurial drive and passion for business and people, a senior facilitator of complex processes and business transformation. He has a special affection for impact entrepreneurship, children empowerment and social change.

The Netherlands

Expeditie 02050 helps the province of Limburg on its way to a sustainable model of existence in which people, animals and nature flourish. I encourage SMEs and other organizations in Limburg to integrate sustainability into their business strategy/design. Together we determine the sustainable direction, realization and rules of the game. Very practical, accessible, step by step and with lots of positive impact. The Doughnut Design for Business is a wonderful tool to facilitate this. I cannot wait to bring it into practice and share my experiences with you.      

Lahore, Pakistan

Rana Sajjad is a dual-qualified lawyer (licensed in New York and Pakistan) having over 20 years’ experience of practicing law in Pakistan and the U.S. in practice areas including contracts, cross-border transactions, commercial litigation and domestic and international arbitration. Sajjad is the Founder & President of the Center for International Investment and Commercial Arbitration (CIICA), Pakistan’s first international arbitration center and a Partner at the Lahore-based law firm of Rana Ijaz & Partners. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and an accredited mediator of the Singapore International Mediation Institute (SIMI).   Economics was my favorite subject in my O and A levels and I also majored in it in my undergraduate studies. I am an avid book reader and recently read "Doughtnut Economics" which completely transformed my perspectives on economics and it almost felt like whatever I had learned about economics in my 7 years of high school and university was not correct or even appropriate. I now believe that economics can be a force for good and an agent of change and would, therefore, like to learn more and be actively involved in some capacity to bring about change in Pakistan's economy in particular and the regional and global economy in general.      

Sheffield

27-year-old interested in systems, knowledge transfer and intersectional feminist activism. 

London

I am a degrowth and decolonisation enthusiast who is trying to find meaning by helping companies with their circular economy and sustainability strategies.  A big advocate for reuse business models and rental services, but mostly I focus on how we can live within our means and be happy.  I am passionate about building African cities that suit our needs without adhering to western standards and showcasing all that we have to offer e.g. the importance of reclaimers in making South African suburbs more circular.      

Cheshire, UK

I'm Donna,  Founder and Director of UK for Good, B Leader, and Positive Change Maker.   Following 40 years spent running family businesses, working for the Queen's bank, and running a charity I had a lightbulb moment.   It was clear that the needs and expectations of people and the planet were rapidly changing, yet businesses weren’t adapting. The new rules of business are about purpose, people, planet, and prosperity… not just profit.   Of course, larger businesses were developing their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) commitments, but there seemed to be very little support for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) which account for 99.9% of the 5.6 million or so of businesses in the UK.  In 2021 I set up Cheshire for Good, a B Corp Pending business with a clear purpose to inspire, inform, and enable SME businesses to grow successfully, AND sustainably.   Whether a business has no idea where to start their better business journey, or is ready to pursue B Corp Certification, we have written a range of cost and time-effective programmes to help.   Having proved that the place-based ‘Region for Good’ model works, Donna has recently announced the launch of UK for Good and hopes that every county will join UK for Good as a Region for Good… all working together to create a better tomorrow.

Breda, Netherlands.

Graduated in Social Innovation within a Management study, I am passionate about music, cooking and food, and anything creative. I am active in the creative industry, working on art and culture related events to bring social cohesion in deprived neighbourhood of Breda, the city where I studied and currently live. Also, I co-created and manage the 'Young Creatives' community, a community by and for creatives where to connect, inspire and create with one another.  While studying and delving deep in Social Innovation, I got interested and passionate of moving from individualistic to collectivitic views and approaches to life, how to initiate processes of change and bring about different worldview. All of this, together with how to bring change across and how to comprehend and accept complexity. 

Scottish Borders

I’m a wife, a mother and a businesswoman. I am passionate about doing the right thing and I feel societies focus far too much on economic growth strategies which over time, have led to massive wealth disparities and constant boom and bust cycles. GDP is everywhere! I am a Chartered Financial Adviser and I see this constantly within the Stock Markets I advise people to invest in. I firmly believe there is a better way and the doughnut feels like a great place to aim for.  I do get disheartened though, by the lack of focus in the industry I am a part of, but I also believe it is an industry which can make a difference. Money and investment do make things happen.  I have come to DEAL as I want the world to change, I want political systems in the UK to change and become more forward thinking about the long term future. Stop thinking about the next few months and years and instead imagine what we will look like in 100 years. For that to look healthy, we need changes now and to me, Doughnut Economics brings some practical solutions and ideas which communities can adopt.   

New York, NY, USA

Co-Founder at Transform Finance. Faculty at NYU Wagner and Director of the Social Impact, Innovation, and Investment specialization. Exploring how capital can be a tool for transformative social change - and itself be transformed. Focused on alternative models of  and ownership at the enterprise level. 

Orléans

Leeds, UK

Hi, I'm 42 and live in Leeds. I am a degree student in my final year of my degree, Innovation and Skills for Social Change. 

Port Adelaide Enfield Libraries

My background is as a STEM specialist, working in science discovery centres and museum organisations. I have helped establish the community-driven Makerspace Adelaide with a focus on sustainability and circular economy principles. I have a passion for education and critical thinking. I'm currently part of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield libraries as a STEM Specialist, developing and delivering community Learning programs and overseeing the Parks Library Makerspace.         

New Zealand

In 2019 I established NZ's largest impact investment fund - Purpose Capital.  With 5 investments to date, we are investing to drive social and environmental change and to demonstrate new ways to make money and investment work.  In 2007 I founded and am now Chair of Enterprise Angels, a unique Fund Management / early stage business investment model and New Zealand’s largest investment group of its kind with over 200 investor members, 4 Funds and investments of $60M+ in 110 companies.

Panama

I’m an Electronical Engenieer, with a graduate in investment projects, with a master degree in Administration.  Now I’m a Doctoral student of rule of law in Salamanca University in Spain.   Also I’m the General Administrator of National Innovation Authority of Panama.  I was working in the importance of the investment in R&D to improve the rule of law in Latin America.   

United Kingdom

Hi! I'm Aimee Laurel, and I'm DEAL's Communications Lead. Have you followed DEAL on social media yet? You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and Bluesky. 

India

Derbyshire, Uk

Coach and business consultant, bringing regenerative solutions to the mainstream.  Founder of Think like a Tree, a network of facilitators offering regenerative courses and coaching for individuals and organisations.  Author of Think like a Tree: the natural principles guide to life. Founder of community social enterprise Whistlewood Common. Author, speaker, trainer, smallholder, tree-lover

Budapest

I am a product, design and business strategist for new product development. I am passionate about circular economy and use my knowledge to help teams to build meaningful products and services that can balance profitability with sustainability applying circular thinking. 

Melbourne, Australia

I’m an Australian teacher and part of a start-up social enterprise, and this has changed my own life and my teaching as I realised the importance of preparing students with essential 21st century mindset thinking and  employability skills for their future. 

Bern

People change cultures and lend a hand themselves.  For Daniel, participation in working with medium-sized and large groups has therefore been at the center of his work for many years.  As the first Certified Professional Facilitator in Switzerland, it is important to him to create space for intensive and meaningful exchange between those involved.  As a natural cycle process facilitator, he often works outdoors in nature and also accompanies vision quests.  His sense of design comes to his aid here: For example, when it comes to “thinking abstract models out of the hands” with the help of Lego Serious Play or when it comes to putting the conclusion of a process into the picture  to put.  As a Lego Serious Play Facilitator and as a Visual Facilitator and Graphic Recorder, he can use images to provide meaningful anchors for changes and found solutions.  "My concern is to support others in helping to shape change themselves, to help shape it, and to push the boundaries of creativity with a variety of prototypes."  Daniel has been a trainer, coach and Certified Professional Facilitator (IAF), coach and trainer with his own GmbH since 2009

The Hague

I help Founders to embed Social & Environmental Impact in their business models.

Perth, Western Australia 🇦🇺

I run a boutique circular economy and sustainability consultancy in Australia, but support clients globally. Our goal is to have as significant positive impact on the worlds challenges such as the material transition and value chain decarbonisation. I utilise the planetary boundaries framework in my assessments but am wanting to transition this to the doughnut framework to highlight to companies the positive and negative impacts they are contributing to.