We are a team of creative thinkers, driven by a profound sense of service and desire for positive impact. We are courageous in our questioning and we inspire boldness in others.
Our team
Sophie is the Founder and CEO of Kite Insights, as well as the Editorial Partner of the Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society and Curator of the New York Times Climate Hub.
Sophie has two decades of professional services and consulting experience and is a globally recognised thought leader on gender and climate action. Over the years, she has developed global content strategies, produced high profile strategic content, and led the development of research-based insights for leaders across different industry sectors and geographies. At Kite Insights, Sophie and her team help organisations navigate, communicate and positively impact issue areas relevant to their business as well as our economies and societies at large - focusing on gender, climate and the ethical application of technology. Most recently, she has founded The Climate School - recognising the urgent need for companies to accelerate solutions to address climate change and its impact - through tools and resources to unlock climate-focused innovations at every level of the organisation.
Before founding Kite Insights, Sophie was the head of Global Thought Leadership and External Affairs for PwC. Before this, Sophie initiated, established, and led European Business Forum Ltd (EBF) as Executive Director, Member of the Board and Publisher.
Sophie is originally from Belgium and lives in London with her husband and two children.
Shuvo conceived and built the 'Google Digital Academy' to support the digital transformation of Google's top customers, and has extensive experience in building education programmes, enabling executives to change the way they work and lead people-centric transformation of their organisations.
Rachel Riccardella Rachel Riccardella is the head of Strategic Communications at Kite Insights, bringing to the role more than 15 years of experience in thought leadership, public relations and internal communication. Rachel has held various positions at Kite, working with clients across sectors and industries on strategy, event curation, research and communication planning and implementation. Previously, she worked as the CR reporting manager for State Street Corporation, a Fortune 500 financial services firm, where she published the company’s verified sustainability report and spearheaded its first successful ranking on several international sustainability indices.
Rachel is a graduate of Boston College and Boston University where she earned degrees in Communication and Public Relations.
Rachel is a graduate of Boston College and Boston University where she earned degrees in Communication and Public Relations.
Ruth leads on strategic projects at Kite, particularly those related to climate and planetary issues. Ruth has worked within sustainability and on social justice issues for over 15 years and has close to three decades of experience in consulting and professional services. Ruth’s background includes serving as a Partner with PwC, where she established and led the firm’s Sustainability and Climate Change practice in China as well as directing Asia-wide learning and development, while specialising in cross-border M&A. Ruth’s broad international experience includes directing multi-partner collaborations, leading social enterprises and consulting to international NGOs. Ruth is a Chartered Accountant, holds a Masters in Poverty Reduction, and is a Clore Social Leadership Fellow. She also serves as a Trustee and Board Chair within the non-profit sector.
Grace’s responsibilities include content development, research, report-writing and event support. Previously, she was a science and environment correspondent for The Straits Times, Singapore’s largest daily newspaper, and a freelance journalist and editor focusing on the intersection of science, policy and business in Asia.
Her interests include environmental sustainability, behavioural economics and the role of technology in society. In her spare time Grace reads catholically, enjoys hiking and taking part in road races.
Julian’s responsibilities include the synthesis and execution of research at Kite, contributing to report-writing and content development. He holds a Master of Science in Business Management and Politics and a Master of Research from the University of Glasgow.
He specialises in uncovering novel methods of research enquiry. Previously, Julian has worked in research and support roles at companies such as CNBC and Google, and as a research associate at the University of Glasgow.
Julian has published on issues regarding NGO strategy, and business and human rights governance. Julian is from Scotland and currently lives in London.
Ela is a researcher, communicator and writer who is passionate about the role of business in driving sustainable change and inclusive growth. At Kite she works across project delivery, management and business development and in recent years has focused on the issues of gender and diversity, climate and sustainability specifically, and the intersection between the two.
She is obsessed with uncovering novel insights on these topics and exploring how to bring research and ideas to life through events and conventions that drive action.
Yasmin is a senior consultant and researcher at Kite. Her core strengths are in sustainability and systems change analysis and communications, along with research design and delivery. Yasmin continues to grow and deepen her expertise in land-use, supply chains, international development and food systems - inspired by her rural upbringing in Wales and over a decade working with Indigenous communities in the Amazon. Much of her work at Kite involves unearthing opportunities to improve ecological resilience, equity and inclusivity across value chains; she supports the creation and dissemination of emerging insights in the field through publications, participatory workshops, and events. Yasmin holds an MSc in Environment, Politics & Development and a BA Geography. She loves folk music, dance, discovering local cuisines, and hiking in the woods and mountains.
Darcy is Head of Client Engagement for Tech and Industrial clients and has over 20 years of international consulting experience in Asia Pacific, EMEA, and the USA, working at the confluence of talent development, business and sustainability strategies - driving mindset and behavioural change. With a background in diversity equity and inclusion (DE&I) and cultural transformation, she partners with our clients to help create innovative solutions addressing our most pressing climate and sustainability challenges.
Darcy holds a Masters of Public and International Affairs and a BA in Chinese Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, a certificate in CSR from the University of Geneva, a Circulab Circular Economy Catalyst Facilitator certificate, and is an #IamRemarkable – a Google initiative - certified facilitator. Darcy volunteers for many charities that address women’s issues, founded a professional women’s network, and has a podcast which introduces listeners to global women contributing to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In her spare time you can find Darcy behind the camera lens, scuba diving, hiking and skiing in the Alps, or stand up paddle boarding on Lake Annecy.
Gaëlle joined Kite as Head of Client Engagement where she leads business development and client engagement across the financial and services sector. Gaëlle is a seasoned strategy and business development executive with a passion for people and sustainability and ESG issues. She combines over 20 years of experience at leading firms such as Cisco, UBS, Credit Suisse and Anthemis. During her career, she has been involved in global projects at the junction of technology, investing, sustainability and the renewable energy sectors. Gaelle is committed to place people at the heart of innovation to drive the sustainability agenda and transformation across organisations. She is also a trustee of access to clean water charity 1001fontaines UK, board member of FrenchTech UK and advisor to women founded start-ups. Outside work, you can find her wandering in museums, hiking and skiing and enjoying time with her teens.
Clara is a researcher and content developer at Kite, supporting live events and thought leadership projects. She holds a Natural Sciences BSc from University College London, where she majored in Organic Chemistry and minored in Politics, Ethics and Communication of Science. Before joining Kite, Clara was a campaigner, writer and researcher for more equitable and sustainable use of labour and resources in clothing supply chains. Passionate about environmental and social justice at the systemic level, Clara also enjoys climate action at the community level in her spare time, where she reworks friends and local businesses' waste fabrics to give them a second life.
Jake has led and worked extensively across Kite’s research, content, coalitions, and curation offerings. His work with us has so far spanned sexual violence in conflict, gender and climate investment, decarbonising shipping, and promoting equity in computer science and STEM education and careers.
In his spare time Jake can be found in your local independent bookstore, making loud and often sparkly music with his friends, or running along the side of an implausibly muddy looking hill. He holds a Master of Arts & Social Sciences in Politics and Philosophy from the University of Glasgow.
Guillaume is Chief Financial Officer of Kite insights. He is charged with building and running the company’s operations – this includes accounting, financial planning & analysis, cash management, purchasing, legal, IS & IT. Guillaume brings extensive experience of scaling up CFO organizations in high growth entrepreneurial businesses (Webedia) and Private Equity backed companies (Imaweb). Previously, he was head of Corporate Finance & Business Planning of Aéroports de Paris and M&A director of Assa Abloy EMEA. Outside of work, Guillaume is an advisor to startups and teaches Finance in business schools. He lives in France with his wife and two children.
Sophie is a writer and editor. Her expertise lies in crafting narratives and other forms of copywriting. She works in both English and French, having recently graduated from the University of Oxford with a literature degree in both languages. Outside of Kite Sophie is a poet and has just finished her first poetry pamphlet.
Gabi has 7 years' experience working in the UK government as an Economic Adviser on a range of projects, most recently in the COVID Vaccines Taskforce and previously in the Brexit negotiations team. She is founder and CEO of a sustainable fashion platform, EDIS Fashion, which connects users to fashion designers to co-create unique pieces of clothing . Having also worked as Operations Lead at a direct to consumer startup, she loves the challenge of working in high growth, impactful startups and driving positive change across sectors. Gabi's main focus at Kite is The Climate School, predominantly on growth and management of our large corporate clients.
Gabi lives between London and Lisbon and outside of work loves exploring Portugal's national parks, local cuisine and music.
Gabi lives between London and Lisbon and outside of work loves exploring Portugal's national parks, local cuisine and music.
Tess is a consultant focused on communicating research that marries the human experience to action on environmental, social and governance challenges. Tess has experience leveraging live journalism to create a more informed public around sustainability challenges and solutions; and on a corporate level, Tess has contributed to research and writing on corporate action on the Sustainable Development Goals. Tess also has a background in U.S. politics and governance, and an international studies and entrepreneurship degree from The University of Michigan.
Anushay is a consultant at Kite who is experienced in project development and management and communicating project details to a variety of stakeholders. She works across Kite’s diverse workstreams- specifically focused on climate, gender and their intersectionalities. She has previously worked at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on resource mobilisation for COVID-19 vaccines and on project support for various healthcare initiatives in the Middle East and Pakistan. Prior to this, she worked in sustainable finance in Indonesia and Mongolia- first at the Tropical Landscapes Finance Facility on sustainable waste management projects and then at XacBank to implement projects that encouraged the use of renewable energy through accessible financing. Anushay graduated with an MPA from LSE and a BA in Political Science from Bryn Mawr College.
Matt is a researcher and writer who works across our client engagement and project delivery services. Drawing on over six years experience in consumer insight and innovation with global brands from news media and social media to energy and water, he brings a human-centric lens to the environmental and social challenges our clients face. He is passionate about the power of storytelling, in all its forms, to drive transformational change and holds an MSc in Global Governance & Ethics. Outside of Kite, Matt is an eco-poet, keen cyclist, and mediocre guitar player.
Anusha is an analyst and researcher. Having recently graduated from the London School of Economics with a Master’s in Development Studies, Anusha works on multiple projects that deal with Development, Sustainability, Climate Change and Diversity & Inclusion.
Deleted: Anusha’s primary responsibilities in projects include qualitative and quantitative research, writing, planning, management, curation, and ideation. Anusha applies a unique perspective to projects at Kite. Anusha’s perspective and skills have been accumulated from her Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Mathematics and Statistics as well as 3 years of work experience in research and grassroots development organisations in India. As part of her experience, Anusha has worked extensively with educating women and children from low income communities in slums and villages across Southern India.
Deleted: Anusha’s primary responsibilities in projects include qualitative and quantitative research, writing, planning, management, curation, and ideation. Anusha applies a unique perspective to projects at Kite. Anusha’s perspective and skills have been accumulated from her Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Mathematics and Statistics as well as 3 years of work experience in research and grassroots development organisations in India. As part of her experience, Anusha has worked extensively with educating women and children from low income communities in slums and villages across Southern India.
As well as conducting research-based analysis for client projects, Grace is responsible for coordinating the partnerships at the core of the Climate School offering. With a degree in French and Italian from the University of Edinburgh, where she focused in her final year on postcolonial and recognition studies, Grace brings experience in the legal and non-profit sectors to her work at Kite.
Deleted: Passionate about social justice, Grace volunteers in her spare time in the Research & Campaigns team at Citizens Advice, a nationwide charity that gives free legal advice to those in need, and campaigns to improve the policies and principles that affect their clients.
Deleted: Passionate about social justice, Grace volunteers in her spare time in the Research & Campaigns team at Citizens Advice, a nationwide charity that gives free legal advice to those in need, and campaigns to improve the policies and principles that affect their clients.
With a background in Architectural and Urban Design, Chinelo has over a decade’s experience within the built environment industry and has worked on placemaking projects in the UK, Gabon, Kenya, Jamaica, Togo and Nigeria. While teaching urban design as a visiting lecturer, she devised simple tools to aid students better incorporate sustainable development principles like climate justice and social equity into urban planning. Chinelo is the founder of a ‘creativity’ initiative set in her Nigerian hometown for local artists looking to explore and advance their socio-political and economic realities through the creative agency of art and design.
Siena is responsible for managing Kite Insights' Climate Action Readiness Assessment, providing clients a full evaluation of their employees’ knowledge, motivations and actions around climate change. Siena enjoys working closely with her clients to kick-start strategic climate thinking and mobilise workforces to hit their sustainability goals. Prior to Kite, Siena has experience working in consulting, where she specialized in consumer research and corporate governance. One of her favourite consulting projects was for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), where she helped identify bottlenecks in the importation process during humanitarian emergencies in Bangladesh. She is very proud of her Master’s degree in International Development from the London School of Economics. In her free time, Siena enjoys running, exploring the UK, and eating Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
Harriet is a project manager, writer, and researcher at Kite with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography. Passionate about the role of education in accelerating action on climate change and other global issues, Harriet’s primary responsibility is to support the design and ensure the successful delivery of Kite's Climate School programmes to our large corporate clients, with the aim of equipping employees and transforming business for the green economy. Harriet also brings previous experience in qualitative research to her role on the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society’s gender and climate working group, of which Kite is the editorial partner. This position recently involved conducting research for and gathering insights from a diverse range of experts for the group’s latest report on how businesses can support ‘climate justice’ through investments and other actions. In her spare time, Harriet loves a (competitive!) netball match, cooking an Ottolenghi feast, and a good, non-fiction book that challenges the way we see society and the world.
Eleanor is a researcher, writer and content curator, most recently having closely worked on The New York Times Climate Hub. She joins the Kite team with a background in Psychology and Business Management from the University of St. Andrews. Eleanor’s passion lies primarily in the intersection of climate and gender, with a special focus on communications and culture. She is eager to keep exploring these topics at an organisational level, inciting dialogue and adopting new ways of thinking. Having grown up in a multilingual household and around the world, Eleanor brings a unique perspective to her work and the Kite team.
Eleanor’s interests in climate and sustainability stem from her previous work at Inside Revolution, a climate and policy communications firm. There, she led research and writing of op-eds, articles, and blog posts and engaged in thought leadership, content creation, and project management for clients including the G20, the United Nations, and leading nonprofits.
Eleanor’s interests in climate and sustainability stem from her previous work at Inside Revolution, a climate and policy communications firm. There, she led research and writing of op-eds, articles, and blog posts and engaged in thought leadership, content creation, and project management for clients including the G20, the United Nations, and leading nonprofits.
Anna Gherman joined Kite as an events producer with close to a decade’s experience in an extensive variety of event environments, a BA in Spanish Linguistics & Photography as well as a postgraduate in Events Management, Eco Events, Marketing and PR.
Anna leads Kite’s event production and logistics for client events as well as in house activations in an end-to-end capacity. Particularly those related to Kite Live.
Anna’s background includes a Mayfair member’s club where she created, developed, curated and delivered the club’s eclectic events calendar; the publishing industry, within the luxury sector where she managed brand activations and award ceremonies in an end-to-end capacity. As well as years of successful freelance opportunities which provided Anna with a deep knowledge and understanding of the event industry at large.
She possesses a combination of being both hugely creative and at the same time is a hyper-organised logistics junkie.
Based in South London, she loves spending time exploring London’s green spaces with her dog Bo and in her spare time, she is never without a crafty project and a fantasy novel.
Upasana works in strategic research and event support, including as one of the project leads for the first TEDxKiteInsights Countdown event. Extremely keen to contribute to scaling positive impact, she leverages her analytical skills to help projects attain their sustainable goals.
Previously, Upasana has gained experience in the chemical and quality assurance industry and as a third-sector consultant for two non-profit organisations where she increased employee engagement in social enterprises and devised a strategy to increase volunteer collaboration during the pandemic. She holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Fibre and Textile Processing from Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai and a Master's degree in Management from Imperial College London.
If not watching a movie, Upasana likes to explore the UK and enjoys playing football when it is sunny at Hyde Park.
Previously, Upasana has gained experience in the chemical and quality assurance industry and as a third-sector consultant for two non-profit organisations where she increased employee engagement in social enterprises and devised a strategy to increase volunteer collaboration during the pandemic. She holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Fibre and Textile Processing from Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai and a Master's degree in Management from Imperial College London.
If not watching a movie, Upasana likes to explore the UK and enjoys playing football when it is sunny at Hyde Park.
Maë is a Manager working on a variety of projects focused on climate education, transformation and systems change in private sector organisations. Maë is a founding member of the UK chapter of the Climate Fresk association, a reference climate education tool empowering people to address climate change at scale. Having graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a masters in Global Environmental Politics, Maë joins Kite with an expertise in climate science, climate justice and behavioural change. Maë also holds a BA in Philosophy and History of Art from UCL, where she served as the university’s Sustainability Officer, earning the Dean’s award for her Outstanding Commitment to Sustainability.
Tejas works as an analyst and as a researcher at Kite Insights. Having graduated from the University of Edinburgh in MSc Global Environment, Politics and Society, Tejas is keen on bringing his experience and enthusiasm to help companies make a positive impact by tackling pressing issues such as climate change and various social inequalities. Tejas’s other research interests and previous experience include climate governance, climate negotiations and climate justice.
During his free time, you’ll find Tejas actively searching for new music, window shopping at record stores, exploring new towns or be at the stadium supporting his favorite football club.
During his free time, you’ll find Tejas actively searching for new music, window shopping at record stores, exploring new towns or be at the stadium supporting his favorite football club.
After graduating from the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium) in Communication Sciences, Lara worked in the Netherlands and in London as a strategy consultant, for firms such as Publicis Consultants, The Foundation and as a freelancer. Lara has over 20 years international experience developing innovative solutions for global iconic consumer brands, charities and government organisations. Passionate about business solutions that also solve social or environmental problems, Lara founded an online retail social enterprise which she managed for 5 years. Lara now project manages Kite Insights’ more complex international assignments, including Kite’s client engagements in Davos for the World Economic Forum. For the Women’s Forum, Lara has multiple years’ experience coordinating the Discovery’s programme, the speakers’ invitation process and virtual sessions.
Originally from Italy, Lara has experience living all over Europe and speaks 5 languages. She now enjoys an active outdoor lifestyle living with her husband and children in Munich (Germany).
Originally from Italy, Lara has experience living all over Europe and speaks 5 languages. She now enjoys an active outdoor lifestyle living with her husband and children in Munich (Germany).
Mike has spent 23 years in technology, building both B2C and B2B products as well as driving business transformation programmes across industries. Previously at Microsoft, IBM, and Fujitsu, Mike also spent 5 years as the CTO at Avado, an education technology company. During his tenure there he built B2C and B2B learning platforms and a data science capability, while also rolling out an organisational approach to agile working and progressive working practices around hybrid and remote working, leading to Avado winning the ‘Culture in a Crisis’ category at the 2021 UK Business Culture Awards and being recognised in the top 50 UK Great Place to Work 2022.
Gillian is driven to inspire action on climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem breakdown by telling the climate story in a way that engages both the head and the heart. Gillian's strength comes from her multi-disciplinary background spanning communication, environmental science, design thinking, innovation and business. Originally from South Africa, she has deep experience in emerging markets driving projects in education, healthcare, social housing and sustainability. Gillian holds an MBA from Said Business School, Oxford.
Our fellows
We are supported by an international network of subject-matter experts from the fields of geopolitics, corporate finance, technology & innovation, journalism, social media and beyond.
Sumathi Menon spent many years managing technology for the financial services industry with Deutsche Bank and Bear Stearns in New York and London before taking a break and dabbling in NGO activities. She then retrained in Social Media and paid campaigns where she has found the perfect convergence for her technical and marketing skills. Sumathi works on social media strategies and paid campaigns for corporates in financial services, media, consulting and telecom industries.
Asher Dresner is a speechwriter and researcher who has written for a former UK Leader of the Opposition, a national regulator, senior business leaders, and blue chip companies. His work has been published in the Financial Times, Foreign Policy Magazine, and The Scotsman, amongst others.
Anne Grafé-Buckens is a consultant with broad experience across climate change, environment, gender issues, sustainable consumption and supply-chain. She also works as a grant assessor for The Fore, a venture philanthropy fund. Anne has taught Business and the Environment at Imperial College for 10 years, pioneering research into measurement, management and reporting of environmental, sustainability, and ethical performance. Prior to that, she worked in a Public Affairs consultancy in Brussels, with a variety of clients adjusting to new EU environmental standards and legislation. Throughout her career, she has worked on engagement and empowerment to shift organisations towards sustainability: business leaders, employers, NGOs, charities, supra-national organisations and governments. She is a mother of four girls, lives in London with close links in Brussels, and speaks 4 languages -French, English, Spanish and Dutch.
Known as one of the premier writers of the technology and financial services industries, Herman was previously named to Campaign Asia's China Digital A List three years in a row while serving in various communications roles for Lenovo, Havas Media and PwC. Having returned to Canada, he currently runs communications consultancy Myna Communications, and serves global clients such as Lenovo, AppsFlyer, JD.com, Escapex and LiftOff.
A passionate advocate of collaboration and digital storytelling, Herman has written and co-authored thought leadership content around digital marketing and social strategy, which has elevated the global debate on a number of issues, including digital marketing, consumer electronics, and augmented and virtual reality technologies.
Mil Niepold is the Founder and President of The Mara Partners (TMP), a global facilitation, research and training organization that works at the intersection of gender, racial equity and the environment to solve complex social issues both in the US and globally. Mil works with Fortune 500 companies, governments, the United Nations and civil society organizations to structure equitable long-term solutions that balance the needs of all stakeholders.
Mil is currently leading TMP’s research and thought leadership on the critical, and oft ignored, role that applying a gender lens to climate initiatives plays in accelerating impact from the grassroots through to the top levels of government. Mil pioneered the Integrated Gender and Climate Framework (IGC) currently being used by a group of Fortune 500 companies. She has trained women climate leaders on negotiation, through the UN and NGOs such as the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance, as well as on strategies to ensure that they are routinely included in decision- making processes. Previously, Mil was the Director of Policy at Verité – a leading human rights organization -- for 14 years, where she led several initiatives including Verité’s work on women in the workplace and other multi-stakeholder initiatives for clients that included Mondelez, Reebok and Levi Strauss, among others.
Mil is Co-President of the International Cocoa Initiative, a climate and women’s rights advisor to the International Center for Research on Women and the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and was founding Co-Chair of Amnesty International USA’s first business and human rights group. Mil is also a frequent public speaker including for the World Bank, IFC, Climate Investment Fund, the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society and various universities. She is a bi-lingual French – English speaker.
Mil is currently leading TMP’s research and thought leadership on the critical, and oft ignored, role that applying a gender lens to climate initiatives plays in accelerating impact from the grassroots through to the top levels of government. Mil pioneered the Integrated Gender and Climate Framework (IGC) currently being used by a group of Fortune 500 companies. She has trained women climate leaders on negotiation, through the UN and NGOs such as the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance, as well as on strategies to ensure that they are routinely included in decision- making processes. Previously, Mil was the Director of Policy at Verité – a leading human rights organization -- for 14 years, where she led several initiatives including Verité’s work on women in the workplace and other multi-stakeholder initiatives for clients that included Mondelez, Reebok and Levi Strauss, among others.
Mil is Co-President of the International Cocoa Initiative, a climate and women’s rights advisor to the International Center for Research on Women and the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and was founding Co-Chair of Amnesty International USA’s first business and human rights group. Mil is also a frequent public speaker including for the World Bank, IFC, Climate Investment Fund, the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society and various universities. She is a bi-lingual French – English speaker.
Charlotte is a multiskilled communications professional with nearly 20 years of experience as a print and broadcast journalist, working for some of the world’s leading media organisations including Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, Standard & Poor’s, Euronews, M6 and RTL. She regularly coaches CEOs, CFOs and executives of listed and private companies, entrepreneurs, US ambassadors & diplomatic staff and politicians, and is also an international conference host and moderator.
Charlotte also heads the strategic board of the newly-created Feynman Foundation which aims to create an ethical and inclusive framework for the development of quantum technologies.
Laya Medawar is a highly experienced strategy consultant and advisor to businesses in the Middle East and Europe spanning over 20 years. She leads the consulting practice of Full Circle Investments delivering advisory projects to leading regional and international clients on mandates including strategy development, business restructuring, operational optimisation and growth and enhancement. Previously, Laya worked in London with Bain & Company where she was part of the private equity team responsible for pre-acquisition due diligence and post-acquisition restructuring, growth and implementation. While at Bain, Laya worked on transactions with an aggregate value of US$5B. Following Bain, Laya was the Chief Operating Officer at Aureos Capital (now part of Abraaj Group) and Head of European Strategic Marketing at Marsh & McLennan. Laya has a degree in Chemistry from Oxford University and an MBA from INSEAD.
After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in Classics, Daniella took on a business management and strategy role for a Telco entrepreneur, running projects and managing assets across a variety of industries. In pursuit of her passion for languages, Daniella spent time in Jordan, where she studied Arabic and worked as an analyst at an international NGO focused on anti-corruption. It is through these different experiences that she became passionate about harnessing the power of business to drive positive impact and social change. Daniella is from London and in her spare time loves watching documentaries and playing with her new kitten.
Fokko Wientjes is a consultant with broad experience and expertise across sustainability, strategy, ESG impact and Public Private Partnerships. Presently working on mandates including Africa strategy, ESG framework, climate adaptation, nutrition innovation and development finance equity raising.
Fokko worked as executive at DSM as the architect of its Sustainability and PPP strategy, accelerating DSM’s Good Growth to prepare for the future, create Purpose while delivering business results and making DSM a sustainability leader in its field. Prior to that, he led businesses in South America and Egypt.
He is the co-founder of SDG Netherlands, an NGO stimulating Dutch organizations to work towards the 2030 goals. He has been a board member of and advisor to various companies in emerging markets. Fokko also set up WBCSD’s large-scale food reform program FReSH, bringing food companies together to actively take their role in food systems change.
He is an activist for equitable 1-planet strategies, requiring a systems approach, accelerating the move away from retrofitting 3-planet strategies.
Proud father of two children, living in Geneva.
Jennifer brings to Kite a commitment to social change and more than two decades of experience in qualitative research and the curation of thought leadership conferences and events. Jennifer has worked with private and public sector clients around the world, including helping to lead the launch of nine new forums. She was previously Program Director of Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society (2009-2016), and CEO, Milliken Strategy & Communications (2007-2018). Jennifer holds a PhD in Political Science, a MA in International Relations and a BA in Communication Studies.
Naoko is an advisor and author in the area of microfinance, social entrepreneurship and impact investments. She is a B Leader, helping organizations shift towards sustainability. Her passion lies in mobilizing companies and individuals to allocate their resources more effectively to benefit the economy, society and planet. She promotes innovative social business models that provide sustainable solutions to tackle poverty, inequality and climate change.
Working in the intersection of money and purpose since 2000, she co-founded two social enterprises (Karmafy Ltd and Socential/sosense.org) and serves in foundation and social enterprise boards (Frey Charitable Foundation, Barefoot College Int’l, Fundación Avanzar)
Naoko speaks English, Spanish and Japanese and lives near Zurich with her husband since 1988.
Working in the intersection of money and purpose since 2000, she co-founded two social enterprises (Karmafy Ltd and Socential/sosense.org) and serves in foundation and social enterprise boards (Frey Charitable Foundation, Barefoot College Int’l, Fundación Avanzar)
Naoko speaks English, Spanish and Japanese and lives near Zurich with her husband since 1988.