Sustainability Speakers

Sonam Wangchuk is a celebrated engineer and educator who founded SECMOL, a movement that transformed school pass percentages in Ladakh from 5% to 75%. He is the inventor of the "Ice Stupa" artificial glacier, a low-cost, innovative solution to the water crisis caused by climate change. As a speaker, he provides audiences with a whole new perspective on innovation and entrepreneurship that effectively embraces social change.

Richard Williams, or Prince Ea, is a spoken word artist and filmmaker who has garnered over two billion YouTube views for his motivational content. He is a leading voice on self-development, environmentalism, and spirituality. With a degree in Anthropology, Prince Ea founded the "Make S.M.A.R.T. Cool" movement to promote intelligence and creativity in hip-hop culture. His keynotes inspire audiences with practical wisdom on self-development, finding passion, and the vital importance of motivation and engagement in the classroom and workplace.

Naina Lal Kidwai is a prominent Indian investment banker, former Chairman of HSBC India, and a former Non-Executive Director on the global board of Nestlé. She is an alumna of Harvard Business School. Awarded the Padma Shri and the HBS Alumni Achievement Award, her influence is vast. She founded and chairs the India Sanitation Coalition, and her books, such as Survive or Sink, focus on water, pollution, and green finance as critical elements of India's economic growth.

D. Shivakumar is a global business leader, Operating Partner at Advent International, and a former CEO of PepsiCo India. He is renowned for his work in driving digital transformation and brand turnaround in emerging markets. His success at Nokia—where he drove the brand from No. 71 to No. 1 in India—is a Harvard Business case study. His keynotes provide high-level insights on corporate strategy, portfolio transformation, and emerging market expansion for global organizations.

Dr. Susmita Mohanty is a global space entrepreneur, spaceship designer, and space diplomat who co-founded companies on three continents. She is the founder of India’s first space think tank, Spaceport SARABHAI. Her career includes working at Boeing and NASA Johnson and she is a global advocate for “technology diplomacy” and international cooperation in critical tech. Her keynotes, recognized by Fortune Magazine and the BBC 100 Women list, offer deep insights into the emerging NewSpace economy and the future of human spaceflight.

Henk Rogers is the founder of The Tetris Company and an industry pioneer who successfully negotiated for the global rights to Tetris, making it one of the most popular video games of all time. His story is the subject of the 2023 Apple TV+ film, Tetris. Today, he is a leading sustainability advocate, founding the Blue Planet Foundation and the Blue Planet Alliance to help island communities transition to 100 percent renewable energy. As a keynote speaker, he provides unique insights into entrepreneurship, technological innovation, and driving large-scale, positive global impact.

Andrew Winston is a globally recognized expert and Thinkers50-ranked strategist on sustainable business and megatrends. His bestselling books have sold over a quarter million copies worldwide. A frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review, he co-authored Net Positive with former Unilever CEO Paul Polman, a book recognized as one of the Best Business Books of the Year. As a speaker, he delivers an entertaining message of practical optimism, showing how business has the creativity and resources to solve the world's greatest challenges.

William Bissell is the Chairman of Fabindia, India’s largest craft-based retail platform. He is an award-winning social entrepreneur and an alumnus of Wesleyan University. He founded the Bhadrajun Artisans Trust on the Gandhian model and was awarded the Entrepreneur with Social Impact award by Forbes. His keynotes focus on social entrepreneurship, community ownership, and the radical rethinking needed to catalyze economic and social change in India.

Sanjit “Bunker” Roy is the founder of the Barefoot College, an institution dedicated to making rural communities self-sufficient through sustainable, locally-owned solutions. He was named one of TIME 100’s Most Influential People in 2010 and is a recipient of the Padma Shri. His keynotes share a profound lesson on sustainable development, emphasizing that for a project to succeed, it must be organic, owned, and sustained by those it serves.

Simon Mainwaring is a leading brand futurist and the CEO of We First, a strategic consultancy specializing in purpose-driven brands. He is the bestselling author of Lead With We and We First. His books provide a blueprint for organizations to accelerate growth through social impact. Ranked among the Top 50 Keynote Speakers in the World by Real Leaders magazine, he provides critical insights on how brands can survive crises, thrive in fast-changing markets, and utilize a Lead With We mindset for competitive advantage.

Jairam Ramesh is a leading Indian politician and economist, currently a Member of Parliament. He formerly served as the Minister for Environment and Forests and for Rural Development. An acclaimed author of books including Green Signals and Intertwined Lives, he provides forthright insights into policy, development, and geopolitics. His keynotes offer expert analysis on the Indian Economy, the environment, and the strategic intersection of politics and market forces.

O. P. Bhatt is the former Chairman of the State Bank of India (SBI), one of the few to serve a five-year term. He is a leading expert in corporate transformation and financial sector strategy. He is an Independent Director on the boards of corporate giants like Tata Steel Ltd and Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL). His keynotes share insights on achieving efficiency and competitiveness, managing complex organizations, and the importance of corporate governance and effective leadership.

Jacqueline Novogratz is the Founder and CEO of Acumen, a global nonprofit that invests in sustainable businesses and leaders to combat poverty. She is a recognized pioneer in social innovation and patient capital. Her best-selling memoir, The Blue Sweater, chronicles her quest to understand poverty and challenges readers to grant dignity to the poor. As a speaker, she provides vital, firsthand insights into social enterprise, leadership development, and the strategic use of market forces to achieve profound global impact.

Greg Lindsay is a globally recognized urban futurist and generalist, holding fellowships at MIT and the Atlantic Council. He advises governments and Fortune 50 corporations on the future of cities, technology, and work. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Venice Architecture Biennales. As a speaker, he draws on his acclaimed research to deliver visionary insights into AI at urban scale, real estate trends, and the strategic foresight needed to navigate disruption.

Harsh Mariwala is the Chairman and MD of Marico Limited, which he transformed into a leading consumer products and services company. He is the founder of the Marico Innovation Foundation. As the President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), he is a leading voice on business innovation and strategic transformation in India. His keynotes share insights on leveraging the innovative drive in India for business growth and achieving a positive social impact.

Dia Mirza is a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India and a UN Secretary-General Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals. She is an award-winning actor and former Miss Asia Pacific. As a champion of nature, she successfully led the #BeatPlasticPollution campaign, leading to India's single-use plastic ban declaration. Her keynotes focus on environmental conservation, gender equality, and how individuals can find their greater purpose in life by leveraging the creative arts for social change.

Chhavi Rajawat is a former Sarpanch of Soda village and is recognized as India's first Sarpanch with an MBA. She is an award-winning advocate for rural development and social empowerment. An alumna of Lady Shri Ram College and Sri Balaji Society Pune, her mission is to co-create a holistic model for rural development through education and upskilling. Her keynotes focus on leadership, social justice, and equity, inspiring audiences to commit to impactful change in business, non-profits, and government.

Deepak Bagla is the MD & CEO of Invest India, the national investment promotion and facilitation agency of the Government of India. He is a key driver of the "Make in India" initiative. An alumnus of Georgetown University (International Diplomacy and Trade/Finance), his career includes executive roles at Citibank and 3i Private Equity. His keynotes offer deep, strategic insights on investment promotion, infrastructure financing, and the "Make in India" initiative for global investors.