The Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) is part of the University of Cambridge and is recognized for its efforts in advancing sustainability leadership and addressing global challenges related to sustainability. The institute works with individuals and organizations to develop leadership and solutions that promote sustainability in business, government, and society.
The Press Office manages relations between CISL and the media, acting as the first point of contact for media queries and issuing news releases and statements on behalf of CISL. The Press Office is available 24/7.
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Contact our press team at media@cisl.cam.ac.uk
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Follow the CISL Press Office for updates and get in touch with us on X
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Journalists wishing to receive regular press information can be added to our media database. Please email Media@cisl.cam.ac.uk with your name, contact details, outlet and beat.
Press team
Maeve Campbell, Press Manager
Subject matter experts
Elizabeth Clark
Elizabeth runs the Investment Leaders Group (ILG), a global network of pension funds, insurers and asset managers working to advance the practice of responsible investment. Elizabeth works with the ILG to integrate social and environmental considerations into mainstream finance, as well as develop insights that solve for horizon challenges facing the sustainable finance community. Previously she led the Business & Nature team at CISL, leveraging her corporate background to help business leaders develop nature-positive strategies and action on their nature commitments. Her work included leading CISL's presence at the UN Biodiversity COP (COP15) in Montreal, and the developing the first sector-specific primer on science-based targets for nature.
Prior to joining CISL, Elizabeth spent several years in Canada's Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry. Her experience spans roles in Marketing, Revenue Management, and Corporate Strategy & Development, where her work focused on advancing the company's long-term vision, including large scale capital projects, people strategies, and mergers and acquisitions. Her work has been used to advise executive leadership and the Board of Directors on emerging trends in the global food landscape, informing major investment and planning decisions.
Elizabeth's topics:
- Sustainable finance
- Nature / biodiversity (for finance and business)
- Role of regulation and climate action
- Food sector – including challenges on food security, waste, etc.
- Business strategy
Jie Zhou
Jie Zhou is a recognized expert in circular economy, systems thinking, and innovation, driving systemic change across industries. With 15+ years of global experience as a researcher, advisor, and strategist, she empowers individuals and organizations to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future. Jie's systems-thinking approach is rooted in her interdisciplinary academic background. She holds three master’s degrees in Sustainability Leadership (Cambridge), Economics & Politics of Energy and the Environment (UCL), and Sustainability Management (ECNU). This diverse knowledge base allows her to see the interconnectedness of global challenges.
Jie has been an intrapreneur since she joined Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) in 2021 as a founding Innovation team member, supporting the launch of The Canopy – CISL's incubator and innovation hub. Her work including running accelerator programmes for startups (e.g. Circular Disruptors Accelerator), creating toolkits and training for SMEs to decarbonise (e.g. Climate Fit - SME Climate Hub), partnering with international organisations to build innovation programmes (e.g. Innovation30: Young Climate Innovators Shaping the Future | UNICEF Office of Innovation ), as well as building Canopy’s global presence at COPs, SLUSH, etc.
Beyond her role at CISL, Jie serves as a research advisor at Newham College (Cambridge), Non-Executive Director at Dialogue Earth (London), and advisor at Undivided VC (Hong Kong), giving back her experiences and insights on a pro bona basis. Driven by her cross-cultural experiences as an ethnic minority, Jie is a passionate DE&I advocate, actively contributing to CISL's Equality Action Planning committee. Her leadership was recognized with the University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor’s Social Impact Award (2022).
Publications:
- Report: Innovation for Sustainability: The driving force of circular economy start-ups | Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) (2023)
- Blog: Connecting with the entrepreneurial ecosystem in China | Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) (2023)
- Article: Founders to Funders (2022)
- Podcast: China's Envirotech Landscape (2022)
- Blog: Driving the circular economy through collaboration and disruptive change | Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) (2021)
- Report: The circular economy opportunity for urban and industrial innovation in China (2018, Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
Jie's topics:
- Sustainable finance
- Nature / biodiversity (for finance and business)
- Role of regulation and climate action
- Food sector – including challenges on food security, waste, etc.
- Business strategy
