Impact stories: The Cambridge Business & Sustainability Programme over the years

How does CISL's flagship programme enable leaders navigate disruption and uncertainty whilst driving systems change?

These stories bring together the experiences of senior leaders who have taken part in the Cambridge Business Transformation Programme — formerly the Prince of Wales Business & Sustainability Programme (BSP). Across sectors and geographies, they show how leaders are making decisions, building capability and delivering change in practice.

Transforming a century-old business

The three days I spent in Cambridge in 2017 made me realise just how serious climate change had become. They gave me the courage to act and the tools to deliver real impact. I doubt I would have achieved nearly as much without the programme.

I went on to implement a transformational corporate strategy built around sustainability within our 100-year-old family business. Our operations and product development have shifted to a more sustainable footing, and we are now targeting 100% bio-derived, biodegradable, or recycled products during my tenure.

Today, 97% of our electricity comes from our on-site anaerobic digestion plant, and we are well on our way to achieving net zero carbon emissions. The ongoing support from the alumni network has also been critical in maintaining momentum, sharing that journey, and continuing to deliver on that transition.

Scaling waste recovery through collaboration

It was a great opportunity to understand the different conflicts, views and actions across industries at the time. It helped me recognise that sustainability needs to be embedded across all processes, and that we should take a more proactive approach. It also reinforced that this is both a technical challenge and a consumer behaviour issue.

Building on that, I led the development of e-waste relationships and infrastructure to improve recovery across Argentina, Chile and now Saudi Arabia, alongside new capsule treatment facilities and measurement processes. This resulted in a fourfold increase in capsule recovery and 86% recovery of e-waste materials compared to previous levels.

From intent to systemic change

I took the programme in 2007 at a time when I was already committed to sustainable principles, but still working within frameworks that, looking back, were more performative than transformative. The programme dismantled that thinking by introducing a systemic lens and showing how meaningful change depends on ecosystem thinking and coordinated action.

That shift shaped everything I did next. At Citigroup, I developed and led Citi for Cities, bringing together capabilities from across the institution to work alongside cities on complex urban challenges. It was about convening an ecosystem and aligning resources around shared goals.

It continues to shape my work today. As CEO of the Euroclear Foundation, I focus on tackling the structural barriers that prevent young people from accessing pathways from education into work. The ambition is systemic change, and the programme gave me both the conviction and the language to pursue it.

A career catalyst in sustainability

The programme really kicked off my career in sustainability. It gave me deep insight into the field at the time and helped me develop my own ideas about integrating sustainability into a complex energy company. It also gave me the evidence I needed to influence decisions.

My stakeholder engagement project opened the door to the boardroom and led to the opportunity to establish and develop npower’s first responsible business team. At the same time, it connected me with a network of professionals who became lifelong friends, advisors and collaborators.

That network has shaped much of what I have done since, from supporting businesses in integrating sustainability into their processes, to mentoring individuals at the start of their careers and contributing to the development of the Institute of CR and Sustainability. It has stayed with me throughout my career and continues to influence how I work today.

Leadership for legacy and impact

The programme strengthened my commitment to leadership that prioritises long-term impact, particularly in an emerging economy like Peru, where economic growth and poverty eradication remain central. It reinforced how industries such as cement and concrete contribute to development through housing, infrastructure and resilience, while navigating the transition to net zero.

In my role, I have applied these insights to strengthen sustainability practices and governance within the organisation, while representing the company in global industry bodies such as the Global Cement and Concrete Association and FICEM. This has enabled me to contribute to wider conversations on how the sector responds to the challenges ahead.

The programme continues to shape how I approach leadership, balancing economic priorities with the need to build resilient and sustainable systems, and recognising the role business can play in delivering long-term value and positive impact.

Awakening purpose through action

Before attending the programme, my focus was on sharing our company’s sustainability commitments with stakeholders. The experience in 2015 shifted that perspective and awakened a deeper passion for actively fostering sustainability within the business sector.

That shift has shaped both my professional and personal journey over the past decade. It led me to continue building my capability, including completing a postgraduate degree, while applying those insights in my role on a daily basis.

I remain grateful for the sense of purpose the programme gave me and the role it has played in shaping how I use my voice and influence to advance sustainability in business.

Strengthening policy and planning leadership

Attending the programme significantly strengthened my ability to assess development proposals in a more integrated and strategic way. It helped me better understand the interplay between economic growth, heritage, transport infrastructure and environmental sustainability, and how these factors need to be considered together in long-term decision-making.

I gained practical tools to embed climate resilience and net-zero objectives into planning policy and the Local Plan, ensuring these considerations are addressed at a strategic level. Exposure to perspectives from business, finance and the public sector also deepened my understanding of market dynamics, including viability and investment drivers.

The programme gave me greater confidence to challenge major schemes on sustainability, design quality and long-term impact. It also shaped my ability to take a more forward-looking approach, drawing on global best practice, and to champion sustainability within leadership forums, including at Royal Mail.

Scaling systems for climate impact

Attending the programme was a catalyst that shifted my focus from siloed ESG compliance to system-level market transformation. That shift has shaped my journey, first by transforming aviation services and food solutions across Asia, and now as Head of Regional Sustainability for Asia Pacific at Google, where sustainability is a core driver of innovation.

Working across Asia Pacific, one of the most climate-vulnerable and fast-evolving regions, these insights have been critical. They have enabled me to lead cross-functional strategies that align technology, markets and sustainability priorities, with a particular focus on using Artificial Intelligence as a lever for climate action and system optimisation.

A key lesson has been the importance of moving solutions beyond pilot stages and into real-world deployment. This has shaped how I approach collaboration across sectors and geographies, and how I work to align innovation with the practical conditions needed to deliver impact at scale.

From advising to leading the transition

I attended the programme in March 2024 at a moment of personal transition. After more than two decades as an energy and infrastructure lawyer, I had begun to question whether advising on the climate transition was a sufficient contribution to it. The programme brought clarity and conviction, and the faculty combined intellectual rigour with a practical focus on action.

What stayed with me most was a stronger sense of responsibility for leadership in the private sector. Engaging with senior leaders across industry and finance reinforced the need to move beyond understanding the challenge towards delivering solutions that are both ambitious and actionable.

That conviction led to a clear decision. Shortly after completing the programme, I left the partnership to move into a commercial role in renewable energy development, working to accelerate the deployment of clean energy through corporate offtake agreements. It was a shift from advising on transition to helping deliver it.

If these experiences resonate, the programme offers a space to strengthen leadership capability and translate strategy into action. 

Applications for the Business & Sustainability Programme (BSP) are now open:

• Apply now for the Asia seminar: 13 - 16 October
• Apply now for the Cambridge seminar: 22-25 November