Lindsay Hooper

Lindsay is CEO for the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership which activates leadership globally to transform economies for people, nature and climate.

She brings over 20 years’ experience at the forefront of business and sustainability, challenging, inspiring and supporting senior leaders from multinational businesses, financial institutions and influential organisations to accelerate progress to a sustainable economy.

Lindsay has a track-record of leading significant growth, innovation and impact through building the vision, strategy, structures and capabilities necessary to deliver against organisational purpose. She played a foundational role driving transformative change and has supported CISL’s evolution into the respected international institute it is today.

Lindsay, was named Leader of the Year at the 2025 BusinessGreen UK Green Business Awards in recognition of her transformative leadership in advancing sustainability, shaping global business strategy, and championing education as a driver of systemic change.

Working closely with CISL’s leadership team, Lindsay has been key to setting the Institute’s ambitions for impact, its international strategy and organisational purpose.   She has also played a key role in developing organisational positions and shaping a foresight agenda in support of CISL’s goals.

Under Lindsay’s guidance as Executive Director for Education, CISL has become the global benchmark for sustainability leadership education. Hundreds of major organisations and thousands of individual leaders globally have gone on to influence change and lead progress, aligning their organisational performance with the delivery of positive outcomes for society.     

Lindsay oversaw the Institute’s board, executive and practitioner-level education including its postgraduate programmes, online courses, leadership seminars, customised programmes and advisory services for major clients. She has led significant expansion of CISL’s routes to impact, including innovating in new propositions, collaborations and expansion into new geographies. She has personally led engagements across banking, extractives, retail, utility and manufacturing sectors, as well as with major municipalities and SOEs in China and the Middle East – engagements which have resulted in transformational change and enhanced organisational performance. She has deep experience of harnessing the talents and expertise of leading experts and innovators internationally, building high-performing teams and long-term collaborations to develop leading edge programmes that deliver significant, positive impacts.

Lindsay also led the Institute’s position and contribution to evolving international debates on matters including fossil fuel phase out, business leadership, and the relationship between business and society. She speaks on global trends and the commercial implications for business including the business response to Net Zero transition and leadership for a sustainable future.