Former Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) at IKEA Group, Steve served on IKEA’s Executive Group Management from 2011 to 2017. Widely respected as a leading sustainable business professional and a recognised authority on sustainability and climate change.
At IKEA, Steve led the development and implementation of the People and Planet Positive strategy and put in place strategies that led to more than 3 billion euros of investments from wind power to recycling at the same time as creating a sustainable products category that more than tripled in revenue to a 2-billion-euro business. Steve used sustainability to drive growth and innovation, including supporting IKEA’s rapid transition to only selling LED lights, the launch of vegetarian meatballs (which sold 100 million in the first nine months), and the roll-out of a retail solar business in several markets.
Steve also supported the rollout of a comprehensive approach on diversity, inclusion and fair pay. By the end of his tenure, IKEA was recognised as one of the world’s top five leading sustainable businesses.
A serial entrepreneur, in 2015, Steve co-founded We Mean Business, the leading climate change coalition of organisations and businesses which helped support the Paris Climate Agreement and has led to more than 500 businesses making more than 1000 commitments on climate action.
Prior to IKEA, Steve was Founder and CEO of The Climate Group, an independent global non-profit organisation which has built extensive networks of cities, states, regions, businesses and entrepreneurs committed to a net-zero carbon world. During his time at the Climate Group, along with Steve, he was an advisor to Vantage Point Venture Partners on their Clean Tech fund.
Before the Climate Group, Steve consulted on sustainability for major corporations and institutions, working as a partner at ERM Group in London and URS Corporation. He has worked with various NGOs and UN bodies on a wide range of global sustainability topics.
Earlier in his career he worked in WWF, chaired the UK Forest Stewardship Council and helped launch and chair The Forest Trust. Trained as an ecologist, he has a PhD in…
Bernard Moerman is a lifelong coach and mentor who motivates and guides people to find their values and talents.
An entrepreneur and thought leader on the transformation of customer relations and the future of customer-centric marketing in a time of AI.
Discover the profound impact of Gen Z on the global workforce and market trends through the insights of Jahkini Bisselink and Hajar Yagkoubi, former United Nations Youth Representatives. Jahkini & Hajar delve into Gen Z’s values and their expectations from businesses.
Ken Hughes is internationally renowned as one of the world’s leading authorities on how and why people buy. A leading consumer behaviouralist, he helps the biggest blue-chip brands decode consumer values, build customer connection and design customer experience that moves the needle. He blends data with story so teams can create change in real life, not just in theory.
A visionary designer, futurist, and innovator. He’s worked with start-ups, government agencies, artists, and corporations to explore the things that will matter to us in the future and to design solutions to get us there.
David Rowan, founding editor of WIRED UK and bestselling author, is a leading voice on innovation and the future of technology. He helps organisations decode disruption, harness exponential change, and develop cultures of innovation to stay competitive in fast-moving markets.
Former Australian professional road racing cyclist turned sports director, an expert in team building and leadership
Book Matthew Syed for high-impact keynotes on learning from failure, diverse thinking and culture. A former England table-tennis champion and award-winning journalist, he is the bestselling author of Black Box Thinking, Rebel Ideas and Bounce, and presents BBC Radio 4’s Sideways. Practical, research-backed tools your teams can apply immediately.
Former Global VP of HR at Unilever, business transformation advisor and a passionate advocate for making mental health & wellbeing a strategic priority.
A veteran executive with 16 years of hands-on experience implementing digital transformation at L’Oréal, he is a renowned speaker and consultant on leadership, branding and (digital) transformation.
