The Impact Equation

We’re joined by Sir Ronnie Cohen - a man whose vision has shaped two industries: European venture capital and global impact investing. Born in Egypt and forced to flee as a child, Sir Ronnie arrived in the UK with little more than resilience and hope. He went on to become President of the Oxford Union, earn an MBA from Harvard, and co-found Apax Partners, one of Europe’s leading private equity firms. But that was only the beginning...

We’re joined by someone who’s quietly but powerfully changing how we support children and families across the UK. Louisa Mitchell started her journey seeing up close how the system was letting families fall through the cracks. In 2014, she was part of the team that founded All Child, a pioneering organisation focused on early intervention and holistic, community-based care. Today, All Child is rethinking support from the groun...

This week we’re joined by Joel Makower, one of the original architects of sustainable business. As co-founder of the Trellis Group, Joel has built the world’s go-to platform for people making capitalism work for people and planet. He’s advised Fortune 500s, authored more than a dozen books, and helped shape the global conversation on sustainability. He is equal parts journalist, strategist, and movement builder. Listen in to t...

In this episode, we’re joined by one of the most influential voices in sustainable finance: Catherine Howarth, Chief Executive of ShareAction.

For nearly 20 years, Catherine has been reshaping how pensions and investments serve people and planet - not just profit. Under her leadership, ShareAction has turned quiet shareholder voices into powerful agents for climate action, social justice, and accountability. Before ShareAction, Cath...

In recent episodes, we’ve explored the power and potential of youth. Few embody that spirit more than this week’s guest, Clover Hogan. At 11, she launched into climate activism. At 16, she witnessed the Paris Agreement being signed. At 19, she founded Force of Nature to help young people turn climate anxiety into action. By 21, she’d delivered a TED Talk seen by millions. Now, still in her early 20s, Clover is a globally respected ...

Dr Gail Bradbrook is co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, a global movement that helped force the climate emergency onto the world’s front pages through nonviolent civil disobedience. Her journey starts in a West Yorkshire mining town. She went on to earn a PhD in molecular biophysics, led national work on digital inclusion, and then founded XR. She’s blocked roads, been arrested, raised two kids, and never stopped fighting for...

What if financial barriers in underserved markets didn’t stand in the way of higher education. That’s the bold idea Batya Blankers and her team a Chancen International are scaling across Africa. From Cape Town to Kigali, they’re rewriting the rules of education finance; giving underserved young people the chance to study now and succeed later, with repayments linked to a fair share of future income. Batya’s journey is extraord...

Our guest is Haroon Yasin. By 18, Haroon was already running schools in Islamabad’s slums. What began as a one-room refuge for street children has grown into Taleemabad; a groundbreaking ed-tech company reaching over 10 million children across Pakistan. Taleemabad has digitised and localised the national curriculum, turning it into engaging lessons on TV, tablets, and mobile apps, even designing entire days around how kids really l...

This episode we're joined by Christopher Hook, Global Head of Sustainability Strategy at Uber. Chris joined Uber in 2019 to launch its first ever sustainability initiative, the London Clean Air Plan, and now leads sustainability across 70 countries, pushing for nothing less than fully sustainable car journeys and restaurant orders. From building impactful partnerships to helping drivers and restaurants lower their carbon footprint,...

We’re joined by Ian Shapiro, a true force in international development and CEO of Reall, an NGO revolutionising affordable housing across Africa and Asia.

Ian’s work at Reall isn’t just about buildings; it’s about dignity, jobs, clean water, sanitation, and long-term sustainability for millions of people. Before Reall, Ian’s impact spanned continents: He ran a youth organisation in Nepal, he shaped UK development programmes in India...

This episode's guest on The Impact Equation is a powerhouse: Dame Dr Helen Stephenson. As the former Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, Helen oversaw 169,000+ charities. She's held top roles across government; from shaping early years policy to championing civil society and innovation at the highest levels.

She’s also brought her magic to the National Lottery Community Fund, the Royal Academy of Dance, and somehow found time...

We’re joined by Dan Garrett, Chief Growth Officer at Dignity Group, which recently acquired Farewill, the company Dan co-founded back in 2015 with a bold mission: to change the way the world deals with death. Under Dan’s leadership, Farewill became an award-winning provider of wills, probate, and funerals - raising over £1.1 billion in pledged legacy income for more than 1,000 charities across the UK. Now, through a powerful partne...

We’re joined by Richa Gupta, an educator-turned-social entrepreneur transforming education for vulnerable children. As Co-Founder & CEO of Labhya, Richa is leading a movement that impacts 2.4 million+ children in India through social-emotional learning programs. Richa's work has earned her Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, a spot as one of 17 global UN SDG leaders, and a seat on the UNICEF India board. She’s even caught the attention of...

Stephen Critchlow, founder of Evergreen Life, recently crowned as the UK’s fastest growing software firm in The Sunday Times Tech 100. Evergreen isn’t Stephen’s first rodeo. A pioneering entrepreneur, Stephen started out as a clinical pharmacist and his passion for health drove him to establish Ascribe, a company that revolutionised health IT in 75% of UK hospitals, later selling to EMIS Group. With Evergreen Life, he’s revolu...