I joined Forum for the Future in 2009, working for its magazine Green Futures, first on production and eventually as the editor, until 2014.
Before then, I had worked as a journalist and in-house writer for various organisations working towards social and environmental change, starting with an internship at India’s Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi. This stands out for me as the point when I realised that ‘social and environmental’ must always come together, if what you want is lasting change.
In August 2014, I moved to Forum’s Asia-Pacific office, headquartered in Singapore, to help set up our new Futures Centre. My job now is to curate the content, bringing together signals of change, trends analysis, journalism and commentary, and engaging dynamic communities to share their perspectives. We ask what future might be possible and how to get there – which I find endlessly fascinating.
Last year I also published a book, The Brand Strategist’s Guide to Desire (Palgrave Macmillan), in which I challenge brands to think hard about what really matters to people, and find ways to contribute to lasting wellbeing – rather than just cluttering our lives with stuff. The book draws on everything from Picasso to the Samba schools of Rio to inspire fresh thinking on what makes people tick.
I enjoy speaking at public events: recently the Human Capital Forum in Singapore, the London Sustainability Communications Forum and the World Forum for a Responsible Economy in Lille. I’ve also been a jury member for various award schemes, including the European Commission Environmental Management Awards Scheme and the Women in Social and Environmental Enterprise Awards.
