Ecosystems of Impact

Andrew Wordswoth, CEO - Sustainable Ventures

Belden Menkus

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Andrew Wordsworth, co-founder and CEO of Sustainable Ventures, returns to The Purposeful Strategist at a time of rapid growth and transformation for the climate tech sector. Having now supported over 1,000 startups, Sustainable Ventures has doubled down on its mission to expand its footprint across the UK and Northern Europe.

In this episode, Andrew shares how the firm is building a distributed ecosystem to serve climate entrepreneurs where they are, offering capital, community, and consulting support across the UK. He reflects on the shift from start-up to scale-up, the firm’s decision to bring on external investment, and why connecting regional stakeholders is critical for turning innovation into impact.

We also discuss the role of AI in accelerating climate tech, from operational efficiencies to strategic tools, and how Sustainable Ventures is keeping its purpose at the centre of a growing, customer-centric business model. For Andrew, climate isn’t just a challenge; it’s one of the greatest economic opportunities of our time.

Interested in Sustainable Venture’s workspaces? Check them out here: https://www.sustainableventures.co.uk/workspaces

Andrew Wordsworth

Relentlessly Getting Stuff Done

Matt Hotson, Group COO - Mischon de Reya

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How can operational leaders shape strategy, culture, and growth? Matt Hotson, Group Chief Operating Officer at Mishcon de Reya, shares how a distinctive approach to leadership and execution is helping one of the UK’s most entrepreneurial law firms stay purposeful and future-focused. At Mishcon, he leads everything outside of the practice of law –building the foundations, systems, and culture that enable lawyers to deliver great work for their clients.

In this episode, Matt discusses the firm’s evolving strategy and its renewed five-year vision, the importance of codifying values with broad input, and how culture is seen as somewhat fluid and constantly shaped by the people who join. He also explores how the firm is responding to emerging technological risks and opportunities.

Reflecting on his own path, Matt shares why making bold decisions, acting on 70% certainty, and relentlessly executing the plan have all been essential to building momentum and purpose at such a high scale.

Matt Hotson

World-leading Non-drug Treatment for Dementia

Devika Wood, CEO - Brain+

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How can a purpose-driven innovation scale without compromising care? Devika Wood, CEO of Brain+, shares how she’s helping pioneer the global expansion of Cognitive Simulation Therapy (CST) - the world-leading non-drug treatment for dementia.

Brain+ is a publicly listed health tech company championing Ayla, a proven digital CST intervention that can delay cognitive decline for up to six months. Devika discusses the opportunities and challenges of scaling CST through the UK’s care home sector while ensuring that ethics, clinical standards, and public trust remain central to the approach.

In this episode, Devika reflects on the strategic and emotional dimensions of leading a mission-led business in a high-regulation, high-stakes sector. She explains why raising awareness, building clinician and caregiver trust, and testing narratives are just as vital as product design. She also opens up about the balancing act between purpose and profit, the importance of board support, and the ongoing work of aligning commercial delivery with personal mission.

Devika Wood

Connection and Community

Asad Dhunna, Founder & CEO - The Unmistakables

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As the founder of The Unmistakables, a consultancy on a mission to make organisations more inclusive from the inside out, Asad Dhunna has long worked at the intersection of culture, inclusion, and brand. In this episode, he challenges conventional narratives around DEI, arguing that diversity is too often pigeonholed, when in fact it reflects deeper shifts in society and the economy.

Asad reflects on the insights from The Grow Up, The Unmistakables’ landmark survey of over 2,000 people in the UK. He shines light on the tension leaders face as they scale: the pull of familiarity versus the push towards true diversity, and why complexity demands dynamic responses.

Asad brings a clear-eyed view of what is driving inclusion forward—and what is holding it back. He also explores how the next generation is rethinking wealth, work, and leadership and why reputation, more than ever, is a key metric for growth.

Asad Dhunna

Scaling with Integrity

Dean Proctor, CEO - 7IM

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Dedication to your purpose need not be sacrificed during firm growth. For Dean Proctor, CEO of 7IM, keeping purpose, people, and performance aligned is the challenge—and opportunity—of leadership.

Since stepping into the role six years ago, Dean has helped grow 7IM into a nearly £30 billion firm with around 850 colleagues, blending organic expansion with the acquisition of high-quality advice businesses. Today, the firm serves both direct clients and advisers across the UK.

In this episode, Dean reflects on how 7IM’s dual B2B2C and direct-to-consumer model is something they are continually learning from and why preserving a ‘client-first’ culture is critical as the business scales. He shares how 7IM’s values are brought to life through storytelling and how 7IM’s purpose has taken shape through colleague-led sustainability and diversity initiatives. Dean also speaks candidly about industry consolidation, the need to attract a new generation of financial advisors, and the role of technology in broadening access to advice.

Dean Proctor

How to Learn and Grow With Purpose

Fiona Dunsire, Government Actuary - GAD

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How can leaders learn and grow while ensuring an organisation’s core purpose? Fiona Dunsire, the UK Government Actuary, shares her views and experience on how leaders can learn and grow together in teams, all while ensuring an organisation delivers its core purpose.

Fiona is the first woman to head the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), which provides actuarial analysis and advice across the public sector. With her team at GAD, Fiona unlocks value in her behind-the-scenes work advising the current government on big and long-term financial risk decisions.

In this episode, Fiona discusses the importance of voluntary inclusion by team members in organisational strategy planning and the impact of GAD’s public and transparent strategy on team culture. After a recent transition to the public sector, she touches on the differences in measuring success in the public versus private sector.  She also describes how they are capturing opportunities to use AI to streamline workflow and limit risk.

Fiona Dunsire

Keeping Strategy Simple

Gavin Slark, CEO - SIG

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For Gavin Slark, CEO of SIG, keeping strategy simple, flexible, and people-driven is key to building a business that can thrive across geographies and adapt to change. Leading a multinational distribution company, he believes that when strategy is clear and straightforward, it empowers teams at every level to align around a common purpose. His approach is clear: keeping things simple increases the chances of successful delivery.

SIG is a leading European supplier of specialist insulation and sustainable building products, with 7,000+ colleagues, 440 branches, and operations across six countries. The business connects over 75,000 customers with expert products and solutions, playing a vital role in making construction supply chains more efficient and sustainable. While each business has its own local identity, they are united by a shared culture and ambition to be the best provider for their customers. Gavin joined SIG in 2023, bringing over two decades of leadership experience, including 11 years as CEO of Grafton Group. With extensive experience in the same industry, he recognised an opportunity for himself to guide SIG through its next phase of growth.

In the episode, Gavin shares how SIG approaches strategy as an evolving conversation – one that’s shaped by local insight, guided by common sense, and driven by people on the ground. The conversation also explores SIG’s approach to growth through M&A, its ambitions around sustainability, and the operational realities of decarbonising a large distribution business. Gavin also offers insight into what authentic leadership looks like in a multinational context, and why creating an environment where people can develop and be themselves is central to delivering both purpose and performance.

Gavin Slark