Welcome to my journal.
Get an insight into my day-to-day work and my perspective on key issues.
Every Child a Healthy Weight
Eighteen months ago, I submitted my first job application in over 20 years. It was a long shot, but one that I was surprised and humbled to secure - Chair of the brand-new London's Child Obesity Taskforce, convened by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. His challenge, in a city where nearly 40% of its children are not a healthy weight, was to identify what actions would fundamentally change this. A complex, some say intractable, but vitally important issue - the sort of challenge I relish.
Business as Usual?
It's not unprecedented to say we live in unprecedented times. Corona Virus means that we do.
The good news however, amongst all the chaos and disruption to our economy and health, is that we also therefore have an unprecedented opportunity to learn, innovate and improve the way we do things: including- perhaps especially- around business.
Could your idea change the world?
In February 2019, our inaugural competition took place at the University of Reading, with ten finalists pitching their ideas to an audience of purpose-driven entrepreneurs and business leaders, who voted for Alexander, a young man from Peru, with an audacious idea to create a quinoa and tarwi based milk from the wild slopes of the Andes.
Bring Humanity Back to Business
Believe it or not, businesses don't exist.
People exist. People sign pieces of paper to form companies. People make business decisions, and people receive dividend cheques if those decisions are successful. They hire and fire, buy and sell, invest and divest. Every action a company takes is a decision made by a person.
Just IMAGINE if - Business was Always a Force of Good
The phrase 'just imagine if' has stayed with me throughout my life. Imagine a world of gender and racial equality. Imagine a world free from businesses polluting our environment. Imagine if we could make a genuine impact to reduce childhood obesity.
It's these dreams that led me to establish 'just IMAGINE if...', an annual, university-hosted, business-focused, non-profit competition to address the UN's Sustainable Development Goals - the 2019 final was at the University of Reading in February.
Just IMAGINE if - Nothing was Impossible
Just IMAGINE if... is an innovation and social enterprise competition designed to find business ideas to help address our global problems
The three little words 'just imagine if...' have started endless sentences in my head, ever since I was a toddler.
One Person Two Degrees and 30 Years of Perspective
In February I was humbled to be conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bristol. It was a surreal experience, getting robed up and entering the Great Hall to receive a degree exactly 30 years after I had first done so; and then giving a public lecture in the very building I attended lectures in, with my undergraduate textbooks and dreams.
London Weighs in with Renewed Action on Child Obesity
I became a food entrepreneur in my mid-thirties. The lightbulb moment, that trigger to do it, happened as I watched my daughter Ella grow up happily, 'winning' at her all-important journey towards turning two. She had every opportunity to be healthy, including nutritious food, a comfortable home and a supportive family. But I was acutely aware that not every child has the same opportunity at the start of their life.
Fizz Free February: A Campaign to Cut Sugar with a Recipe that Might Just Cut Through
Fizz Free February is a simple new campaign for children, young people and adults to cut out fizzy drinks for the 28 days of February.
Reading and Feeding Imaginations: How books open young minds to unlimited opportunities
Last week I had the privilege of attending a fundraising reception for Beanstalk, a small charity that recruits, trains and supports volunteers to provide consistent, one-to-one literacy support to early years and primary school children who need help. These helpers give such children the support they need to improve their reading ability and - crucially - their confidence. It's a charity that my family is proud to support, and they asked me to speak about why we do so. Here is the speech I gave…
