Second Nature

Ben Sharples heads up the Natural Capital Team at Michelmores and brings his dual qualifications as a surveyor and solicitor to assist clients engaging in the market for environmental services.  As one of the first lawyers to engage with emergent policy on natural capital, having already completed numerous deals in this space and having been the architect in several novel and ground breaking natur...

Gil Martin is the Director of Estates and Natural Capital at Belmont, a regenerative organisation on a mission to inspire community connection, restore biodiversity, and tackle climate change through ambitious nature-recovery projects, a nature connection program, natural capital solutions, and outdoor shared experiences.   Gil is a passionate naturalist with a focus on ecosystem ecology and the d...

Joss Ford is the founder of Enviral, a purpose-driven agency that consults, creates and communicates organisations’ social and environmental stories. He believes that communications plays one of the most important roles in solving our global challenges. A graduate of The School of Earth and Environment at Leeds University and CISL (Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership), Joss helps com...

Debbie Tann MBE is the Chief Executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.  From humble beginnings and an unconventional background, she has carved out a remarkable career in ecology and nature conservation.  During her 25-years with the Trust, she's grown the charity into one of the largest of the county wildlife trusts in the UK, now with 150 staff and assets of £25 million.   Sh...

Ben Goldsmith is a British financier, philanthropist, and lifelong nature lover who has been at the forefront of rewilding campaigns across Britain, Europe and beyond. He founded and chairs Conservation Collective, a leading nature restoration charity supporting 20 locally-focused foundations around the world. Ben is the Chief Executive Officer of Menhaden, a London-listed, sustainability-themed i...

Luke Baldwin is CEO of Nature Broking which he co-founded in March 2023 to channel more private and public finance into climate and nature.  Nature Broking builds unique, personalised carbon credit and nature portfolios for corporations enabling them to maximise their impact on climate and wildlife. Nature Broking’s high impact projects in the UK and round the world reduce and remove emissions whi...

Eoin Murray is the Managing Director of SEED at the Crowther Lab, joining in 2024 to bring the SEED Biocomplexity Index to market. With over thirty years of experience as a successful business and investment leader, Eoin is proud to have supported the launch of one of the first biodiversity equity strategies with the Natural History Museum in London, and helped drive the launch of the UK Nature Re...

Meet Ed Dark, Head of Technology at Oxygen House, the innovative force behind our tech-driven approach to conservation. In this episode, Ed takes us through his journey from tech enthusiast to leading the technology team at Oxygen House. He discusses how he handles the challenges of data storage, cybersecurity, and cutting-edge digital solutions that support Oxygen House and the business within in...

Alistair Maltby is the Director of Estate and Woodland Outreach at The Woodland Trust, where he plays a pivotal role in promoting the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of the UK’s woodlands. With a deep passion for connecting people to nature, Alistair leads efforts to expand and protect woodlands while encouraging community involvement in forest conservation. His work spans in...

With over 25 years of experience in the forestry industry, Gordon wanted to shake things up, creating a revitalised Scotland through redefining our relationship with woodlands and forests. That’s why he co-founded TreeStory. As a forestry consultant, he specialises in landscape-scale forest restructuring and re-afforestation projects and in developing continuous cover forestry systems. He always s...

Andrew Dewar is the dynamic Head of People at Oxygen Conservation, where he leads with a people-first approach to building high-performance teams. With a passion for fostering an environment of growth, collaboration, and innovation, Andrew plays a key role in aligning talent with the company’s strategic goals. His expertise goes beyond recruitment—Andrew focuses on nurturing company culture, drivi...

Mark Lloyd is the Chief Executive of The Rivers Trust and a leading voice in the environmental sector, with over two decades of experience dedicated to protecting and improving the UK’s rivers and freshwater ecosystems. At The Rivers Trust, Mark champions collaborative conservation efforts, working with communities, government bodies, and environmental organisations to safeguard our precious water...

Karime Hassan is a former Chief Executive of Exeter City Council, known for his visionary leadership in driving sustainable urban development and economic growth. During his tenure, he led major initiatives in housing, infrastructure, and business innovation, helping to transform Exeter into a vibrant and environmentally conscious city. With a background in urban planning and strong leadership, Ka...

Roli Martin is the Managing Director and Head of Finance at Global City Futures, where he leads financial strategy and drives operational growth. Global City Futures has a proven track record of bringing organisations together over shared goals and delivering innovative and profitable green urban developments. With a strong background in finance and strategic planning, Roli plays a key role in del...

Seyi Rhodes is a British journalist and documentary filmmaker, known for his work with the BBC and Channel 4. As a reporter for Unreported World , he has traveled globally to cover underreported issues like child trafficking, gang violence, and climate change. Seyi has reported from countries such as Nigeria and the Philippines, often highlighting human rights abuses and marginalised communities....

Evan Bowen-Jones, Chief Executive of Kent Wildlife Trust, has been working on delivering KWT’s ambitious strategy for a Wilder Kent during his time in the role. This strategy focuses on finding impactful local solutions to address the national and global nature and climate crises we all face, doing so with speed and in the most defensible and pragmatic manner possible. This is where Wilder Carbon...

Hector Hughes is the co-founder of Unplugged, a company dedicated to helping people disconnect from their phones and reconnect with nature. Unplugged offers digital detox experiences at off-grid cabins, with a growing network of 30 cabins across the UK and a recent expansion into Spain.

On the outside, Tom is a tenacious, driven, and creative CEO with a proven track record at start-up, scale-up, and global corporate levels. A self-diagnosed workaholic and entrepreneur, he founded, grew, and exited his first business by the age of 28. On the inside, Tom is a devoted dad, geologist, angel investor, and adventure enthusiast—passions that now drive the next stage of his career. Tom i...

Charles, the Earl of Devon, lives at Powderham Castle, near Exeter, Devon. Powderham has been the Courtenay family home since 1390, and he runs the Castle as a heritage business, sustainably managing the ancient land and buildings for social benefit while hosting all manner of visitors throughout the year. Charles is both an English Barrister and a California attorney. He practiced between 2003 an...

Michelle is the Technical Director at The Rivers Trust, bringing 30 years of expertise in applying geospatial technology to address environmental challenges. She jointly manages a team of specialists in GIS, data science, modelling, and monitoring, delivering innovative data-driven solutions to support The Rivers Trust movement and the local communities they serve. Michelle is at the forefront of...

In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Alexa, the General Counsel at Environment Bank, a pioneering organisation dedicated to restoring biodiversity across England. Founded in 2006, Environment Bank has transitioned from a traditional ecological consultancy to a dynamic force in land investment, now managing approximately 6,000 acres aimed at achieving biodiversity net gain. As General Counsel...

In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome two experts from Abrdn: Ann Meoni and Fraser Green. Fraser Green serves as the Head of Natural Capital Investment at Abrdn. Working in the real estates side of the business which is where the business has developed a natural capital strategy first, he is spearheading the development and launch of that strategy as a fund. Fraser also manages a portfolio of...

Cadi is Isio’s Head of Sustainable Investment, leading on sustainability research and client solutions.  Her extensive experience includes guiding institutional investors through their sustainability journeys—whether setting net zero targets, evaluating ESG capabilities of managers and providers, or implementing strategic portfolio changes. She’s also a key player in advancing industry-wide sustai...

Kaisie Rayner is the Founder and Director of A Future Worth Living In , a pioneering organisation dedicated to guiding financial institutions in understanding and implementing sustainability practices as they transition to a low-carbon economy.  With a robust background in finance and organisational development, studying Finance and Organisational Development in Western Australia and over a decade...

Ross Fairley sits on the Board at law firm Burges Salmon and heads the Renewable Energy and Net Zero Services team for its clients. He is one of the most recognised legal advisor names in the area and has spent over 25 years advising developers, generators, investors and funders on UK environmental law and renewable energy and low carbon projects ranging from huge offshore wind projects to communi...