Ed Gillespie

Ed Gillespie is a distinguished futurist and serial entrepreneur whose career spans marine biology, transport, and international business transformation. As the co-founder of the sustainability communications agency Futerra and a former Director of Greenpeace UK, he has spent decades shaping the global conversation on ecological responsibility. He is widely recognised for his travelogue Only Planet, which chronicles his year-long, flight-free circumnavigation of the globe, a journey also documented in his regular column for the Guardian and Observer. Today, Ed holds various influential roles, including serving as a facilitator for the Forward Institute on responsible leadership and acting as an investor and director for numerous pioneering startups. His portfolio includes ventures such as the Small Robot Company, Piclo, and Panda Packaging. He also co-hosts The Futurenauts and The Great Humbling podcasts, exploring the intersection of social change and survival in a changing climate. His recent work extends to chairing the European rail business Loco2 until its acquisition by SNCF and serving as a London Sustainable Development Commissioner. Through his signature style of constructive provocation, Ed challenges audiences to rethink conventional business models and embrace the radical innovations required for a zero-carbon economy. He is booked for his ability to translate complex global interdependencies into clear, visionary strategies that prepare organisations for an unpredictable future. On stage, Ed Gillespie is best known for talks on Sustainability, Communications, Entrepreneurship and Futurism. Audiences leave with a clear, practical view of the subject rather than a generic overview — every keynote is shaped around the brief and the room. Their work resonates with leaders across Charity & Non-Profit and Sustainability & Environment, where the themes translate directly into team decisions, customer experience and growth strategy. Ed Gillespie is regularly booked for Business Speaker and Conference Speaker, adapting tone, length and format to suit the event — from a 20-minute opener to a full conference keynote with Q&A. To check availability or request a tailored brief for your event, send an enquiry and we'll come back with fees, dates and a short summary of how Ed Gillespie would approach your audience.