History

The research and work done for the book The Power of Unreasonable People, authored by two of our founders, made us acutely aware of the need to rethink and explore new horizons and new economic and business models.  The biggest challenge we face today is growing and sustaining innovative solutions to the world’s economic, social and environmental challenges, from poverty and disease through to the loss of biodiversity and accelerating climate change.

This goes way beyond talk shops and conferences and involves deploying the capital, the talent and the policies that trigger growth and adoption of these innovations.

The directors and founding partners of Volans include:

• John Elkington: A co-founder of Environmental Data Services (ENDS) in 1978 and SustainAbility in 1987, John is a world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development, author of 17 books and a Visiting Professor at the Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility, Cranfield University.

• Pamela Hartigan: Formerly Managing Director of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and of the World Economic Forum, Pamela holds a PhD in cognitive psychology and teaches social entrepreneurship at Columbia School of Business in New York.

• Geoff Lye: Vice-Chairman of SustainAbility and a Research Fellow at Green College, Oxford. Geoff is also a Visiting Teaching Fellow at Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute. He speaks regularly on climate change and economic accountability.

• Kevin Teo: Previously Head of East and Southeast Asia at the Schwab Foundation of Social Entrepreneurship and a Global Leadership Fellow at the World Economic Forum, Kevin has held numerous senior positions at Bay Area software startups and founded Volans Asia.

Our Name

Volans comes from the flying fish (Pisces volans). In Latin, volans means ‘flying’ or ‘flying thing’ - which seems appropriate as we see Volans as a giant leap forward in our field and working lives.