Food System Leadership is Evolving - Meet the Changemakers
Food. Health. Climate. It’s all one system.
The food system is under pressure like never before. From climate volatility to cost-of-living challenges, nutritional inequality to supply chain fragility, business-as-usual isn’t cutting it. We’re at a crossroads, and we need commercially minded changemakers who understand that business success, health outcomes and sustainability are no longer mutually exclusive.
That’s exactly who we found in our latest cohort of the Future Food Movement’s Healthy Sustainable Diets & Food Systems Accelerator.
This virtual 7-week experience brought together bold professionals from across the food system. Leaders who are now equipped to drive change with clarity, confidence and commercial relevance.
If you’re thinking about leading differently, read what motivated them to join - and how they plan to make a difference.
Meet the Cohort: What’s Driving the New Wave of Food Leaders
Annie Denny – CEO, Senior Nutrition Leader, World Sugar Organisation
On a mission to improve worldwide understanding of sugar in health and nutrition, Annie bridges science and action. She’s focused on making sustainable nutrition stick, through evidence-based messaging that helps consumers make everyday changes with impact.
George Brooks – Development Chef, Belazu
With a culinary edge, George is driven by whole-product usage and minimal waste, inspired by chefs like Fergus Henderson and the team at Fallow/Roe. He’s challenging conventional ideas of value in food and aims to build sustainability awareness internally within his business.
Georgie Cowell – Senior Researcher, ShareAction
Georgie’s research focuses on driving more responsible practice in the food industry and defining higher investor standards on health. She joined the programme to gain a better understanding of the ways in which the food industry can adapt to improve its impact on people and planet.
Claire Gibbs – Head of Food and Sustainability at Charlie Bigham's
Always keen to try new foods and processes, Claire is deeply concerned about our broken food system. She brought curiosity and a systems-thinking mindset and is open to strengthening and developing her skill set in her role to lead boldly in sustainability.
Carly Shutes – Head of Comms, FoodCycle
With frontline experience in community food programmes, Carly is committed to embedding equity into food organisations. She believes real change happens when passion is translated into strategy.
Belinda Ng – Consultant and Act4Food Youth Leader
Belinda is an active part of our FFM network and joined the Accelerator with a bold ambition: to empower young people to lead change across the food system. Inspired by Louise Mabulo and her climate-resilient cacao farming project in the Philippines, Belinda sees leadership as an intergenerational effort - and believes in the power of youth to disrupt old narratives and accelerate progress.
Nathan Gooding, In-Flight Culinary Experience Team & Hospitality Trainer, Etihad
Nathan is reimagining culinary innovation through the lens of biodiversity, regeneration and nutrition. He’s inspired by leaders like Chef Dan Barber, whose work connects food with sustainable agriculture systems, and Ian Wilkinson, whose work at FarmED champions regenerative farming and food biodiversity. Nathan aims to embed systems thinking into every bite, bringing creativity and conscience to the kitchen.
Do you want to lead the change?
This cohort proves that no matter your role - chef, communicator, researcher or strategist - you can influence the future of food.
We have two new Accelerators are kicking off this Autumn: Bookings are open.