People and careers
Our strategy is driven by our skilled people
Meet our passionate management team and programme heads working towards a collective vision of a just and regenerative economy.
To meet the rest of our diverse team of professionals, visit our LinkedIn.
Management Team
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Leslie Johnston
CEO
As its founding CEO, Leslie Johnston leads the execution of Laudes Foundation’s strategy to deliver on its mission to accelerate the transition to a green, fair and inclusive economy.
Leslie currently serves on the boards of Impact Europe as Chair, Fashion for Good BV, Built by Nature Stichting (as Vice Chair), Climate Resilience for All as well as University College London’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose Advisory Board.
Leslie has over 25 years of management experience across business, entrepreneurship, development, and philanthropy. Previously, she headed C&A Foundation as its first Executive Director, repositioning it as a global catalyst to make fashion a force for good. She served as Executive Director of the Argidius Foundation, Deputy Director for TechnoServe in Africa and a management consultant for McKinsey & Company.
Leslie lives in Zug, Switzerland with her husband and two teenage sons.
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Amol Mehra
Director of Programmes
Amol is a recognised leader in the field of business and human rights and serves as the Director of Programmes at Laudes. Based in Amsterdam, Amol oversees global programmes that deploy philanthropic funding to inspire and challenge industry to transition to a green, fair and inclusive economy. Amol also serves as a Founding Member of Funders Organized for Rights in the Global Economy and a Board Member of the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery, a Board Member of EarthRights International, a Board Member of Built by Nature and on the Advisory Council for the Center for Business and Human Rights at NYU Stern. Previously, Amol was Managing Director of the Freedom Fund in New York and the founding Executive Director of the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR) in Washington D.C.
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Katy Hartley
Director of Strategy and Foresight
Katy is the Director of Strategy and Foresight managing a team spanning strategy development, innovation and futuring. In the last 25 years, Katy has worked in the fields of philanthropy, strategy, stakeholder engagement and partnership building. Since 2016, Katy has worked with the Brenninkmeijer family across Porticus and COFRA. She is also Chair of the Board of The Partnering Initiative and a board member for the Fashion for Good Museum and a member of the World Economic Forum Global Foresight community. In her spare time, Katy can be found riding Icelandic horses, swimming in the sea, or planning adventures for her family.
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Lee Alexander Risby
Director of Effective Philanthropy
Lee Alexander Risby is the Director of Effective Philanthropy. Lee directs and oversees the foundation work in learning from impact, and grant operations.
Previously, Lee led Effective Philanthropy and Impact & Communications teams at C&A Foundation. Prior to that, he held various evaluation positions at the Global Environment Facility at the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank, focusing on assessing the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation, climate mitigation, hazardous chemical phase-out, gender and governance programs in the global south and former Soviet Union.
Programme Leads
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Annelies Withofs
Head of Food Programme
Annelies Withofs is the Head of the Food Programme at Laudes Foundation. In this role, she seeks to advance the transition to a healthy, affordable, and decarbonised urban food industry that benefits the climate, nature, and people. Annelies also serves as a Steering Committee member of the Global Alliance for the Future of Food and is deeply committed to driving innovative solutions to global systemic challenges. She is trained in systems thinking, regenerative economics and collaborative leadership.
Annelies has over a decade of philanthropic experience, managing large strategic grant portfolios centred around regenerative agriculture and circular economies for food, and engaging in strategy development, advocacy, and high-level engagement. Prior to that, she worked in various civil society organisations, working in the fields of water harvesting, solar energy, landscape management, and SME development.
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Clare Hierons
Head of Finance and Capital Markets Programme
Clare is the Head of Finance and Capital Markets Programme and leads Laudes’ work to transform the finance system and mobilise investment in pursuit of a just transition. Starting her non-profit career at the Carbon Trust, Clare became the CEO of Carbon Leapfrog – a community energy charity – before setting up a foundation for the Energy Saving Trust. Her switch to sustainable finance led to the role of COO at both Accounting for Sustainability and ShareAction. Outside of work, Clare is on the Advisory Council for the Investor Alliance for Human Rights and the board of Energy Local CIC and has an insatiable appetite for antiques - especially those of the arts and crafts movement.
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Denise Brennan
Head of Impact and Organisational Learning
Denise supports Laudes Foundation’s ambition to become a learning organisation by working with teams across the foundation to embed learning practices that create space for problem-solving, knowledge exchange and programme adaptation. Denise is proud to work with a group of learning champions who are enthusiastic and motivated to cultivate a culture of learning and is helping to drive Laudes’ efforts forward.
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James Drinkwater
Head of Built Environment Programme
James is the Head of the Built Environment Programme based in Amsterdam, supporting the transformation towards an inclusive, climate and nature-positive industry and collaborating with global funders. He co-founded Built by Nature and chairs its investment committee, and was previously Director of WorldGBC Europe, co-founding the first ‘Buildings Day’ at COP21, the EU’s Level(s) policy and the Energy Efficient Mortgages initiative. He is a climate and environment lawyer with an MA from Cambridge University.
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Lakshmi Poti
Head of Fashion Programme
Lakshmi is the Head of the Fashion Programme, supporting the transition of the fashion industry to one that is circular and inclusive. She is committed to enabling innovative solutions that have a global impact while remaining grounded in local contexts. Lakshmi brings expertise in strategy, philanthropy, and inclusive business having previously worked with advisory firms Intellecap, Deloitte, and EY.
Lakshmi also serves as the Managing Director of Laudes India LLP, and sits on the Investor Advisory Board of Good Fashion Fund.
A devoted mama to a spirited daughter, Lakshmi can be found swimming in the ocean or backpacking with her family when she's not at work.
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Naureen Chowdhury
Head of Cross-industry Programme
Naureen is the Head of the Cross-industry Programme and is passionate about championing the lived experience of those at the forefront of climate action. She has worked in the apparel industry for 20 years, gaining experience in labour rights, climate action and building alliances. Driven by a mission to climate proof industry, Naureen is best known for inspiring change that is locally informed and globally transformative. Beyond work, Naureen enjoys running, studying and keeping up with her two boys in Dhaka.
Careers
Our work is our passion. Explore available opportunities to join our ambitious, collaborative global team.
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Job details
Office Operations Specialist
- Nairobi
- Full-time
- Philanthropy