Who we are
The Team
Deborah Doane
Deborah has a strong track record of pioneering institutions and projects that convene people who can bridge ideas, policy and influence, and with over 30 years’ experience is well-networked across civil society in the UK and beyond. She was founder/Director of the CORE Coalition (now Corporate Justice Coalition) that won ground-breaking changes to embed social and environmental accountability into UK Company law; As Director of the World Development Movement, she led the organisation to win new policy in Europe on commodity speculation; and as the first Director of the Funders’ Initiative for Civil Society (FICS), she helped to spearhead philanthropic investment into the enabling environment for civil society and democratic space. She is the co-founder of the RINGO Project, a global systems-change initiative to reimagine power and relationships across global civil society, influencing bilateral aid policy and the future of Aid. She has sat on the Board of the Sheila McKechnie Foundation, Fairtrade Foundation and is the current chair of Finance Uncovered. Her book, ‘the INGO Problem’, was published in 2024 by Practical Action.
Co-Director
Co-Director
James is an economist with two decades' professional experience in the UK and internationally. His previous appointments include chief economist at New Economics Foundation, economic advisor to the Shadow Chancellor, and director of the Progressive Economy Forum, and he has worked at institutions including HM Treasury, the Royal Society and UN Trade and Development. He holds a first in economics and economic history from the LSE, a masters' with distinction and a PhD in from the University of London, and has taught and lectured at universities including SOAS, Sussex and Cambridge. He is a regular commentator on economics and economic policy for the UK and international media, including columns in the New Statesman and the Financial Times, hosts the weekly Macrodose podcast, and James' first book, on the end of economic growth and its global consequences, is due out from Penguin in 2026.
James Meadway
Independent Advisors and Associates
Sarah is one of the UK's leading specialists in public participation in decision-making. She has more than a decade of experience leading deliberative and participatory public engagement for the UK government, UK parliamentary committees, Senedd, and multiple local councils, among others. She learnt her craft at the UK's leading public participation charity, Involve, becoming its Director of Capacity Building & Standards and Director of Climate Programmes. Sarah now works independently as a senior public participation specialist, designing and delivering engagement for a wide range of organisations.
Participation expert
Sarah Allan
Carys is an award-winning communications specialist with extensive public policy experience. Carys has held senior communications roles at multiple organisations, most recently Mozilla, and led multiple projects focused on shifting public attitudes over time. As Head of Communications at the New Economics Foundation she more than doubled the volume of media coverage the think tank received, and doubled its reach on social media. Carys now works independently as a senior communications strategist, providing strategic support to organizations and initiatives seeking to shape public narrative and advance policy change. She writes regularly for the Guardian and other national publications.
Media Strategy
Carys Afoko
Sacha Deshmukh
Sacha Deshmukh is an expert in foreign policy, national security policy and international law. He was a chief executive for over 20 years, leading organisations that navigate complex environments and global geopolitics. His experience includes five years as chief executive of Amnesty International UK between 2021 and the start of 2026. Before this, he was CEO of UNICEF UK, Chief Executive of Smart Energy GB, Executive Director of the UK Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman and Chief Executive of the global policy & communications company MHP Group. In addition to his executive roles, Sacha was a non-executive director of the UK Fundraising Regulator for nine years, served on the Board of Consumer Focus, was the Vice Chair of Citizens Advice England & Wales and for many years chaired the international NGO War Child UK.
Peace and Security
Verdant Board
Caroline Lucas was the UK’s first Green Party Member of Parliament between 2010 and 2024, and before that served for 10 years in the European Parliament. She has also served as both Leader and Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales. She is a writer, campaigner and keynote speaker, with a particular interest in the role of education and the arts in mobilising action on the climate and nature emergencies. In 2025 she was appointed as Professor of Practice in Environmental Sustainability at the School of Progressive Futures, University of Sussex. She has won numerous awards for her work: they include topping the list of the BBC Radio Woman’s Hour One Planet Power List of influential activists, educators and campaigners in 2020, and in 2024 the UK’s largest sustainable business awards scheme presented her with its Lifetime Achievement Award. She is Co-President of the European Movement, advisor to several climate and nature organisations including the Centre for Climate Psychology and the Climate Majority Project, and a Trustee of the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne. Her latest book, a Sunday Times bestseller, is Another England: How to Reclaim our National Story.
Caroline Lucas
Dr. Martin Edobor is an NHS GP in East London and a member of the Waltham Forest Green Party. He is the former Clinical Director of the North Newham Primary Care Network and Clinical Lead for Digital Transformation for North East London NHS. He also served as the Chair of the Fabian Society from 2020 to 2022. Martin attended University College London and the University of Cambridge, where he was awarded the Cambridge Judge Business School Social Innovation Scholarship. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners.
Martin Edobar
Ruchi is Director of Climate and Nature with the Global Alliance for the Future of Food. She has 30 years’ experience in international development, human rights, gender, social justice and climate justice. Ruchi has worked with global INGOs including with VSO as their Global Practice Lead for Resilient Livelihoods; She also headed up ActionAid’s Right to Food Theme, Resilient Livelihoods, Global Climate Justice and Trade Justice Campaigns. Ruchi is on the board of ActionAid UK and has previously served on the programme committee of WWFUK. She holds a Master’s degree from London School of Economics in International Development (Social Policy and Planning), and an Undergraduate degree in International Business and Economics from Sophia university in Tokyo, Japan. She has lived and studied in India, UK, USA, Japan and South Africa.
Ruchi Tripathi
Nick is Head of Legal at Avaaz which means 'voice' or 'song' in many languages. Avaaz's 70 million members worldwide campaign on the biggest issues of the day, fighting climate change, protecting biodiversity and democracy and regulating Big Tech to name but a few. Before Avaaz, Nick was a corporate and environmental lawyer at leading UK and US firms, A&O Shearman and Weil, where he co-founded the Legal Response Initiative, a charity helping developing countries navigate the UN climate change negotiations, and Advocates for International Development, a legal network to help achieve the MDGs and SDGs.