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about us

Our mission is to harness the power of collaboration to help business and its partners unlock new opportunities for social impact.   

With our origins dating back to 2005, Business Fights Poverty has grown into the world’s largest business-led collaboration network focused on social impact.

We are trusted by some of the world’s most pioneering international businesses and development organisations to curate meaningful and productive engagement, crowdsource expertise to solve practical problems and drive thought leadership.

Are you looking to build authentic, valuable conversations and relationships with your peers, colleagues and social impact stakeholders?

Do you want to tap into the collective intelligence of the best practitioners and experts around the world to scale your commercial innovations with social impact?

Are you interested in co-creating cutting edge knowledge with peer organisations or driving meaningful engagement around new insights you have gained?

We have developed an innovative approach to driving collaboration, bringing people together from across our network of 20,000+ professionals and beyond around specific, fast-paced social impact “Challenges”.  Our approach involves a 3- to 9-month integrated programme of analysis, engagement and co-creation, resulting in high-quality actionable outputs and deeper relationships.

We also host two flagship events a year: Business Fights Poverty Oxford (at the University of Oxford Saïd Business School, currently in July) and Business Fights Poverty NYC (held in the margins of the UN General Assembly every September).

Get involved by joining our online community or by sharing your insights to tackle one of our live Challenges.

If you would be interested in supporting a current or new Challenge, please get in touch.

"Accelerating progress towards the world envisioned in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and defending the progress already made, means we must collaborate more deeply, more effectively and more urgently than ever.

“Across the world, individual entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs within large companies are developing innovative new products, services, technologies and business models that are reshaping the opportunities to combine commercial success with social impact.

“Working together, connecting these individual efforts and harnessing our collective intelligence in a action-focused and agile way, offers the prospect of transformative change.

“We believe in the power of collaboration. Join us today!”

Zahid and Yvette Torres-Rahman, Co-Founders

our team

  • Zahid Torres-Rahman

    Zahid Torres-Rahman

    Founder & CEO
    Spain

    Zahid has over 20 years’ experience in business and international development, including at PwC and HM Treasury, and is a Founder of Inspiris, a certified BCorp.

  • Yvette Torres-Rahman

    Yvette Torres-Rahman

    Co-Founder & CFO
    Spain

    Yvette has over 20 years’ experience in marketing and brand management, including at GlaxoSmithKline, and is a Founder of Inspiris, a certified BCorp.

  • Katie Hyson

    Katie Hyson

    Director, Thought Leadership
    UK

    Katie has over 10 years' experience within multi-national businesses developing sustainability and shared value, including Barclays and O2

  • Anna Johnson

    Anna Johnson

    Editor, Online
    The Netherlands

    Anna has 5 years' project co-ordination experience and is an​ MSc Environment and Resource Management graduate, specialising in Ecosystem Services from the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam

  • Natasha Ncube

    Natasha Ncube

    Member Engagement Director
    UK

    Natasha has over 15 years’ experience in inclusive business and cross-sector partnerships, including at the International Business Leaders Forum.

  • Richard Gilbert

    Richard Gilbert

    Challenge Director
    UK

    Richard has over 20 years’ experience in communications and stakeholder engagement, including at Weber Shandwick and Burson Marsteller.

  • Beth Jenkins

    Beth Jenkins

    Challenge Director
    USA

    Beth has close to 20 years’ experience in inclusive business, including at the IFC and Booz Allen Hamilton, and is a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School CSR Initiative.

  • Gib Bulloch

    Gib Bulloch

    Intrapreneur in Residence
    Switzerland

    30 years' experience in cross-sector partnerships and intrapreneurship, including as Executive Director of Accenture Development Partnerships. Author of The Intrapreneur.

  • Jessica Davis Pluess

    Jessica Davis Pluess

    Challenge Director
    Switzerland

    Jessica has around 10 years' experience in business and sustainability, including at BSR and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

  • David Norman

    David Norman

    Challenge Director
    UK

    David has over 20 years’ experience in sustainable development and partnership building for companies and NGOs, including at SABMiller and WWF.

  • Alyssa Rivera

    Alyssa Rivera

    Challenge Manager
    Norway

    Alyssa has nearly 10 years' experience in inclusive business and impact investment, including at Endeva, and is part of WEF's Global Shapers Community.

  • Graham Baxter

    Graham Baxter

    Senior Adviser & Challenge Expert
    UK

    Graham Baxter has over 35 years’ experience working on sustainability and responsible business, including at the International Business Leaders Forum.

  • Tatiana Bessarabova

    Tatiana Bessarabova

    US Engagement
    USA

    Tatiana has around 10 years' experience in sustainability, inclusive business and cross-sector partnerships, including at the UN Development Programme's Business Call to Action.

  • Lee Rael

    Lee Rael

    Creative Director
    South Africa

    Lee has over 15 years' experience as a graphic designer, web designer and online community developer, including at Seed Sustainable Design Studio and Booksure.com.

  • Simone Lourens

    Simone Lourens

    Executive Assistant
    South Africa

    Simone has 15 years’ experience in financial administration, office management and customer service.

circle of advisers

  • Jane Nelson

    Jane Nelson

    Director, Corporate Responsibility Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School
    USA

    Jane has co-authored five books and over 80 publications on corporate responsibility and the role of the private sector in development.

  • Andy Wales

    Andy Wales

    Chief Digital Impact & Sustainability Officer, BT
    UK

    Andy has over 15 years in senior management leading government affairs, policy, sustainability, strategy and communications for FTSE 100 and Fortune 1000 multinationals.

  • David Grayson CBE

    David Grayson CBE

    Emeritus Professor of Corporate Responsibility
    UK

    David speaks, writes and advises regularly on business, society, entrepreneurialism, and future trends for businesses and media.

  • Lisa Nichols

    Lisa Nichols

    Founder and CEO, Motivating the Masses
    USA

    Lisa is a world class coach and motivational speaker, as well as media personality and corporate CEO whose global platform has reached and served nearly 30 million people.

  • Tashmia Ismail

    Tashmia Ismail

    Head of the GIBS Inclusive Markets Programme, University of Pretoria
    South Africa

    Tashmia teaches innovation and strategies for low income markets. Tashmia works with firms interested in developing and executing low income market strategies.

  • John Davy

    John Davy

    Digital Entrepreneur
    USA

    John is a successful and highly regarded serial entrepreneur, speaker and investor. His expertise lies in building high-growth companies and digital marketing.

  • Simon Maxwell CBE

    Simon Maxwell CBE

    Development Economist
    UK

    Simon worked for 15 years at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex. In 1997, Simon became Director of the Overseas Development Institute, where he is now a Senior Research Associate.

  • Ethan Kapstein

    Ethan Kapstein

    Centennial Professor of International Affairs, Arizona State University
    USA

    Ethan is a specialist in international economic relations and has published widely. He is the author or editor of 10 books and has advised several companies.

  • Diana Pallais

    Diana Pallais

    Office 365 Enterprise Partner Marketing Director, Microsoft Corporation
    USA

    Diana’s track record of work in international business includes leading business units and market expansion initiatives for technology and development organisations.

  • Maria Sipka

    Maria Sipka

    Co-Founder and President, Linqia
    USA

    Maria is a serial entrepreneur. Prior to Linqia, Maria was COO at XING, Europe’s leading business social network, focused on monetization and member acquisition.

Get in touch

join our team

Are you interested in joining our team to help identify and deliver Challenges to harness and scale the positive impact of business on people and planet?

Do you have at least 10 years’ experience, including working for or partnering with business? Do you have strong project management and interpersonal skills? Are you a self-starter with an energetic and positive outlook?

We are interested in hearing from individuals looking for part-time, freelance opportunities.
Click here to register your interest and we’ll let you know when something relevant comes up.

Business Fights Poverty is a UK Founding B Corp.

Certified Corporation