In the words of Chyögyan Trungpa, "The bad news is you're falling through the air, nothing to hang on to, no parachute. The good news is, there's no ground." For Ellie Banwell, navigating complexity is akin to living life in free fall—a journey fraught with uncertainty yet, once you learn to surrender to the fear, infinitely rewarding.
Through captivating talks tailored for professional audiences, Ellie offers profound new perspectives for businesses seeking implementable sustainability solutions and frustrated with the slow pace of change. She explains why what we’ve tried so far isn’t working and what we can do about it. An evangelist for the benefits of understanding complexity, her passion lies in demystifying the rules that govern our universe and in translating those insights into actionable solutions. She invites others to embrace the challenges of complexity, knowing that within the chaos lies boundless opportunity for growth and transformation.
Ellie leads Biosysmic, a non-profit consultancy with a mission to bring humanity back to the biosphere. With a PhD in Biochemistry and double masters in Innovation Design Engineering from the esteemed Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, and with experience living and working in Tokyo, London, and the Scottish Highlands, Ellie draws from her extensive academic background and a life lived to the full.
Throughout her career, Ellie has tackled complex challenges. She first became captivated by emergent systems while researching the origins of life on Earth as a junior researcher. As a design consultant for Fortune500 companies like Nike and Steelcase, she used biomimetic design to drive innovation and sustainability. Her work is global, and she is currently working with The Or Foundation in Ghana to address the environmental destruction caused by the dumping of rich countries' waste on poor communities. Ellie's expertise in natural complexity is informing her design of a bioreactor aimed at digesting plastic waste in Accra, showcasing the potential of nature-inspired solutions to drive impactful change.
Ellie leads Biosysmic, a non-profit consultancy with a mission to bring humanity back to the biosphere. With a PhD in Biochemistry and double masters in Innovation Design Engineering from the esteemed Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, and with experience living and working in Tokyo, London, and the Scottish Highlands, Ellie draws from her extensive academic background and a life lived to the full.
Throughout her career, Ellie has tackled complex challenges. She first became captivated by emergent systems while researching the origins of life on Earth as a junior researcher. As a design consultant for Fortune500 companies like Nike and Steelcase, she used biomimetic design to drive innovation and sustainability. Her work is global, and she is currently working with The Or Foundation in Ghana to address the environmental destruction caused by the dumping of rich countries' waste on poor communities. Ellie's expertise in natural complexity is informing her design of a bioreactor aimed at digesting plastic waste in Accra, showcasing the potential of nature-inspired solutions to drive impactful change.
What the audience can expect
Prior to each talk, Ellie engages in thoughtful discussions with session convenors, tailoring her presentations to address their particular challenges. She weaves together fascinating examples from nature and case studies from business and culture, embracing uncertainty with humility and resilience, and inviting audiences to embark on a journey of discovery and innovation.
Topics might include:
Prior to each talk, Ellie engages in thoughtful discussions with session convenors, tailoring her presentations to address their particular challenges. She weaves together fascinating examples from nature and case studies from business and culture, embracing uncertainty with humility and resilience, and inviting audiences to embark on a journey of discovery and innovation.
Topics might include:
- How to survive complexity
- What the origin of life can tell us about supply chains
- How to create (and create for) a truly circular economy
- Learning from bees to make better corporate decisions
- Tackling wicked problems
Presentation approach
Ellie's speaking engagements are compelling explorations crafted to fit the specific interests of each audience. At the heart and soul of Ellie's approach is a reverence for nature and an appreciation for the wisdom it offers. With beautiful examples from nature, she makes visible the inextricable interconnectedness between natural systems and human innovation and, by integrating both biomimicry and Buddhist philosophy into her work, Ellie illuminates new pathways for innovation and resilience. She inspires audiences to embrace the beauty and challenge of working with complexity.
Ellie's speaking engagements are compelling explorations crafted to fit the specific interests of each audience. At the heart and soul of Ellie's approach is a reverence for nature and an appreciation for the wisdom it offers. With beautiful examples from nature, she makes visible the inextricable interconnectedness between natural systems and human innovation and, by integrating both biomimicry and Buddhist philosophy into her work, Ellie illuminates new pathways for innovation and resilience. She inspires audiences to embrace the beauty and challenge of working with complexity.
