Sustainable Ventures Appoints Clare Hayward MBE as Non-Executive Chair
Sustainable Ventures is thrilled to announce the appointment of Clare Hayward MBE as our new Non-Executive Chair. Clare, a highly accomplished entrepreneur and business leader, joins the board to support in our next phase of national expansion, as we accelerate our mission to build the world’s most impactful climate tech ecosystem by 2030.
Clare Hayward MBE
Clare is an exciting addition to the Sustainable Ventures team, bringing crucial expertise as we expand our integrated support model across the UK. Clare has a proven track record of growing companies from Sustainable Ventures’ current stage to global scale. Clare co-founded and developed the global leadership development consultancy Academee, successfully selling it to Oliver Wyman in 2008. She later served as Global Partner of Sales and Market Development within the Fortune 250 company. She then joined Cirrus as Commercial Growth Director, expanding it into a global brand before co-leading its successful sale to Accenture in 2021.
Alongside this, Clare’s leadership roles include Chair of the Northern Powerhouse11 and co-chair of the Convention of the North, demonstrating her regional and economic experience and deep ties across regional mayors, businesses, and universities. With Sustainable Ventures now operating across 7 regions across the UK, Clare’s insight is invaluable as we continue to adapt our proven London model to fit the distinct features of new regions, strengthening the growing climate tech community beyond the South East.
Furthermore, Clare’s commitment to Climate & ESG issues is clear: she serves as a Non-Executive Director on the board of United Utilities, where she is involved in the ESG committee and she set up the Sustainable Inclusive Commission for Cheshire. She is an active investor in various female-led and sustainability-focused businesses, and therefore understands how critical the Sustainable Ventures’ full ecosystem support is to startups and growth businesses where they can benefit from funding, workspaces and advisory venture support from idea to exit.
Clare’s appointment is a strong cultural fit, aligning perfectly with Sustainable Ventures’ company values. Her history as a successful, exited entrepreneur embodies our focus on entrepreneurial mindset and ‘commercial for purpose’, whilst her clear commitment to ESG, leading responsible businesses and her collaborative leadership history align with our principles of empowering impact through collaboration.
Andrew Wordsworth, Sustainable Ventures’ CEO, said:
"Clare has successfully navigated the journey we are on now - growing a company from a strong position to global scale. As we celebrate reaching our target of supporting 1000 startups, Clare’s expertise will be key to helping us strengthen our positioning as the best place to scale climate tech. Clare is on the side of the entrepreneur, and her deep regional and industry connections will be essential as we expand our unparalleled network to connect more startups, investors, corporates, and policymakers to drive systemic change."
Clare Hayward MBE commented:
"Joining Sustainable Ventures at this crucial moment is incredibly exciting - I believe they are uniquely positioned as the definitive growth partner for climate tech, accelerating innovations from idea to market-ready solutions across the UK.
The future of Sustainable Ventures is powered by their commitment to supporting the regions to drive sustainable innovation and robust economic growth. Their commitment to expanding their integrated support model through hubs and partnerships - be it in Manchester, Glasgow, or Belfast - ensures they are empowering those local entrepreneurs who are the true beacons of national growth."
