Geoff Tudhope

Geoff is an international business leader with a lifelong interest in getting to the heart of the business challenge and building teams to deliver lasting impact.

• Cafédirect Plc: Chair of this premier Fairtrade coffee, tea and cocoa company whose mission is to change lives and build communities through inspirational, sustainable business. Its focus is on social and economic impact in the developing world.
• The Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative: Founder member of this initiative supported by the UN Global Compact and EFMD. A select group of Business Schools and Multinational Businesses whose vision is a world where leaders contribute to the creation of economic and societal wealth in a globally responsible and sustainable way.
• The World’s Children’s Prize Foundation: Deputy Chair of this Swedish based global foundation giving hope to millions of children. It is the world’s largest and fastest growing education initiative on human rights, democracy and respect for the environment.

He spent 28 years with ICI Plc growing businesses in the specialty chemicals industry across the USA, Asia and Europe. His earlier years were spent in NZ, Zimbabwe and the UK. For 5 years, he was a member of the top 10 Global Executive with responsibility for HR (60,000 employees). He was also the principal leader in integrating 16,000 new employees as part of a successful merger of an $8bn business from Unilever. He was CEO of ICI Surfactants responsible for leading over 20 business units located globally. As CEO of ICI Fluorochemicals, he steered the business though the heat of the global warming debate and spearheaded the development of non-ozone depleting gas products. A graduate from Cambridge with an MA in Law, he is an alumnus of the Aspen Institute leadership programme, HRH Prince of Wales Business & the Environment programme, and a Fellow of the RSA. Married with two adult children, Geoff is a gardener, plays all forms of tennis, and is attempting to become a cabinetmaker.