“There was this time I was doing some microfinance work in Kenya,” reveals Holly Ransom. What would be a somewhat unusual statement for most 20-somethings is just another day at the office for one of Australia’s fastest-rising young leaders.
“One day I spotted a brand new well, about 400 metres from where we were based, which surprised me because the local women were walking 2.5 km to get fresh water,” she continues. “It transpired that this nearby well had been dug on an ancient battle ground and was seen by the locals to have bad spirits – rendering its water undrinkable. So, a well-known aid organisation had spent $20,000 digging this well that no-one used, because they had assumed that they could copy what had worked elsewhere. If it had been dug 250 metres down the road it would have been fine but because they hadn’t engaged the community they were serving, the impact hadn’t been achieved. I’ve always remembered that lesson.”
http://www.centreforpublicimpact.org/article/why-no-government-can-affor...
Her Bio
Holly Ransom is the CEO of Emergent Solutions, a company specialising in multi-stakeholder outcomes, the enablement of change and the development of high performing intergenerational cultures. Holly is renowned for working with leaders across corporations, governments and non-profit organisations to generating innovative solutions to complex problems, and for coaching and professionally mentoring leaders of all generations around the world.
In 2014, the Australian Prime Minister appointed Holly to chair the G20 Youth Summit, resulting in the first summit to secure its policy demands from G20 leaders. Holly also co-authored the strategy paper on youth entrepreneurship and unemployment for the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal agenda.
Her corporate career has involved working as Chief of Staff to NAB Wealth CEO Andrew Hagger and for Rio Tinto CEO Sam Walsh, leading key organisational strategy and business improvement initiatives and integrated corporate affairs projects. Holly’s company, Emergent Solutions, has worked with the likes of INPEX, Europcar, Conoco Phillips, KPMG, as well as local, state and federal government departments globally.
Holly holds a Law degree and BA (Economics). In 2012, she was the youngest person to be named in Australia’s ‘100 Most Influential Women’, and also became the world’s youngest-ever Rotary President. Her work with Rotary has played a key role in the global efforts to lift youth participation in the organisation, more than doubling engagement.
An accomplished global keynote speaker, Holly has presented across six continents, including delivering a Peace Charter to the Dalai Lama. She is also a popular blogger, contributor to a number of leading publications and a regular radio and TV guest. She has featured on ABC’s ‘Q&A’, Channel 7 News and Channel 10’s ‘The Project’, and is renowned for her commentary on intergenerational economic and social issues. She is a marathon runner and just completed her first ironman.
Add new comment