Jane Aslanidis, GAICD is an award-winning global executive with expertise in commerce and international relations, spanning the United Nations system, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and the private and public sectors.
Her career is defined by achievements in dealmaking, growth, and investment, underpinned by a commitment to design-led innovation and sustainability. Recognised internationally, her work contributed to the World Food Programme’s Nobel Peace Prize, she co-designed The Earthshot Prize spearheaded by Prince William, and served as the World Bank Group’s Climate Ambassador.
How has your career evolved since studying at UNSW Business School, and what key experiences have shaped your professional decisions?
At UNSW Business School, I studied a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and International Business, and after a few years, added a Master of International Relations.
By nature, I am driven to navigate, innovate, influence, and advocate. I’ve intentionally pursued opportunities that challenge me to be bold—like starting my own business—stay true to myself through publishing content and uphold my principles by working with the United Nations.
Relationships have been instrumental in shaping my career. Some of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on involved leading diverse, international teams on cutting-edge technology and digital innovation - collaborating with Fortune 500 companies, private equity and venture capital firms, and major financial institutions. Working across Australia, Asia, Europe, the UK, and the United States has deepened my appreciation for different cultural perspectives and reinforced the importance of using empathy to solve complex problems.
How can businesses use design to drive sustainability and create a positive environmental impact?
A significant part of my work explores how design can drive sustainability, restore ecosystems, and help businesses adapt to environmental challenges. As an Expert with the Design Council, the UK Government’s advisor on design, I contribute to a network of leaders dedicated to fostering design-led innovation and sustainable practices.
The Design Council defines design as what happens when creativity is applied to solve problems - whether in consumer products, urban planning, or business strategy. Everything not made by nature has been designed. In a business context, a planet-positive business does more than reduce harm - it actively improves the environment. This requires shifting from a mindset of “doing less damage” (such as reducing emissions or plastic use) to one of regeneration - designing circular supply chains, investing in nature-based solutions, and rethinking business models to create positive environmental impact. The Earthshot Prize winners and finalists, for example, are making incredible progress in accelerating this measurable and scalable impact.
Leading businesses are embedding design-led sustainability into their core strategies. Across industries like agriculture, urban planning, and circular economies, design is shaping systems that foster both economic diversification and environmental resilience. Businesses that embed design into their strategic frameworks are not just preparing for tomorrow - they are actively shaping it.
How can collaboration across sectors drive meaningful change in economic, political, and humanitarian issues?
Beyond business and technology, I have worked at the intersection of economic, political, and humanitarian issues. At the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), I focused on external relations for global programming and policymaking on food security and logistics. As a Mentor for the WFP Innovation Accelerator that sources, supports, and scales high-impact innovations to further food security, logistics and the sustainable development goals, there exists a large-scale effort to transform how communities are better served across the world.
Through this experience, I was introduced to the 4SD Foundation, which emphasises dialogue-based approaches to shaping policies and investment strategies. These approaches help create solutions grounded in lived experiences - particularly for vulnerable populations, such as displaced communities, women, and children. The Nutrition Dialogues program, for example, amplifies the voices of those most affected by food insecurity, ensuring their needs are integrated into policy discussions.
As part of my commitment to economic, political and humanitarian issues, I served as a World Bank Group Climate Ambassador in 2023. This role reinforced the importance of listening, learning in partnership with communities, and co-creating solutions for climate action in the Pacific and the World Bank’s climate finance initiatives. This was supported by Connect4Climate, a World Bank Group global partnership backed by Italy’s Ministry of Environment and Energy Security. Connect4Climate advances climate action among youth, civil society, and the private sector through innovative communication and advocacy strategies, collaborating with over 500 knowledge partners worldwide.
What do you believe is the key to successful leadership in a rapidly changing world?
Successful leadership requires more than data - it demands vision and strong values. The key to effective decision-making lies in identifying the real problem and crafting the right narrative around it. A compelling vision must be grounded in more than just analytics; it must be underpinned by guiding principles. This approach has been especially important in my work developing and mentoring teams, where shared values foster cohesion and alignment.
Today, history is being shaped by rapid technological advances. Over the past 30 years, innovations like the World Wide Web, social media, and smartphones have transformed how we connect. Over the next 30 years, the pace of change will only accelerate - quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and decentralised digital economies will fundamentally reshape business and society.
This transformation presents extraordinary opportunities for UNSW Business School graduates. However, it also creates a stark divide - some will embrace change, while others will resist it. I encourage graduates to lean into emerging technology, particularly in fields like digital innovation, sustainability, and policy. But with great power comes great responsibility - to both people and the planet.
In a business context, a planet-positive business does more than reduce harm - it actively improves the environment. This requires shifting from a mindset of “doing less damage” (such as reducing emissions or plastic use) to one of regeneration - designing circular supply chains, investing in nature-based solutions, and rethinking business models to create positive environmental impact.
Why are global summits and conferences important for driving innovation and impact?
2025 marks a pivotal year for global action. Events like the AI Action Summit and the Nutrition for Growth Summit, both in Paris, will shape the future of investments in AI and food security policy. Additionally, the World Design Congress, hosted at the Barbican Centre in London in September, will serve as a catalytic moment for design’s role in sustainability.
Notably, the World Design Congress offers a special student rate, and many sessions will be streamed online, making it accessible to a global audience. Increasingly, global convenings are embracing virtual participation, which is brilliant for accessibility. These gatherings present valuable opportunities for professionals to engage in shaping the next wave of innovation and impact.
What advice would you give to professionals starting out in their career?
If I could offer one piece of advice to emerging professionals, it would be this: be self-aware, not self-important. Be bold, determined, and guided by your values - not just by a pay check. It’s okay to be unconventional, as long as you have purpose.
While I am in a completely different field now compared to my first job, that early experience introduced me to mentors and networks that shaped my career.
Luck and timing are fickle, and setbacks are inevitable. If you fail, fall on your face, or don’t yet know your direction - that’s okay. Keep pushing forward and believe in yourself.