Meet the Founders

Tom and Connell's journey began with a serendipitous encounter, and an immediate connection was forged. Fueled by their mutual commitment to addressing social and environmental issues, they swiftly charted a path to becoming business partners.

  • Co-Founder

    Previously:

    Technical Manager, Rushmon Homes; Technical Manager, Vistry Group; Head of Production, Bear Jam; Fundraiser, War Child UK; Technical Manager, Shanly Homes.

    Education:

    MSc Global Health: Food Security, Sustainability & Biodiversity (with Distinction), PGDip Building Surveying, BSc Building Surveying, Centre for Alternative Technology (short course): Introduction to Rewilding.

    The Why:

    I believe in the power of nature-based solutions to create positive environmental and social change. With over 15 years of project management experience spanning the construction and media industries, I have consistently woven an environmental thread into my work.

    Recently, I earned an MSc in Global Health: Food Security, Sustainability, and Biodiversity, a rewarding journey undertaken at Kew Gardens and Royal Holloway. My research centred on the assessment of soil carbon storage across diverse habitats and soil types, providing valuable insights into the intricacies of soil science and nature-based solutions more broadly. Importantly it taught me that one-size-fits-all strategies for achieving biodiversity and carbon targets may inadvertently harm progress, emphasising the importance of a science-based, location-specific approach.

    In construction, I have served on the project management teams of projects sized from £3-45million. I actively championed change within the organisations I worked for, initiating meaningful transformations in their sustainability strategies and practices.

    I have been fortunate to travel the world, mostly by bicycle, and have witnessed first-hand the environmental impacts humans have on the planet. I embrace hard work, which our pursuit of this mission demands. I am excited and ready to continue making a difference, driving positive change, and shaping a more sustainable future for generations to come.

  • Co-Founder, Nature Impact

    Previously: Senior Portfolio Manager, Civitas Investment Management; Senior Portfolio Manager, Resonance Limited, Surveyor, CVS; Investment Consultant, Paramount Investments

    Education: MSc Property Finance and Investment, College of Estate Management; MRICS Property Finance and Investment; BSc Politics

    The Why: Back in 2014, after 10 years in commercial and residential real estate I realised something had to change in the industry and set about finding other like-minded people and organizations that felt the same frustration with the status quo. The solution was and is to use capital as a force for good, for people and the environment rather than just for profit. These are the values I hold true, and which form the foundations for Nature Impact. I believe much more can be done with the right foundation of intent.

    Over the past eight years, I have been privileged to have played a part in creating award-winning impact property funds and managing over £1bn of this capital. I have delivered solutions for individuals and families that have experienced homelessness and latterly Learning Disabilities and Domestic Abuse survivors. I have worked in partnership with the Greater London Authority, The Department for Levelling Up, Local Authorities and great housing associations that genuinely care for the tenants and their outcomes.

    It has been an exciting growth period in impact investment which I have been fortunate to be at the forefront. I am now determined to connect this intentional capital with the best opportunities to deliver nature-based solutions at scale to make the swift interventions needed to deal with the dual climate and biodiversity crisis.