About
Paul Polman is Vice Chair of Planetary Guardians, a position he has held since 2025. He previously served as CEO of Unilever for a decade, where he implemented a purpose-driven business strategy focused on stakeholder value and sustainable growth. Polman is the co-author of "Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take" and has served on the UN Secretary General's High Level Panel that developed the 2030 Global Goals.
Experience
- Planetary GuardiansVice chair Planetairy Guardians since 2025 -current2025 — present
- Net PositiveCo Authorcurrent2021 — presentIn your local book store from 5 Oct 2021
- United NationsSustainable Development Goals Advocate/Advocate Emerituscurrent2017 — present
- The Rockefeller FoundationMember Board of Trusteescurrent2019 — present
- Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)Senior Advisercurrent2024 — present
- SMBC GroupGlobal Advisorcurrent2023 — present
- Aurora Humanitarian InitiativeAurora Prize Selection Committee Membercurrent2020 — present
- The Fashion PactCo-Founder and Co-Chaircurrent2019 — presentLondon, England, United Kingdom
- Systemiq CapitalFounding Shareholder and Board Membercurrent2018 — presentLondon, England, United Kingdom
- World Trade OrganizationMember of the Director-General's Business Advisory Groupcurrent2023 — presentGeneva, Switzerland
- One Young WorldChair, Global Advisory Boardcurrent2017 — present
- The Valuable 500Chaircurrent2019 — present
- Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU)Co-Chair, Ambassadorscurrent2017 — present
- TemasekMember of Global advisory councilcurrent2021 — present
- The B TeamB-Team Leader (Former Chair)current2018 — present
- The Kilimanjaro Blind TrustFounder and Chaircurrent2005 — present
- Food Planet PrizeJury Membercurrent2020 — present
- COP26 - UN Climate Change ConferenceFriend of COP26current2020 — present
- IMAGINECo-founder and Chair Emerituscurrent2019 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
- Systemiq Ltd.Board Member2021 — 2025London, England, United Kingdom
Education
- University of CincinnatiMaster of Business Administration - MBA, Accounting and Finance1978 — 1979
- University of CincinnatiMaster of Arts - MA, Economics
- University of Groningen
Colleagues at Systemiq Capital
Elena Guglielmini
Operations Associate at Systemiq Capital
Gemma Bloemen
Venture Partner at Systemiq Capital
George Darrah
General Partner at Systemiq Capital
George Polk
Advisor at Systemiq Capital
Irena Spazzapan
Managing General Partner at Systemiq Capital
James Bilefield
Advisor at Systemiq Capital
Jasper Wigley
Investment Associate at Systemiq Capital
Jeremy Oppenheim
Managing Partner at SYSTEMIQ
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Paul Polman work?
- Paul Polman is Advisor at Systemiq Capital.
Same school
Also attended University of Cincinnati31
Jim GoetzPartner at Sequoia CapitalDavid MollerInvestor at Third Rock VenturesCandice BrackeenGeneral Partner at Lightship CapitalAlbert WangSenior Director at Qualcomm VenturesNeil ChatterjeeAdvisor, Former Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) at Overture ClimateBrian SmithManaging Director at S3 Ventures
+ 25 more
Also attended University of Groningen135
Ragnar JongenInvestor at DN CapitalGizem CakilInvestor at OpenView Venture PartnersYtsen van der MeerPrincipal at Cottonwood Technology FundJelle Van de PutteFund Administrator at Capricorn Venture PartnersLaura LentzExecutive Assistant at Castle Island VenturesChristophe de MontillePartner at Beyond Capital Ventures
+ 129 more
Shared employers
Also worked at World Trade Organization2
Also worked at One Young World8
Devin NashVice President, Brand & Experience at Underscore VCCaritta SeppäInvestment Manager at Spintop VenturesViktor GurskyiPartner at 1991 VenturesElio Leoni ScetiCo-Founder at The CraftoryErik PariggerInterim Programme Manager / Programme Coordinator Orange Corners at Orange Corners AfricaRamiro Gomes MonteiroProgramme Advisor Sudan, Angola, Social Entrepreneurship at Orange Corners Africa
+ 2 more
Also worked at Systemiq Ltd.28
Irena SpazzapanManaging General Partner at Systemiq CapitalJessica StewartGeneral Partner, Chief Operating Officer at Systemiq CapitalGeorge DarrahGeneral Partner at Systemiq CapitalLouis MillonInvestment Principal at Systemiq CapitalAlexander LangguthFounding Partner at Übermorgen VenturesAnna TrendewiczInvestment Associate (North America) at Future Energy Ventures
+ 22 more
Also worked at Unilever158
Julian LuttermanInvestor at DN CapitalGizem CakilInvestor at OpenView Venture PartnersStacey HeroInvestor at Third Rock VenturesAshu GargInvestor at Foundation CapitalJoanna Skoler GilmanChief Marketing and Communications Officer at .406 VenturesPetra MeyerInvestor at Golden Seeds
+ 152 more