From Rupture to Resilience: The Trust Brokers

Jan 25

4 min read

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Dear Change-Makers,

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If the start of January was about shaking off the "rage bait," the last two weeks have been about finding our footing in reality.

I’ve spent the last fortnight moving between high-level policy discussions - listening to the speeches coming out of Davos - and hyper-local community gatherings here in London. The contrast is usually jarring, but this time, I noticed a thread running through both.

Mark Carney, in his address to the World Economic Forum, gave us a phrase that has stuck with me: we are no longer in a transition, but a "rupture." The old rules are fracturing. That sounds scary, but there is a strange clarity in it. When the old maps stop working, we have to start drawing new ones ourselves.

That is where my "stubborn optimism" kicks in. We don’t need to wait for permission to build better systems. Whether it’s "Middle Powers" banding together for survival or a community in Grimsby crowdfunding solar panels, the theme of the fortnight is Strategic Autonomy. It’s about building resilience so we aren't just surviving the rupture, but designing what comes next.

In my own diary, this fortnight has been about connection. From a vibrant "Lunch and Learn" at The Conduit to hearing the raw, inspiring resilience of Ukrainian founders at an EdTech Together event, it is clear that trust is the only currency that matters right now.

Here are the stories and practical acts that have shaped my thinking these last two weeks.

1. Change-Maker Leadership: The Rise of the "Trust Broker"

We are seeing a shift from leaders who simply "manage" to those who act as "Trust Brokers" - people who build the invisible infrastructure that holds systems together when the pressure is on.

The "Middle Power" Mindset: Mark Carney’s speech at Davos was a wake-up call. His warning, "If we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu," wasn't just for nations; it’s for us. We can’t rely on "business as usual" or nostalgia. Real leadership now means building "buyers' clubs" and coalitions to protect what we value.
- Read more: Mark Carney’s Address
Dignity as a Business Model: I was blown away by the story of Omar Itani, a Schwab Foundation awardee. He founded FabricAID in Lebanon not just to recycle clothes, but to create a "dignified shopping" experience for the poor. He treats beneficiaries like customers, not charity cases. That is what authentic leadership looks like - restoring power to people.
- Read more: Lebanese social entrepreneur Omar Itani
From My Diary: I’ve been reflecting on the "insider" view of leadership. At an EdTech Together event in London, listening to founders from Ukraine, I was reminded that resilience isn’t a solo sport. It’s about a team’s collective ability to "keep going despite everything." It echoed the insights I shared on LinkedIn from London Business School’s Amy Bradley - leadership isn't about speed; it's about presence. Without psychological safety, you can’t navigate the rupture.
- Read my take: Leading Authentic Progress in an Age of Insularity

2. Wealth With A Why: Capital as Connection

We are moving past the "ESG" label slapping into something deeper: Financial Ikigai. It’s the realisation that money is just stored energy, and we get to decide where to point it.

The "Five Capitals" in Action: At our lunch at The Conduit last week, we dug into the idea that we have more than just financial "Treasure." We have Time, Talent, Ties, and Testimony. It was powerful to see the room light up when people realised they weren't powerless - they just hadn't audited their full balance sheet.
- Resource: Wealth With A Why
Investing in "Shared Value": It’s not just individuals. Reckitt (the company behind Dettol) just invested $10 million into WaterEquity. They aren’t donating it; they are investing it to help families in developing markets get loans for water filters and toilets. It’s a brilliant example of aligning profit with a fundamental human need.
- Read more: WaterEquity Everspring Fund
The Pivot from Aid to Investment: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has launched Airbel Ventures. Think about that - a humanitarian aid agency launching a venture capital fund. They are backing startups that solve crises, like AI diagnostics for mpox. This is the future of aid: scalable, investable solutions.
- Read more: IRC Launches Airbel Ventures

3. Practical Acts with Capital: The Plumbing of Hope

Finally, here are the "tinkerers" who are rewiring the financial system to make it work for everyone.

Pensions for Purpose: In a massive signal that impact is hitting the mainstream, M&G plc announced on Wednesday a £1 billion commitment to the UK impact economy. They are unlocking pension funds (LGPS) to invest in "purpose-built" housing and urban regeneration. This isn’t charity; it’s treating social resilience as a stable, long-term asset class. When the big money starts moving like this, the plumbing is truly changing.
- Read more: M&G commits
Capital Where It’s Needed: For those smaller organisations that often get overlooked, Big Issue Invest has opened its new Impact Loans England programme this week. Offering flexible loans from £20k to £400k, it’s designed for charities and social enterprises looking to grow or buy assets. It’s a vital bridge for the "missing middle," ensuring that community-level innovation gets the fuel it needs to scale without the rigidity of traditional banking.
- Read more: Flexible Social Finance
Investing in Empathy: On a personal note, I met with the founder of BuzzGage this week. They are building a tool to help schools understand students beyond just grades - measuring wellbeing and engagement. In a world of "rage bait," investing our capital (or time) into tools that build empathy is a radical act.
- Find out more: Measure What Matters Beyond Academics

A Provocation for the Fortnight

In a webinar with LBS last week, Dr. Dominik Heil introduced the concept of "Strategy as Temporal Stewardship." It asks us to think about how we "dwell in time together."

So, my question to you this week is: