Diana Verde Nieto

Diana Verde Nieto is an entrepreneur, author, and thought leader with more than two decades of experience in sustainability, innovation, and business strategy. Verde Nieto holds a degree in global leadership and public policy from Harvard Kennedy School and received training from former U.S. Vice President Al Gore at the Alliance of Climate Protection. She has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader, served as a board member for the World Economic Forum Young Global Leader community, and participated on the Sustainable Development Goals Advisory Council.

Verde Nieto founded one of the first dedicated sustainability communications consultancies, pioneering work in ESG and sustainability. She expanded the consultancy to five markets before selling it to Aegis-Dentsu Group. She later co-founded Positive Luxury with Karen Hanton, aiming to help the luxury industry advance sustainable practices and prepare brands for positive-impact futures. Verde Nieto created the Butterfly Mark, an independent ESG certification for the luxury sector, which is awarded to brands meeting Positive Luxury's ESG+ assessments. The Butterfly Mark serves as a visible indicator of ethical, social, and environmental standards, with holders including The Macallan, Dior, Monica Vinader, and The Other House.

Verde Nieto advises organizations such as the British Fashion Council, the House of St. Barnabas, and the European Chapter of Conservation International. She serves as non-executive director at the British Beauty Council and Watts 1874 and advises the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. As a speaker, Verde Nieto has addressed audiences at events including the FT Business of Luxury Summit, the World Economic Forum, and international summits, as well as in corporate leadership settings across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Verde Nieto is the author of "Reimagining Luxury: How to Build a Sustainable Future for Your Brand," which provides guidance for leaders seeking to align value creation with positive impact. The book features insights from industry leaders such as LVMH, L'Oreal, and Kering, as well as contributions from Harvard Professor John Kotter and former Unilever CEO Paul Polman. The book was shortlisted for the Business Book Awards in the Change and Sustainability category.

Verde Nieto is the co-founder and CEO of Edify Collective, an AI-native, mobile-first performance support platform designed to equip frontline teams with instant, role-specific answers grounded in policies, SOPs, and playbooks, reinforced by short, practice-based learning. Through her work, Verde Nieto integrates entrepreneurial rigor, behavioral science, and technology to support workforce adaptation and learning in dynamic markets.