Leena Al Olaimy

Founder & CEO, Symbaiosys

HOW ARE YOU CREATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE REGION?

Over the past decade or so, I’ve launched and led four social enterprises focused on global sustainable development issues, spanning climate change, peace, and inclusive economic growth. I also wrote a book—Compassionate Counterterrorism: The Power of Inclusion in Fighting Fundamentalism—which outlines how we can build future-fit societies that are resilient to violent extremism.

My latest startup, Symbaiosys, is an AI-powered Saas platform connecting billions of data points to provide institutional investors with intelligence on bankable nature projects. Our vision is to create a symbiotic future between finance and nature, where market mechanisms recognize an ecosystem’s economic contributions, and therefore, its rights to conservation and restoration as a shareholder—not just a stakeholder.

I also cofounded 3BL Associates, apeople+planet strategy consultancy; Public-Planet Partnerships, a methodology for enabling regenerative collaboration between humans and nature; and Diversity On Board which connects underrepresented Arab talent to board opportunities.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU FACE?

Fragmentation and silo-ed thinking remain the biggest challenge. Often, we hear leaders say things like “Let’s fix the economy first, then we’ll worry about the environment.” There’s a disconnect in the understanding that sustainability and economic growth are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are mutually reinforcing.

Security is another key regional priority, and yet climate change, sea-level rise, water scarcity, drought and food insecurity will pose some of the biggest threats in the coming decade. Transcending the ‘sustainability as a trade-off’ mindset and viewing it through the lens of self-interest is critical for our human survival and flourishing.

HOW ARE YOU OVERCOMING SAID CHALLENGES?

Throughout the work we do, one of the most important elements is multi-stakeholder engagement to align sustainability initiatives with each respective stakeholder’s interests and priorities—whether it’s a country or a corporation. There has to be a win-win, which is why we developed the Public-Planet Partnerships (PPP) framework. By designing a PPP, human stakeholders view nature’s contributions through various lenses of self-interest such as job creation and GDP, improving human health, resilience and disaster mitigation, and other forms of socio-cultural and economic value.