Jacob Shapiro
Geopolitical Analyst & Director of Research, The Bespoke Group | Co-Founder, Geopolitical Futures | Oxford & Cornell
Ellen MacArthur
Founder, Ellen MacArthur Foundation | Record-Breaking Solo Round-the-World Sailor | Dame Commander (DBE) | Global Authority on the Circular Economy
Dame Ellen MacArthur set a world record sailing solo around the planet, then turned what the ocean taught her about finite resources into a global movement. Her foundation is a leading authority on the circular economy, working with business and government on plastics, fashion, food, and critical minerals. On stage, she frames circularity as a question of growth, resilience, and competitive advantage, and gives senior leaders a clear agenda for redesign.
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Ellen MacArthur biography
Dame Ellen MacArthur reached the summit of one discipline and then built a second, more consequential career on what she learned there. Speaker Ellen MacArthur set the world record for the fastest solo non-stop voyage around the planet, then left professional racing at the height of her fame to found the organization that put the circular economy on the agenda of governments and global brands.
Her sailing career speaks for itself. At 24, she finished second in the 2000–2001 Vendée Globe, the youngest competitor ever to complete the solo race, in a time that stood as the women’s monohull record for two decades. In February 2005, aboard the trimaran B&Q, she completed the fastest solo non-stop circumnavigation then on record: 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire that year, and France later named her a Knight of the Légion d’honneur.
From the Open Ocean to a New Economic Model
Alone at sea, every resource on board was finite. Applying that lesson to the global economy led her to launch the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2010. It has become one of the world’s leading authorities on the circular economy, a system designed to eliminate waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use at their highest value, and regenerate nature. Its early economic research with McKinsey, presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos, reframed circularity as a question of growth and competitiveness rather than waste management.
The Foundation has since united more than 1,000 businesses, governments, and institutions behind a shared vision to eliminate plastic pollution at its source. Its work spans plastics, fashion, food, the built environment, finance, and critical minerals, connecting major companies with policymakers and universities.
As a speaker, Ellen MacArthur brings an authority few can match: the credibility of someone who achieved the extraordinary under extreme conditions and then built a global institution around a single, rigorous idea. She stands among the most respected sustainability speakers on the international circuit. Senior audiences value her ability to make the circular economy feel urgent, practical, and economically compelling. Her keynotes work as strategic briefings on opportunity, resilience, and the redesign choices that will separate the organizations that thrive from those that fall behind.
Ellen MacArthur Speaking Videos
Ellen MacArthur - Momentum building towards the circular economy,
Dame Ellen MacArthur - The surprising thing I learned sailing solo around the world
Ellen MacArthur Keynote Topics
Moving beyond the linear take-make-waste model is often framed as a cost of doing business. Dame Ellen MacArthur argues the opposite. Drawing on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's economic research, first developed with McKinsey and presented at Davos, she shows where circular design creates value: lower exposure to volatile commodity prices, more resilient supply chains, new revenue models, and stronger customer relationships. Leaders leave with a practical way to identify where circularity can create advantage in their own business, and a realistic view of what redesigning products, systems, and business models at scale requires.
Ellen MacArthur's view of the economy was shaped by 71 days alone at sea, where every drop of fuel and every meal had to last until the finish. In this keynote, she connects the discipline of solo offshore racing with the systemic change she believes modern economies need. She explores how extreme environments sharpen judgment, how to lead with clarity through uncertainty, and why the organizations best placed to thrive are those willing to question their founding assumptions instead of simply optimizing what already exists.
The Foundation's work reaches into some of the most resource-intensive sectors on earth. Ellen examines how industries such as fashion, food, packaging, and construction are starting to separate growth from the consumption of new materials, and what that shift demands from executives, investors, and policymakers. Drawing on initiatives such as Fashion ReModel and the Foundation's global work to eliminate plastic pollution, she turns sector lessons into principles any organization can apply to its own transition.
Conventional economic thinking assumes prosperity depends on consuming ever more virgin materials. Dame Ellen MacArthur challenges that assumption with evidence that a circular model can support innovation, employment, and greater resilience to resource shocks. Designed for policymakers, institutional investors, and C-suite leaders, this keynote moves past sustainability messaging to a clear economic argument, delivered by someone who has spent well over a decade building a global platform to test it in practice.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Ellen MacArthur
Why Ellen MacArthur?
Dame Ellen MacArthur brings a combination no other speaker can offer: a world record earned alone on the open ocean and a global institution that has shaped how business and government think about resources. She speaks as a builder of change, having spent well over a decade creating the platform that drives it. For organizations focused on the circular economy, climate strategy, supply chain resilience, or long-term competitiveness, she offers an evidence-based framework for action alongside a story audiences remember. Aurum Speakers Bureau manages availability requests and booking logistics, so contact our team to bring Dame Ellen MacArthur to your next event.
What is the circular economy, and why does Ellen MacArthur champion it?
The circular economy is an economic model built on three principles: eliminate waste and pollution by design, keep products and materials circulating at their highest value, and regenerate natural systems. Ellen MacArthur came to the idea through sailing, where managing finite supplies on long solo voyages made clear what an economy based on extraction and disposal cannot sustain. After retiring from racing, she spent years learning from scientists, economists, and business leaders and concluded that small efficiency gains were not enough. She argues that a circular model is a better economic model, one that reduces exposure to commodity risk, opens new markets, and builds long-term resilience.
What sailing records did Ellen MacArthur set?
In February 2005, Ellen MacArthur set the world record for the fastest solo non-stop circumnavigation of the globe, completing the voyage in 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds aboard the 75-foot trimaran B&Q. Four years earlier, at 24, she finished second in the 2000–2001 Vendée Globe as the youngest competitor to complete the race, and her time of 94 days, 4 hours and 25 minutes stood as the women's monohull record in that race for two decades. Her achievements earned her a DBE in the United Kingdom and France's Légion d'honneur.
What does sustainability speaker Ellen MacArthur talk about?
Ellen MacArthur's keynotes focus on the circular economy, sustainable business strategy, systems redesign, and the role of industry and policy in moving away from the take-make-waste model. She shows how sectors such as fashion, food, plastics, finance, and the built environment can redesign operations for resilience and competitive advantage, and she draws on her sailing career to explore leadership under pressure and ambitious goal-setting. Her talks are built for senior executive and policy audiences. To check her availability for your event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Ellen MacArthur as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Ellen MacArthur as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Ellen MacArthur's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Ellen MacArthur or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Ellen MacArthur speaking fee?
Ellen MacArthur speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Ellen MacArthur to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Ellen MacArthur.
How can I contact Ellen MacArthur?
We only work with Ellen MacArthur on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Ellen MacArthur and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Ellen MacArthur speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Ellen MacArthur for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Ellen MacArthur for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Ellen MacArthur is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Ellen MacArthur for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
