Louise Kjellerup Roper

CEO

Louise leads the team and is responsible for Volans mission, programmes and strategy, and ensuring Volans has the biggest possible positive impact, through what we do and who we work with. 

After leaving her native Denmark to study PPE at the University of Oxford, Louise started her career with ‘bleeding-edge’ software companies such as Cisco and Check Point Software Technologies, before focusing on the role of business for good, launching Cradle to Cradle and B Lab pioneering companies like method and gDiapers into Europe and bringing circular economy business models and scale to ambitious small businesses.

Louise is a guest lecturer at both Cranfield University and the University of Exeter and part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s CE100 network. She also mentors young change-makers via the Aspire Foundation and the Aspire Trailblazing Women network.

Louise’s Superpower: Kindness is my favourite superpower

Q. What does Volans say to you?
A. Volans is very much about the people in and around this team and their dogged determination to accelerate us all to a better future.

Q. How did you wake up to the change agenda?
A. I have always wanted to change circumstances that weren’t right for the better.

Q. What brought you here?
A. Eternal curiosity and a desire to be stretched by new challenges.

Q. When are you most fulfilled?
A. When I can play a part in someone realising their own strength – seeing their own potential and how to act on it. That and dog walking early in the morning.

Q. If you could solve one global problem for everyone, what would it be?
A. I’d like everyone to be empowered and confident, knowing that they are enough – most problems ultimately stem from the insecurity and fear.

Q. What are you grateful for?
A. Every day. Love, health and optimism. Family, my incredible network of supportive friends. Flossie.

Q. What are you most like?
A. I am the one throwing a pebble in a pond. A ripplemaker.