Makers + Mavericks 2022.

Each year we compile a list of the one hundred+ people that got us to utter the words ‘I wish I had done that, made that, invented that, thought like that, changed that’.

These are the amazing people who have shone the brightest for us over the past twelve months. Another year unlike any other.

MAKER OF THE YEAR.

ReGenAgri Farming

Farming for the soil

A regenerative agriculture initiative aims to secure the land's health and the wealth of those who live on it. Here’s to the makers doing it for our planet.

MAVERICK OF THE YEAR.

Volodymyr Zelensky

President of Ukraine

Politician, former comedian and actor, currently demonstrating his leadership and bravery on the global stage.

WELL-BEING.

Dr Louise Newson

GP and Menopause Specialist

Improving education about menopause. On top of promoting awareness of safe prescribing of HRT to healthcare professionals.

Owen Eastwood

Performance Coach

The most in-demand performance coach. With a unique approach to finding your identity story, and understanding the ‘silent dance’.

Liz Fosslein and Mollie West Duffy

Authors of No Hard Feelings

A roadmap to an emotionally switched-on workplace. Teaching you to harness your emotions to become happier and more successful at work.

Joe Donnelly

Founder of Lifeworks

Creating a space to promote well-being. Using cold plunges, red-light therapy, and saunas to maximise recovery.

Andrew Barnes

Founder of 4-Day-Week

Innovator, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He has made a career of market-changing innovation and industry digitisation.

Per Håkansson

Editor + Writer of Fewer Better Things

Inspiration on how to manage time, attention and creative energy most effectively. Living in harmony with people, the planet and technology.

Sarah Bayliss

Nutritional Therapist

Bristol-based, Sarah tackles stress and energy management and helps achieve better health.

Daniel Lozano

Founder + CEO of Kindworks

On a mission to unleash kindness to solve problems for individuals, companies, and the world.

Afsaneh Parvizi-Wayne

Founder + CEO of Freda

A disruptor in women’s health. Freda makes natural and organic period and bladder products — created by women for women.

Miles Richardson

Professor + Author of Reconnection

Advocating for the unity of humanity and nature. His book offers practical tips to find harmony in nature.

PURPOSE-DRIVEN.

Clint

Founder of Corteiz

The illustrious mastermind of the cult streetwear brand. Drawn to the anti-establishment ethos, tight-knit community and sells out in minutes.

Norah Magero

Engineer

Award-winning engineer who created Vaccibox, a small, mobile, solar-powered fridge that safely stores and transports medicines.

Tom Hewitt MBE

Founder + Global CEO of Surfers Not Street Children

Empowers vulnerable kids in South Africa and Mozambique with a fusion of surfing, mentorship and care.

Phil Young + Keme Nzerem

Co-founders of Opening up the Outdoors

A not-for-profit that focuses on the continued inclusion, education, and enjoyment of outdoor spaces by people of the global majority.

John Stimpson

Swift Nest Builder

80-year-old John has handcrafts bird boxes in his shed. He has made 30,000, enough to house half the UK’s swifts.

Reshma Saujani

Activist

Founder of Girls Who Code and the Marshall Plan for Moms. She has built movements that fight for female economic empowerment.

Eyal Weizman

Founder of Forensic Architecture

Shining a light on the human rights violations caused by states, militaries, police forces and corporations.

Jim Denevan

Founder of Outstanding in the Field

The organic impermanence of our planet is used to make art. Jim’s canvas is the varying nature of sand, earth and ice.

Orion Jean

Humanitarian + Time’s Kid of the Year 2021

Founder of Race to Kindness. 11-year-old Orion from Texas sees the world as it could be if more people brought their communities together.

Melanie Vaxevanakis

Founder of The Mazi Project

Harnessing the power of sustainable food to nurture vulnerable young people and connect them with Bristol’s thriving food community.

CREATIVITY.

Issey Miyake

Fashion Designer

Breaking the boundaries between East and West. The late designer creates comfort between the body and the fabric covering it.

Jim Stoten

Artist

Prolific illustrator and music maker. Combining acid-coloured graphics with his chord-jarring, wild music.

Monique Aimee

Illustrator

After landing 20k followers overnight, Monique began using TikTok to share work, field questions, and discuss life as a commercial artist.

Mr Doodle

Doodler

From the mundane to the majestic. This doodling whizz cannot be tamed. He even doodled his entire house. A must see.

Vincent Schwenk

Artist

A 3D artist; known for his candy-coloured blobs and glossy shapes. Exploring boundaries, all with a fun twist.

Bony Ramirez

Self-Taught Artist

Bony’s art connects to his heritage. He portrays Caribbean life with elements of European colonial history still found in the individual psyche.

Jax Davey

Founder of Nuevo

On a mission to build the world’s most purpose-driven creative agency. Delivering global productions with a positive planet and people impact.

Ben Cullen

Cake Illusionist

Raising the bar for cake makers. His cakes are simply extraordinary. Netflix seemed to agree. Ben was featured on the hit show “Extreme Cake Makers”.

Jeanne K Simmons

Artist

Channelling nature highlights the connectedness between us and our environment. Her art is built into beaches, forests, and fields.

Emi Ueoka

Illustrator

Japanese-born illustrator. With minimal lines, her gentle work captures personal and understated moments.

Dame Vivienne Westwood

Fashion Designer

The punk pioneer and eccentric designer who was an inspiring activist and defined British fashion. She will be greatly missed.

PRODUCTIVITY.

Jim Kwik

Brain Coach

Jim’s mission is to create a world where people access the limitless potential of their minds to create a more fulfilling life.

Julia Hobsbawm

Author, Speaker + Consultant

Navigates living in complex times. Her book, ‘The Nowhere Office’ rethinks how organisations operate in a post-pandemic world.

Tim Grover

Performance Expert

Joining forces with Michael Jordan to forge him into a serial winner. If anyone knows a thing or two about winning, it’s Tim.

Renato Casutt

Founder of Bionic Reading

A reading system. Reimagining reading by optimising for written comprehension in a distractible world.

Blake Burge

Excel + Google Sheets Template Maverick

Blake has mastered the spreadsheet game and helps you to do the same. Whilst sharing insights on business and productivity.

Mathias Vermeulen

Creator of Message To The Future

Message future you. A message writing tool that gives you the freedom to craft what future you need to hear. Time to reflect.

Leidy Klotz

Author of Subtract

Removing obstacles, making our lives easier. Learning the art of subtracting effectively is a timeless teaching. Less is more.

Luke Burgis

Author of Wanting

The binding force found everywhere and nowhere. Mimetic desire. Humans influence other humans. Learn tools to control your desires.

ChatGPT

Chat-Bot

The multi-faceted AI platform taking the world by storm. One million users in five days. Watch out Google.

Creativity Sucks Podcast

Podcast

Looking at the challenges facing the advertising and design worlds. Providing solutions on how to fix them.

TECHNOLOGY.

Jade Darmawangsa

Social Entrepreneuer + CEO at X8 Media

Short-form content creator for Web3 companies. Created NFTree Haus that plants trees for every NFT purchased.

Sridhar Ramaswamy

Chief Executive Officer of Neeva

Transparency at their core. The search engine is built to serve its users. No ads or tracking, ever.

Raja Rajamannar

Chief Marketing Officer at Mastercard + Author of Quantum Marketing

An ever-changing technological landscape requires marketing to reimagine itself. His book outlines how marketers can stay relevant.

Ayman Hariri

Founder of VERO

Moving away from the Big Social model. His platform uses responsible tech principles; building a community that puts its users' privacy first.

Cameron Worth

Founder of Sharpend

Leveraging the Internet of Things to better equip brands with technology. Rethinking business’ interactions with their customers.

Jakob Balslev

Founder of Rokoko

Enabling 3D digital creators with high-quality sensor-based motion capture technology. Designed for full-body animations.

Molly White

Software Engineer + Crypto-critic

Providing high-quality, accessible information to everyone from no-coiners to crypto lovers. Through her site, ‘Web3 is Going Just Great’.

Mayku

Printing Company

Enabling access to the tools needed to create. Inspiring a world where anyone can manufacture what is needed, where and when it’s needed.

Yancey Strickler

Founder of Metalabel

Creativity in multiplayer mode. Groups of people pool skills, audiences, and resources in support of a larger creative vision or purpose.

Brickit

Brick Building App

Breathing life into unused bricks. Using your phone’s camera, pieces are identified. Building instructions are shared.

ENVIRONMENT.

Abraham Bugre

Climate Change Consultant

PhD student exploring Ghanaian female farmers and their response to climate change. An advocate of The Sustainable Development Goals.

Paula Quazi

Founder of Smol

Eco-friendly cleaning products. Innovative concentrated formulations and championing plastic-free and sustainable packaging.

Grant Canary

Founder of DroneSeed

DroneSeed combines reforestation with new technology to regrow healthy, resilient, climate-adapted forests. They can see the forest from the trees :)

Dan Schnitzer

Founder of Sparkmeter

A plug-and-play solution providing reliable electricity in hard-to-reach locations. Enabling microgrid and distribution companies to improve.

Sherry Rehman

Minister for Climate Change in Pakistan

Using her platform to increase awareness for climate change in school curricula. A major spokesperson during the recent flooding.

Diego Saez Gil

Co-Founder of Pachama

Solving climate change by restoring nature. A tech solution that puts data in the hands of people who care.

Adam Root

Founder of Gulp

Combating an ever-growing problem. Microplastics. A device that “gulps” microplastics from your washing machine before they go down the drain.

Sherry Fox

President + Co-Founder LumiWeave

The world’s first solar-power harvesting and illuminating fabric, preventing fossil-fuel emissions and light pollution. Two birds with one stone.

Jason Hickel

Economic Anthropologist + Author

Researching inequality and ecological economics. His thesis argues that degrowth will save the world. Less is more.

Yeb Sano

Executive Director at Greenpeace Southeast Asia

Environmental justice activist and veteran from the Philippines. Focusing on both domestic and global climate action and climate justice.

Kalen and Derrick Emsley

Co-founders of Tentree

Empowering individuals to plant trees with every purchase. The sustainably-made clothing brand has planted more than 81 million trees.

Seth Godin

Author

Author of 18 books and co-ordinator of the Carbon Almanac book. A powerful tool to help us create change, right here and right now.

PRODUCT.

Brit Eaton

Vintage Jeans Dealer

The salvager (or selvedger) of long-buried jeans risks his life to give relics a second shot. Original Indiana Jeans. Carpe Denim.

Mary Ahern

Founder of Florent Botanical Skincare

Skincare products are created from wild-harvested, biodynamic and organic ingredients with natural preservatives.

Mike Cessario

Founder of Liquid Death

Rebellious canned water company on a mission to entertain the masses. They want you to drink more water and reduce plastic pollution.

Mads Twomey-Madsen

Senior VP of Global Communications + Sustainability at PANDORA

Leading the sustainable revolution at Pandora, the world’s biggest jewellery brand. Including their first lab-grown diamond collection.

Salehe Bembury

The Sneaker Whisperer

Collaborator extraordinaire; designing shoes for Crocs, New Balance and Vans. He has gained an enormous following all without a namesake brand.

Steve Pellegrino

Self-Taught Bladesmith

Japanese-inspired knives, crafted with a twist. He brings a new perspective to culinary cutlery.

Allyson Felix + Wes Felix

Brother + Sister Business Partners of Saysh

A brand that champions women. Their sneakers are sculpted to fit the form of the female foot.

Christina Crawford

Founder of Tart vinegar

Fun-loving approach to vinegar. Small-batch, double-fermented production with ingredients sourced from farms practising regenerative agriculture.

Kevin Pike and Robin Touchet

Husband + Wife Team of Branch Water Farms Distillery

Respecting the land from which they harvest. They honour craft and tradition to make the best spirits they possibly can.

Rosa Harradine

Broom + Brush Maker

Hand-made, colourful brooms and brushes made from sustainable and natural materials. Made in West Wales.

SPORT + ADVENTURE.

Kimmy Fasani

Professional Snowboarder, Mother + Author

With her Benchetler Fasani Foundation, creating meaningful connections to the outdoors for those who have suffered loss or hardship.

Beth Mead

English Football Player

Trailblazing superstar. The Lioness who won Sports Personality Award 2022, player of the tournament and top scorer at the Euros.

Ioan + Garan Croft

Welsh Boxers

Identical twins represented Wales at the Commonwealth Games. The boys compete in different weight classes. Phew.

Sebastian Steudtner

Big Wave Surfer, 3x Big Wave Award Winner + World Record Holder

Guinness World Record holder for the highest wave ever surfed. This German surfing legend has been chasing waves his whole life.

Dr Susanna Søberg

Metabolic Scientist + Cold Water Swimming

Advocate for the benefits of hot and cold. Her 11/57 method has gained a cult following. Contrast is key.

Ian Graham

Liverpool Football Club Director of Research

Built European football’s leading data science team. Think ‘Moneyball’ but for football. Sorry, Liverpool fans but he has just resigned.

Yusra + Sara Mardini

Syrian Swimming Sisters

Escaped war-torn Syria. Adopted by Germany. Competed in the Rio Olympics. Netflix made a film about them. Impressive.

Jo Shwe

Teacher at a Pupil Referral Unit + Instigator of Trash Mob Academy

Connecting her pupils with nature. She brings cycling and nature to diverse communities through her love of mountain biking.

Morocco Men’s Football Team

International Football Team

Made history by becoming the first African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals, narrowly losing to France.

Seren Jones

Co-Founder of The Black Swimming Association

Breaking down barriers that stand between African, Caribbean, and Asian communities and aquatics.

MUSIC.

Nandi Bushell

Musician

Multi-instrumentalist was a featured guest at the Platinum Jubilee and performed with the Foo Fighters. Oh and she’s 12 years old.

Marc Rebillet

Musician

First went viral queuing to buy an iPhone. A woman paid for his spot at the front. He accepted. Fox 4 interviewed him. And the rest is history.

Mauvey

Musical Artist

Former pro basketball player turned musician. His music is built on the power of gratitude and love.

Lizzo

Actor, Rapper, Songwriter, Flautist + Philanthropist

A Big Grrrl with a big heart. Her philanthropy is far-reaching. She took a stand with Planned Parenthood to fight for reproductive rights.

Matt Allen

Founder of Warm Music

Crafting a network to support independent musicians. His organisation has launched the careers of thousands of artists.

Taylor Swift

Singer + Songwriter

Released her album ‘Midnight’ in October. Becomes the first artist in history to claim the top ten spots on Billboard Hot 100 song list.

Buzzard, Buzzard, Buzzard

Welsh Band

Began as a bedroom project. Now a rock band making wild live shows. Dressed in denim.

Priya Ragu

Singer-Songwriter

Blending Western influence with her Sri Lankan heritage. Her music pays homage to her native Tamil language. A “raguwavy” vibe.

Mike Shinoda

Musician

Founding member of Linkin Park. His musical collection ‘ZIGGURATS’ was released as a project of 5,000 NFTs.

Beyonce

Artist

Queen B is back on her throne, releasing Renaissance. A critically acclaimed album described as her most adventurous album yet.

Wild Rivers

Indie Band

A genre-transcending sound. Their anticipated second album, ‘Sidelines’ explores stepping into the unknown.

PLATFORMS OF INFLUENCE.

Greg Hoffman

Former CMO at Nike + Author of Emotions by Design

Three decades at Nike condensed into one book. The blueprint for building ironclad connections with your customers. Just do it.

Sophie Grove

Editor of Konfekt Magazine

An ode to the decadent. Celebrating inspiring travel itineraries, avant-garde fashion and beautiful products. Born from the creator of MONOCLE.

Savee

Design Platform

A platform dedicated to creatives. A curation of inspiration from designers around the world.

Eliot Higgins

Founder of Bellingcat

Bellingcat is an investigative journalism website specialising in fact-checking and open-source intelligence.

Sanna Marin

Prime Minister of Finland

Her country’s youngest-ever prime minister. A decisive leader during the pandemic. More recently, securing entrance to NATO. A leader to covet.

Josh Fabian

CEO + Founder of Metafy

Learn from the world’s best players. A video game coaching platform that encourages greatness, one lesson at a time.

Mark Rober

Founder of The Crunch Lab

Willy Wonka-style factory of creativity. A hands-on approach showing kids how to think like engineers.

Shannon Washington

Creative Director, Content Creator + Culture Maker

Traversing the intersections of media, tech and storytelling. Her award-winning campaigns are lightbulb moments.

Susan Wojcicki

CEO of Youtube

Queen of the creator ecosystem. She launched Youtube Shorts in 2021 and has gone on to hit 5 trillion all-time views.

Design Threads

Design Report

The brainchild of PORTO ROCHA and Float. A collaboration, exploring the state of design. Born from conversations with the design community.

Urth

Environmentally Conscious Creative Community

Inspired by our planet. Fostering creativity to be a driving force for environmental regeneration. Aiming to plant one billion trees by 2032.

BRAVE NEW WALES.

Francois Beyers

Co-Founder of Câr-Y-Môr

Wales’ first community-owned ocean farm in Wales. Using regenerative ocean farming to improve the coastal environment and community.

Scott James

Founder of Coaltown Coffee

Restoring purpose to Ammanford, a post-industrial town. Producing delicious coffee with sustainability and transparency at its heart. Cheers.

Adele Williams

Hairdresser

Saving the planet one hair at a time. Manufacturing sustainable oil spill recovery mats made of donated hair clippings.

Jaime (16-year-old)

First Minister for the day

Seeking gender equality through the project Her Voice Wales. As First Minister, she championed the power of girls and gender equality.

Julie James

Minister for Climate Change

Promoted the Bill banning single-use plastic. Leading from the front. Wales is the first country in the UK to make this change.

Richard Cuthbertson

Co-founder of DMM

Innovative climbing gear that’s gone to space and back. Made in Wales, sold internationally. And count NASA as a customer.

Jonny Cotsen

Founder of Hear We Are

Exploring inclusivity for the deaf community in the creative sector. Connecting people through deaf-led art projects and conversations.

Wilf Davies

Sheep Farmer

Devotion to his flock of 70 sheep has led to a documentary to be featured at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Daf James

Artist + Screenwriter

Multidisciplinary queer artist whose work celebrates identity politics, marginalised voices and Welshness.

Amanda Blanc

CEO of Aviva

Committed to sustainability and representation in financial services. She was named in the World’s Most Powerful Women list by Forbes.

That’s it. You made it to the bottom. Phew. Same time, next year?

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