Menno van Leeuwen
Menno van Leeuwen helps companies turn their sustainability ambitions into concrete action. As founder of Mennovatie, he works at the intersection of strategy, innovation, and sustainability. With his experience at ABN AMRO and as a sustainability & innovation lead, he has guided dozens of organizations in their transition to future-proof business operations.
Menno excels at setting up programs, ventures, and ecosystems. Whether it’s launching an accelerator like Impact Nation for ABN AMRO, growing impactful propositions, or developing AI-driven software – he translates vision into action.
As an entrepreneur, advisor, and board member, Menno initiates changes that truly make a difference in large systems. His work includes the energy transition, circular business models, sustainable land use, and socio-economic change.
At Zirrow, he collaborates with specialists on responsible IT usage. Due to the rapid growth of AI, the demand for data centers is skyrocketing. This puts enormous pressure on energy, water, and raw materials, leading to major ecological and societal challenges. Zirrow measures the current impact, including avoidable energy loss, and develops AI software to achieve significant savings without compromising performance. This requires a systemic change involving the entire value chain.
Through Mennovatie, Menno helps organizations find sustainable solutions for societal challenges. For example, he initiated a major sustainable recovery program for an insurance company. This revealed that collaboration across the chain – from consumer behavior to reinsurers – is essential for systemic change.
Menno also works with the social consulting agency Purpose, which focuses on financial well-being. Together, they are making the debt collection process – the way organizations deal with customers who cannot pay – more humane. A broad program has been launched to make socially responsible debt collection the new norm, step by step. Menno applies his knowledge of impact measurement and reporting (such as CSRD). This approach delivers benefits for both creditors and society.
In the sports world, Menno advocates for sustainable change. As a board member of the Dutch Golf Federation, he works on a strategy to make golf the greenest and most accessible sport in the Netherlands. Responsible nature management for both golfers and non-golfers is central. This calls for a more data-driven and inclusive approach.
Menno is an experienced speaker and moderator. He speaks about strategy, innovation, sustainability, impact measurement, and regulation within systemic change. In his talks, he shows how every organization, large or small, can contribute to real impact. His style is energetic, sharp, and connective, with attention to both the human and strategic side of change.
Some examples:
Innovation and sustainability as drivers for growth
How do you create win-wins within your organization? Menno draws from hands-on experience in the finance, IT, and leisure sectors and his own business.
Transitions
Systemic change within established organizations. What is your position as a company, and what opportunities are there to create more impact? Menno explains the system change model using practical examples.
Sustainability strategy and impact reporting (CSRD)
Menno combines his knowledge of regulation and hands-on reporting experience with his vision on how to leverage this during transformations.
The role of technology in societal transitions
For nearly every societal challenge, a technical solution already exists. Menno shows how to deploy technology at scale to maximize impact.