Pushing the Boundaries

An Interview with Jean Oelwang, Chief Executive Offi cer, Virgin Unite

EDITORS’ NOTE Before assuming her Jean Oelwang (left) and at the launch of Richard The best way to stimulate local economies current post, Jean Oelwang helped to Branson’s book Screw Business as Usual and build resilient communities is to invest in lead successful mobile phone start-ups (Penguin Portfolio), December 2010 (top left) people with the ideas, passion, and commitment in , Colombia, Bulgaria, and at the opening of the Branson Centre of to make a positive impact on the world through Entrepreneurship – Caribbean, in Montego Bay, Singapore, Hong Kong, , Jamaica, September 2011 (top right) the businesses and subsequent jobs they create. and the U.S. She has worked for the We identifi ed a gap in the access and resources Foundation for National Parks and We are focused on entrepreneurial available to entrepreneurial young people in South Wildlife in Australia and in numer- ideas that can help scale change rather Africa and the Caribbean. To address this, we have ous volunteer roles, including a stint than specifi c issue areas. Virgin Unite launched two Branson Centres of Entrepreneurship as a VISTA volunteer. In 2003, she works in three ways to catalyze change in Johannesburg and Jamaica, which offer young was joint CEO of in in the world: the fi rst is working with entrepreneurs business training programs; access Australia when she went to work with the Virgin businesses to ensure that as to mentors and business networks, facilities, and and Virgin staff around the world a group, we are walking the talk, whether that’s Virgin resources; and ongoing support to help them grow to create Virgin Unite. Oelwang sits on the advi- Active opening up a fantastic new gym, thereby their businesses and, in turn, help create opportuni- sory board of the Elders, the board of the Carbon engaging the community of Soweto in South Africa; ties in their communities. War Room, and on the board of the Bushbuckridge creating a Branson of Entrepreneurship with Virgin We’ve also been working with former PUMA Health and Wellness Trust. Holidays to support the growth of sustainable busi- CEO Jochen Zeitz to create the B Team, which nesses in the Caribbean; or developing a Caring was named one of ‘the-most-dynamic-social-in- ORGANIZATION BRIEF As the entrepreneurial for Carers program with the health busi- novation-initiatives-of-2012’ by Forbes. foundation of the worldwide , Virgin ness in the U.K. Would you highlight the value in having Unite (www.virginunite.com) brings together peo- Also, we’re fortunate that through the Virgin Richard Branson’s unique vision to build ple and entrepreneurial ideas to reinvent how we brand we’re able to bring together unlikely part- the culture within Virgin Unite? live and work in the world to help make people’s nerships among governments, businesses, and the Richard always describes himself as “Dr. Yes” as lives better. Their aim is to do their part to revolu- social sector to catalyze long-term systemic change. he can’t say no to great opportunities. He talks about tionize the way businesses, government, and the so- These new leadership initiatives include the Elders, being “constantly curious” and this is something that cial sector work together – driving business as a global group of eminent leaders tackling some of we encourage at Virgin Unite – to constantly look a force for good. The organization also incubates the world’s toughest and most pressing issues, such out for new ways of thinking to focus our efforts new, independent approaches to leadership. as confl ict resolution; the Carbon War Room, scal- and create entrepreneurial approaches to catalyze ing market-based solutions to reduce carbon; the B change. Richard helps to ensure that we are always What was the vision behind creating Virgin Team, a group of global business leaders helping pushing the boundaries – he loves to think big. Unite and what is its mission? to make business better; and the Entrepreneurship What excited you about the opportu- Over these past 40 years, Richard (Branson, Hub, a global platform to broaden access to re- nity to lead Virgin Unite? Founder) and the Virgin Group have developed sources and markets to enable young entrepre- In the early ’90s, I worked in a shelter for loads of entrepreneurial energy and resources neurs to build great businesses. homeless teenagers in Chicago and I realized how that could be used for good. In 2004, the non- Additionally, we use the voice of Richard broken our systems are – from government to the profit foundation Virgin Unite was started to and the Virgin brand to create infl uential advocacy charitable sector to business. All of these sectors unite all the Virgin communities globally to bring campaigns such as the war on drugs, encouraging were working in silos and not giving these young about positive change. companies to ‘Screw Business as Usual’, and Gaia people the chance to lift themselves out of poverty. Our focus is on a way of living and work- Rocks, our campaign to help protect the earth’s In the mid-’90s, I helped to set up a mobile ing that helps make people’s lives better, and natural resources. phone company in South Africa. It was amazing to on showing that business can, and must, be a To support all of our work, we have a commu- see how the mobile phone became an overnight force for good. We focus on three core areas: nity of people, including a wonderful group of global poverty alleviation tool by giving entrepreneurs Global Leadership Initiatives, by incubating new entrepreneurs we call Virgin Unite 24902 who are the chance to start and grow their businesses. I approaches to global leadership, such as the working together on new approaches to tackle issues. realized then the power of business to use its core Elders, the Carbon War Room, and the B Team; Would you highlight some of Virgin products and services to give people the tools they Business Innovation, by providing support ser- Unite’s key initiatives? need to lift themselves out of poverty. vices to businesses to help them innovate by Some of the biggest gaps in the approaches Those two moments have embedded in putting people and planet alongside profi t in all to global issues center around the destruction of me a healthy obsession with how we can break they do; and Community, by building a power- our natural assets, global confl ict, and the current down the silos among government, charities, and ful community of people who never accept the model of doing business. To help address these businesses to create entrepreneurial approaches unacceptable and who believe in the power of gaps, we have partnered to create initiatives like to issues. I feel incredibly fortunate through entrepreneurial ideas to change the world. the Elders and the Carbon War Room, and joined Virgin Unite to be a catalyst for business as a How do you determine which issues to up with fantastic organizations, such as WildAid, to force for good in the world.• support? help support the conservation of our natural assets. 24 LEADERS DISTRIBUTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2013 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 36, NUMBER 2