On October 24, 2025, Ruud Janssen hosted Julie Wynne, a partner at MLL legal firm in Geneva, on the #DESIGNtoCHANGE podcast. Recorded at the Novartis Pavilion in Basel, the session explored the transformative power of conversations and the intersection of law, design thinking, and impactful change. Julie shared her journey from hospitality to becoming a leading legal expert in international estate planning, art law, and sustainable economy. As head of MLL’s Sustainable Economy Industry Group, Julie emphasized embedding purpose and impact into organizational DNA through constitutional documents, policies, and contracts, advocating for a holistic approach to governance.
The Event Canvas methodology was highlighted as a tool for designing events that drive change and innovation. Julie discussed how organizations can integrate sustainability and ESG compliance into events, addressing waste reduction, travel emissions, and community engagement. She introduced the concept of nature’s role in decision-making, citing the Unbounding Nature initiative, which explores nature as inspiration, advisor, director, and shareholder. Julie also highlighted the importance of avoiding greenwashing, referencing the EU Green Claims Directive and the Chancery Lane Project’s model climate clauses.
Julie shared her experiences as a change-maker, working with international charities, mission-driven businesses, and NGOs. She recounted her involvement in the Global Alliance for Impact Lawyers, including its recent summit in Mexico, which focused on benefit corporation laws and fostering collaboration between stakeholders from the Global South and North. She also discussed the Projecto Contratos Justos na Amazonia, which promotes fair contracting practices to protect vulnerable parties, such as indigenous communities, in negotiations.
The conversation explored the evolving role of lawyers in designing impactful solutions, with Julie advocating for early collaboration between event designers and legal advisors to align with regulations and values. She emphasized the importance of convening diverse stakeholders to foster innovation and meaningful exchanges, citing examples like Nexus network vegan conferences and community-led projects that promote sustainability and social impact.
The session concluded with a preview of an upcoming breakfast event hosted by MLL in Geneva on November 13, 2025 where Julie and Ruud will explore event design and its role in driving change and impact. This engaging conversation underscored the importance of collaboration, creativity, and purpose in shaping the future of organizations, events, and society.
View the (multilingual) Summary, Key Takaways and IDEA Cloud courtesy of Snapsight: https://www.snapsight.com/live-channel/cd885ce6-43d6-46b2-b470-6007741eddec/e1be71ca-a1cb-4f34-8ecd-1d9e0efd487e/attendee?tab=takeaways
Here some additional links to points that Julie mentioned:
- Chancery Lane Project https://chancerylaneproject.org/
- Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers (GAIL) https://gailnet.org/
- Bates Wells, https://bateswells.co.uk/
- Steward-ownership https://purpose-economy.org/en/
- Purposely, free tool to put purpose at the heart of a business https://www.purposely.org.uk/
- Legislation Movement of Collective Interest and Benefit Organizations in Latin America (2020) https://www.somoskeidos.com/en/resources/#unlock
- Purpose-driven companies and the regulation of the Fourth Sector in Latin America https://www.undp.org/latin-america/publications/purpose-driven-companies-and-regulation-fourth-sector-latin-america
- The Welcome Conference https://www.thewelcomeconference.com/
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On October 24, 2025, Ruud Janssen hosted Julie Wynne, a partner at MLL legal firm in Geneva, on the #DESIGNtoCHANGE podcast. Recorded at the Novartis Pavilion in Basel, the session explored the transformative power of conversations and the intersection of law, design thinking, and impactful change. Julie shared her journey from hospitality to becoming a leading legal expert in international estate planning, art law, and sustainable economy. As head of MLL’s Sustainable Economy Industry Group, Julie emphasized embedding purpose and impact into organizational DNA through constitutional documents, policies, and contracts, advocating for a holistic approach to governance.
The Event Canvas methodology was highlighted as a tool for designing events that drive change and innovation. Julie discussed how organizations can integrate sustainability and ESG compliance into events, addressing waste reduction, travel emissions, and community engagement. She introduced the concept of nature’s role in decision-making, citing the Unbounding Nature initiative, which explores nature as inspiration, advisor, director, and shareholder. Julie also highlighted the importance of avoiding greenwashing, referencing the EU Green Claims Directive and the Chancery Lane Project’s model climate clauses.
Julie shared her experiences as a change-maker, working with international charities, mission-driven businesses, and NGOs. She recounted her involvement in the Global Alliance for Impact Lawyers, including its recent summit in Mexico, which focused on benefit corporation laws and fostering collaboration between stakeholders from the Global South and North. She also discussed the Projecto Contratos Justos na Amazonia, which promotes fair contracting practices to protect vulnerable parties, such as indigenous communities, in negotiations.
The conversation explored the evolving role of lawyers in designing impactful solutions, with Julie advocating for early collaboration between event designers and legal advisors to align with regulations and values. She emphasized the importance of convening diverse stakeholders to foster innovation and meaningful exchanges, citing examples like Nexus network vegan conferences and community-led projects that promote sustainability and social impact.
The session concluded with a preview of an upcoming breakfast event hosted by MLL in Geneva on November 13, 2025 where Julie and Ruud will explore event design and its role in driving change and impact. This engaging conversation underscored the importance of collaboration, creativity, and purpose in shaping the future of organizations, events, and society.
View the (multilingual) Summary, Key Takaways and IDEA Cloud courtesy of Snapsight: https://www.snapsight.com/live-channel/cd885ce6-43d6-46b2-b470-6007741eddec/e1be71ca-a1cb-4f34-8ecd-1d9e0efd487e/attendee?tab=takeaways
Here some additional links to points that Julie mentioned:
- Chancery Lane Project https://chancerylaneproject.org/
- Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers (GAIL) https://gailnet.org/
- Bates Wells, https://bateswells.co.uk/
- Steward-ownership https://purpose-economy.org/en/
- Purposely, free tool to put purpose at the heart of a business https://www.purposely.org.uk/
- Legislation Movement of Collective Interest and Benefit Organizations in Latin America (2020) https://www.somoskeidos.com/en/resources/#unlock
- Purpose-driven companies and the regulation of the Fourth Sector in Latin America https://www.undp.org/latin-america/publications/purpose-driven-companies-and-regulation-fourth-sector-latin-america
- The Welcome Conference https://www.thewelcomeconference.com/
Michael Ackerbauer #DESIGNtoCHANGE #PODcast with Ruud Janssen Year +3
Event Design Collective PODcasts
44 minutes 47 seconds
5 months ago
Michael Ackerbauer #DESIGNtoCHANGE #PODcast with Ruud Janssen Year +3
Connect with Michael Ackerbauer PhD here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelackerbauer/
Connect with Ruud Janssen here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruudwjanssen/
And see there Key Takeaways, Idea Cloud and Summary (in 70+ languages) here courtesy by Snapsight :
https://www.snapsight.com/live-channel/ba005022-bc7b-42b6-bc5b-419c21f3833c/e1be71ca-a1cb-4f34-8ecd-1d9e0efd487e/attendee?tab=takeaways
Summary
In this captivating "Year plus three" episode of the #DESIGNtoCHANGE PODcast, Ruud Janssen engaged Michael Ackerbauer in a rich dialogue about change, technology, and personal growth. Michael, now at the helm of ACK Labs, a third-generation consultancy with roots in forensic chemistry, shared his journey from a 26-year IBM career to his current role as an innovation catalyst.
Ackerbauer's multifaceted background includes facilitating at the Creative Problem Solving Institute (CPSI) conference, teaching as adjunct instructor, and lecturing at Buffalo State University, which is launching a Doctorate of Professional Studies. His expertise in agile coaching and design thinking shaped his approach at IBM's client engineering, where he focused on "retiring quota" and showcasing generative AI like WatsonX.
The conversation delved into the "cone of uncertainty," creative abrasion, and continuous improvement. Michael emphasized the critical importance of trustworthiness and veracity in AI applications, drawing insightful parallels from the early days of "sneaker net" to current applications in insurance claims adjudication. He articulated a nuanced view of AI implementation, stressing the irreplaceable role of human oversight and emotion.
A highlight of the discussion was Michael's innovative rock balancing metaphor for leadership, which he demonstrated at Italy's Crea conference. This powerful analogy illustrates his triad of effectiveness, efficiency, and empowerment in team dynamics, complemented by his framework of capability, capacity, and commitment for assessing team performance.Ackerbauer's approach to change management acknowledges the often-overlooked aspect of grief associated with transitions. He cited the resilience of Blatten village after a natural disaster as an inspiring example of human adaptability in the face of drastic change.
The podcast touched on the evolution from centralized to decentralized computing, the rise of mobile and social computing, and the concept of "augmented humanity" in the AI era. Michael shared fascinating insights from using AI to analyze his own career trajectory and TEDx talk on rock balancing, hinting at exciting future book projects.
As the conversation concluded, both speakers reflected on the power of intentional dialogue in driving change, embodying the core principle of "Design to Change." The podcast's innovative use of AI-generated summaries in 70 languages served as a fitting demonstration of the transformative technologies discussed, bridging theory and practice in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and human interaction.
See the link to the Rock Balancing article mentioned here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/principles-balance-michael-ackerbauer-phd/
Event Design Collective PODcasts
On October 24, 2025, Ruud Janssen hosted Julie Wynne, a partner at MLL legal firm in Geneva, on the #DESIGNtoCHANGE podcast. Recorded at the Novartis Pavilion in Basel, the session explored the transformative power of conversations and the intersection of law, design thinking, and impactful change. Julie shared her journey from hospitality to becoming a leading legal expert in international estate planning, art law, and sustainable economy. As head of MLL’s Sustainable Economy Industry Group, Julie emphasized embedding purpose and impact into organizational DNA through constitutional documents, policies, and contracts, advocating for a holistic approach to governance.
The Event Canvas methodology was highlighted as a tool for designing events that drive change and innovation. Julie discussed how organizations can integrate sustainability and ESG compliance into events, addressing waste reduction, travel emissions, and community engagement. She introduced the concept of nature’s role in decision-making, citing the Unbounding Nature initiative, which explores nature as inspiration, advisor, director, and shareholder. Julie also highlighted the importance of avoiding greenwashing, referencing the EU Green Claims Directive and the Chancery Lane Project’s model climate clauses.
Julie shared her experiences as a change-maker, working with international charities, mission-driven businesses, and NGOs. She recounted her involvement in the Global Alliance for Impact Lawyers, including its recent summit in Mexico, which focused on benefit corporation laws and fostering collaboration between stakeholders from the Global South and North. She also discussed the Projecto Contratos Justos na Amazonia, which promotes fair contracting practices to protect vulnerable parties, such as indigenous communities, in negotiations.
The conversation explored the evolving role of lawyers in designing impactful solutions, with Julie advocating for early collaboration between event designers and legal advisors to align with regulations and values. She emphasized the importance of convening diverse stakeholders to foster innovation and meaningful exchanges, citing examples like Nexus network vegan conferences and community-led projects that promote sustainability and social impact.
The session concluded with a preview of an upcoming breakfast event hosted by MLL in Geneva on November 13, 2025 where Julie and Ruud will explore event design and its role in driving change and impact. This engaging conversation underscored the importance of collaboration, creativity, and purpose in shaping the future of organizations, events, and society.
View the (multilingual) Summary, Key Takaways and IDEA Cloud courtesy of Snapsight: https://www.snapsight.com/live-channel/cd885ce6-43d6-46b2-b470-6007741eddec/e1be71ca-a1cb-4f34-8ecd-1d9e0efd487e/attendee?tab=takeaways
Here some additional links to points that Julie mentioned:
- Chancery Lane Project https://chancerylaneproject.org/
- Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers (GAIL) https://gailnet.org/
- Bates Wells, https://bateswells.co.uk/
- Steward-ownership https://purpose-economy.org/en/
- Purposely, free tool to put purpose at the heart of a business https://www.purposely.org.uk/
- Legislation Movement of Collective Interest and Benefit Organizations in Latin America (2020) https://www.somoskeidos.com/en/resources/#unlock
- Purpose-driven companies and the regulation of the Fourth Sector in Latin America https://www.undp.org/latin-america/publications/purpose-driven-companies-and-regulation-fourth-sector-latin-america
- The Welcome Conference https://www.thewelcomeconference.com/
