Diana Verde Nieto
Founder & CEO, Clownfish
“The Green Awards is a great platform to raise awareness, influencing and rewarding the brands that pioneer the field and that are embracing sustainability. The power of search marketing has made impossible to communicate something that you are not doing without the risk of being found out.”
Regarded by her peers as a pioneer in sustainability, Diana’s background sees the intersection of over fourteen years’ marketing communications experience with deep sustainability expertise.
Diana founded Clownfish in London in 2002, with the vision of creating a consultancy that put people, planet and profit at the heart of its business philosophy. Recognising that businesses, whether small or big, could be a force for good, Clownfish was born to help clients benefit from delivering practical solutions to the environmental and social challenges we face today.
One of the first consultancies to specialise in sustainability and communications, Clownfish has built an enviable client portfolio that includes some of the world’s top brands and companies - Unilever, Coca-Cola, Reebok, Timberland and InterfaceFLOR. In 2007, Clownfish opened the New York operation, and in November 2008, the Shanghai office.
Diana’s entrepreneurial talent has taken the company from a niche London based consultancy to a global brand known for innovative thinking and creativity in the field of sustainability. The commercial value of Clownfish was recognised by Aegis Media, who in October 2008, acquired a majority stake in the company. As part of the Isobar network, Clownfish has reach into 38 markets and is able to deliver its promise of global vision combined with local execution.
Now predominantly based in Shanghai, Diana uses her extensive expertise in applying best practice on sustainability and brand reputation to companies operating in the dynamic and fast-growing Chinese economy.
Alongside her role as CEO of Clownfish, Diana has advised the Chartered Institute of Marketing's Sustainable Programme, and worked closely with a number of not-for-profit organisations, including WWF, Climate Group, Clinton Global Initiative, Tomorrow’s Company, United Nations Environmental Programme, British Government and European Union.
Diana relishes the opportunity to influence the way clients do business and seeing them having a positive impact on our society and environment.
