Hello, I'm Geoff

"Geoff" is pronounced "Jef" and not (as many non-native English speakers assume) "Gay-Off", which sounds like some kind of dance competition that would be far more interesting to read about. But if you can resist the urge to Google that for just three more minutes, you can find out all about me on this page. Or you can take a look at what I'm up to right nowWhat I'm doing nowWhat I'm doing now Where I am I'm writing this update on 15th September 2025 from Bologna, on a glorious sunny day. I'm one week into a ten week trip: for the past few years, I've only been able to visit for a few days at a time, but last month I was granted the right to stay longer (via a "permesso di soggiorno") by the Italian government, so I can finally circumvent the Brexit-imposed travel restrictions to spend much more time with my kids. What I'm working on I'm in the midst of complet.

My passions in 60 seconds

Since I was a kid I've always been driven by a desire to build things, to understand how stuff works by taking it apart, and to fix anything that breaks. Which I suppose is why I found myself drawn to software development, sustainability, and systems thinking.

Every morning I wake up an optimist, but by the time I fall into bed I'm a pessimist. Humanity knows how to fix the existential challenges we face, but after years of trying to tackle them head-on I've come to realise that the political ambition and appetite to do so is vanishingly small. If we can find a way to unlock our creative and collaborative potential — and to do so fast — we can still get ourselves out of this mess. That's a bloody big "if", but I like a challenge — and I can't imagine focusing on anything else.

When I'm not trying to save life as we know it, I'm driven by a love of the written word, nature, cycling, photography, sci-fi, and being the best dad a man can be.

My work life in 60 seconds

I have a PhD in AI, which I studied long before it was over-hyped, extremely useful, and indescribably dangerous. I've been making and selling software since I was 16, and I've co-founded three startups, the second of which was acquired by Mentor Graphics, where I went on to serve as marketing director.

In 2010 — after waking up to the dangers of climate change while proof-reading my brother's superb book Plugged In — I switched careers and joined London-based think-tank SustainAbility. For four years I led the communications team and advised some of the world’s best-known brands on systems thinking and sustainable business models.

But I soon realised the profession had a problem: there was no widely accepted or actionable definition of what a truly sustainable business would look like — and no way for a company to measure and manage progress toward that goal. So in late 2013 I left to remedy that, co-founding Future-Fit Foundation as a UK charity, where I served as CEO and led development of the free-to-use Future-Fit Business Benchmark until 2022.

Since 2023 my main focus has been on my third startup — Transition Agency — where my partner Tom Bregman and I are working to fundamentally transform the sustainability profession, through a combination of AI-powered software, expert coaching, and a fixed price business model.

My home life in 60 seconds

I was born in Maidstone in the south east of England, and within months I narrowly (and tragically) avoided the chance to grow up in New Zealand. At the age of one I found myself living in Norfolk — an area of the UK so flat that if you spend too long there, encountering a speed bump feels like an opportunity for a good hike and a great view. When I was two I woke up one morning to find my parents had given me a little brother — best present ever.

At the age of 11 we moved to Folkestone in Kent, so I could go to the school my dad went to, which was excellent other than for the fact that it was totally devoid of girls.

When I was 18 I headed off to university in Liverpool — chosen in part because of the opportunity to watch LFC, but mainly because the Scousers were just so unbelievably warm and welcoming. I ended up staying for 15 years, and go back whenever I can.

Following a chance encounter in The Vines (which is worth a pint of anybody's time), I fell for an Italian girl, moved to Italy, married, had two kids, and divorced. My son and daughter are the loves of my life, but my work has mainly been based in the UK, so I've spent the last 20 years frequently bouncing between London and Bologna — two very different but equally wonderful cities.

A year ago I got a whippet called Ludo, who shows his boundless love every day by sleeping for 22 hours, eating for 5 minutes, and staring indignantly at me if any of the remaining 115 minutes are not spent outside sniffing in bushes and looking for squirrels.

Get in touch

I feed on new ideas and intelligent conversation, so if you know where to find any don't hesitate to get in touch.

About this site

This site is updated automagically from my personal Obsidian knowledge management system, thanks to a fantastic freely-available script.