Manuel Braun is author of the book “The Circular Business Revolution” \u2013 a practical guide to unlock the business case of sustainability and transform your business from a linear take-make-waste approach into one that is sustainable, circular, but also profitable, resilient, and competitive.<\/p>\n
He is a thought leader at the interface of Artificial Intelligence and sustainability, providing guidance on the powerful opportunity (and risks) of AI in supporting climate action while boosting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.<\/p>\n
Previously, Manuel spent eight years at McKinsey & Company, where he led product development and design projects across industries. Through this work, he developed a unique perspective on advancing transformation journeys that engage both hearts and minds to drive meaningful change.<\/p>\n
After McKinsey, he played a leading role in building Systemiq Ltd, a global think tank focused on sustainable systems change. As an entrepreneur, he was part of the leadership team of the circular materials platform and led Systemiq\u2019s work on sustainable and circular transformations internationally.<\/p>\n
Manuel holds a PhD from the Technical University of Munich and is actively engaged in teaching and executive training programs across Europe (e.g. senior lecturer in the \u201cCreating Value in the Circular Economy\u201d course at IMD Lausanne). He is a leading expert in this domain and partners with pioneering companies and investors.<\/p>\n
Manuel is a nature enthusiast in the professional realm and beyond. He is a passionate alpinist and loves to spend time with his family exploring the great outdoors whether on foot, mountain bike or ski.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Manuel Braun is author of the book “The Circular Business Revolution” \u2013 a practical guide to unlock the business case of sustainability and transform your business from a linear take-make-waste approach into one that is sustainable, circular, but also profitable, resilient, and competitive. He is a thought leader at the interface of Artificial Intelligence and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":77436,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_trash_the_other_posts":false,"editor_notices":[]},"sa_speaker_category":[38,135,39,139,37,33,145,97,134,147,34],"sa_language":[250,252],"sa_employability":[219,188,170,173],"class_list":["post-78367","sa_speaker","type-sa_speaker","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","sa_speaker_category-economics-finance","sa_speaker_category-education-learning","sa_speaker_category-entrepreneurship","sa_speaker_category-inspiration","sa_speaker_category-leadership-strategy","sa_speaker_category-science","sa_speaker_category-social-enterprise","sa_speaker_category-startups-scale-ups","sa_speaker_category-sustainability-environment","sa_speaker_category-sustainable-entrepreneurship-social-enterprise","sa_speaker_category-technology-innovation"],"acf":{"sa_introduction":"Manuel Braun is author of the book \"The Circular Business Revolution\" and is a thought leader at the interface of Artificial Intelligence and sustainability. He is a leading expert in this domain and partners with pioneering companies, investors and entrepreneurs.","sa_one_liner":"","sa_name_title":"Dr. ","sa_region":[],"sa_degree":"","sa_stars":"","sa_maglr_ids":null,"sa_publications":null,"sa_socials":null,"sa_subjects":[{"sa_subjects_title":"Circular Business Revolution \u2013 Creating Sustainable Business Value ","sa_subjects_information":"How to move from a linear \u2018take-make-waste\u2019 approach, towards one that is circular, resource productive, regenerative, and resilient in nature? A circular business revolution is needed to help firms decarbonize, dematerialize, and regenerate natural systems while unlocking economic value and supply chain resilience. A set of specific circular business model patterns allows you to create value in a circular economy. More than 100 real-world case studies serve as inspiration highlight emerging trends, new opportunities, and the pathway to sustainable change."},{"sa_subjects_title":"Green and Intelligent \u2013 The Role of AI in the Climate Transition","sa_subjects_information":"Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) a friend or a foe when it comes to the climate crisis? On one hand, AI holds immense potential to accelerate climate action while driving sustainable and inclusive economic growth. On the other, the environmental costs of AI\u2014such as the growing carbon footprint of data centres\u2014raise concerns about its long-term impact. Explore five ways of how AI can strengthen responses to climate threats. Dive into key applications across power, food, and mobility."},{"sa_subjects_title":"\u2022\tGeopolitics x Sustainability \u2013 Strengthening Resilience in Critical Times","sa_subjects_information":"The market dynamics of strategically critical resources are dominated by uncertainty. Digitalization & AI, decarbonization & the energy transition, and defense are increasing demand for critical resources \u2013 but supply is faltering. Security risks and geopolitics are increasingly tied to these supply-demand imbalances and raw material dependencies\u00a0(rare earths, energy imports, global chokepoints). The circular economy offers not just an environmental solution, but also a strategic buffer. How can circularity act as a\u00a0strategic safeguard\u00a0against\u00a0geopolitical instability\u00a0and\u00a0resource scarcity.\u00a0Building resilience, reducing dependency, and unlocking new opportunities for innovation."},{"sa_subjects_title":"Systemic Change \u2013 From Linear to Circular Systems that Tackle the Planetary Crisis","sa_subjects_information":"Why is systemic change essential to addressing today\u2019s planetary crisis? The pathway to sustainability is narrowing rapidly, and the window to act is closing. The urgent question is not if<\/em>, but how<\/em> to achieve global sustainable resource use now. We need to focus on provisioning systems\u2014shifting from cars to mobility, from meat to healthy food, and so on \u2014 powered by a renewable energy system. But how to transform consumption patterns and production systems hand in hand?"},{"sa_subjects_title":"Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services \u2013 Integrating Nature into Business","sa_subjects_information":"How can businesses integrate natural capital and ecosystem services into their core strategies? Our economy depends 100% on nature, but we don\u2019t value nature\u2019s services (clean air, pollination, pure water, etc.). By valuing and managing natural resources, companies can reduce risks, comply with regulations, and unlock sustainable growth opportunities. Embracing natural capital transforms environmental challenges into strategic assets for business success and a sustainable future."}],"sa_faq_items":null,"sa_minimum_price":"","sa_maximum_price":"","sa_banner_image_id":77437,"sa_videos":[{"sa_video_title":"Closed Loops, Open Futures (Franke, Schmidt, Weng, Wang, Braun) | DLD Future Hub 25","sa_video_embed":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EMbIwkrW0sE"}]},"yoast_head":"\n