Kel Currah

Kel’s work explores the tools, practices and collaborations people use to build the world they want through three lens – our lives, our work and our politics. For the past 10 years Kel has concentrated on politics through his consultancy, What World Strategies. 

Now, Kel has moved his focus of work to look at how people and brands make change – the tools and practices to create new ventures, initiatives and change. 

This new work is taking place through two streams. Kel is tackling the first stream – tools and strategies for achieving their goals – through two new, exciting projects: What World Assembly which, when launched, will be a networking company that assembles people to discuss, debate and share ways of making change in the world. The aim is to make people more aware of their role in the world and how they can affect the world through their actions; and through Filament 49, a creative company that will make productivity tools to equip people with the tools they need to create their next adventure. Filament 49 will make hardware for the mind.  

The second stream looks at the role of brands in influencing change. As the world slowly recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, business will change and adapt. Things will be more local, and sustainability and resilience will be critical for brands to survive and thrive. Kel is researching how brands can build tribes and purpose through connecting and collaborating. Kel is researching and trailing this work through What World Industries. 

Of course, creating new ventures during a global pandemic is extremely challenging, but Kel is getting on with the work and will be launching the new projects shortly. 

Kel’s work focuses the tools, strategies, spaces, and collaborations people use to build the world they want, with in life, work or society.

He has spent the last twenty years working in the space of advocacy strategy and collaboration. During that time, he worked for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation helping steer their international strategy; was the Deputy International Advocacy Director for World Vision International; spent time as a Senior Researcher for the New Economics Foundation; was a lead coordinator for Make Poverty History; and a Parliamentary Research at the House of Parliament in the UK. 

For the past 11 years, Kel has led the consultancy What World Strategies which has created advocacy strategies and initiatives for the OECD, World Health Organisation, World Food Programme, the Gates Foundation, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, the Pisces Foundation, and 30 other organisations.

Kel speaks on change, advocacy and collaboration and has had his work featured in academic publications as well as the The Guardian. He has addressed UN conferences, led international delegations and convened numerous international events including side-events at G7 summits, G20 summits and at UN General Assemblies.

Kel’s current research work has moved from global politics to business and the role of brands and companies to affect change at the local and international level. Brands that create tribe have a large impact on consumer habits and Kel believes this is the future of progressive change. He is undertaking this work through What World Industries. 

Kel is always interested in hearing from people working on or curious about change in all aspects of life. Give him a shout at team@whatworldindustries.com

Kel lives in Guelph, Canada with his dog, Moose, but gets to his house in the Golden Valley, Herefordshire, UK as often as possible – Covid-19 allowing of course.