Tim Smit

Sir Tim Smit KBE is co-founder and Executive Vice-Chair of the Eden Project, a visionary entrepreneur who transforms ambitious ideas into landmark destinations that reconnect people with the natural world. He restored the Lost Gardens of Heligan in 1990, then created the Eden Project in a disused Cornish clay pit, which has since welcomed over 22 million visitors and contributed £6.8 billion to the South West economy. Now leading Eden Project International to establish sites on every inhabited continent, Tim is also pioneering geothermal energy in Cornwall, drilling three miles underground to create renewable power for the region. His speaking sessions equip leaders with practical strategies for turning bold vision into viable enterprise, navigating scepticism, and building projects that deliver both commercial success and lasting social impact.

When a disused china clay pit in Cornwall became the site for two giant transparent biomes housing ecosystems from across the planet, Sir Tim Smit KBE proved that audacious environmental projects could transform economies, educate millions, and redefine what regeneration means in practice. From restoring the Lost Gardens of Heligan in 1990 to co-founding the Eden Project, which opened in 2001 and has since welcomed over 22 million visitors, Tim has built ventures that reconnect people with the natural world whilst delivering tangible economic and social value. His work consistently returns to one central question: how do we help people believe they can change the places around them? Now, through Eden Project International, he is establishing Eden sites on every inhabited continent, extending this model of ecological imagination globally whilst pioneering geothermal energy solutions that could power Cornwall's renewable future.

Tim's career path demonstrates how diverse experience fuels transformative thinking. After studying Archaeology and Anthropology at Durham University, he pursued interests spanning music production, writing, and wreck diving before discovering Heligan's forgotten gardens with John Nelson. That restoration project, named Garden of the Year by the BBC Countryfile Awards in 2018, laid the groundwork for Eden's even bolder ambition. The Eden Project has contributed £6.8 billion to the South West economy over 25 years, becoming a symbol of how culture, business, education, and landscape can converge to create hopeful futures. Beyond the biomes, Tim leads Eden Geothermal, which has secured £17 million in grants to drill three miles underground, tapping renewable heat to supply Eden and local communities. His achievements have earned him the Royal Society of Arts Albert Medal, an honorary KBE, recognition as Great Briton of 2007 in the Environment category, and numerous honorary doctorates, cementing his reputation as an entrepreneur who turns possibility into reality.

Tim's speaking engagements equip leaders with practical frameworks for transforming ambitious ideas into viable enterprises that deliver both commercial success and lasting social impact. He shares candid insights on calculated risk-taking, securing investment for unconventional projects, and building ventures that balance profit with ethical purpose. Audiences gain actionable strategies for galvanising teams around bold goals, navigating scepticism from stakeholders, and creating initiatives that regenerate communities whilst generating economic value. Whether addressing corporate leaders, public sector innovators, or entrepreneurs, Tim's down-to-earth storytelling and proven track record inspire organisations to reimagine what becomes possible when creativity meets determination. His sessions leave audiences energised to pursue transformative change within their own spheres of influence, armed with the confidence that sterile landscapes, whether literal or metaphorical, can become thriving destinations for positive impact.