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Ken Banks

Director of Future Data and Digital Self Management at Macmillan Cancer Support

Ken Banks is an accomplished professional with a diverse background and extensive experience in social entrepreneurship and innovation.1 He is currently serving as a Venture Coach at beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship.1

Professional Background

Ken Banks is described as an award-winning social entrepreneur, anthropologist, innovator, and author.1 His LinkedIn profile, under the username "kiwanja," showcases his multifaceted expertise and achievements in various fields.

Current Role and Services

As a Venture Coach at beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship, Ken Banks provides:

  • Specialist coaching and mentoring
  • Consultancy services to the social impact sector
  • Support for changemakers and innovators47

Online Presence

Ken Banks maintains an active online presence, particularly on LinkedIn, where he regularly shares insights and updates about his work:

  • He recently revived his blog on kiwanja.net after a six-year hiatus2
  • He frequently posts about social impact, innovation, and entrepreneurship35

Expertise and Interests

Ken's professional interests and areas of expertise include:

  • Social entrepreneurship
  • Anthropology
  • Innovation
  • Exploration
  • Writing and authorship67

Through his work and online engagement, Ken Banks demonstrates a strong commitment to fostering positive social change and supporting individuals and organizations in the social impact sector.

Highlights

Sep 4 · linkedin

Today, thousands of children across the UK had their first day at secondary school. My youngest two were among them. Seeing them head off in their shiny new uniforms earlier this morning made for a very proud moment. 🤗

But today was a very big day for me professionally, too.

Our children were born during what I'd call the peak of my career. When Maddie and Ollie came along we already had Henry, and I was travelling the world giving keynotes, visiting project sites, picking up lucrative consultancy work, writing guest articles for major news outlets and magazines, publishing books, working with the likes of Archbishop Tutu and Peter Gabriel, and winning awards and Fellowships for my social innovation efforts. It was an incredible time, and I still pinch myself when I think about it.

But it was one that didn't sit comfortably with parenthood.

So I stepped back and, after a brief final flurry of overseas travel, gave it all up to prioritise my young family. That meant taking less risk and focusing on work which meant I could be at home as much as possible to do the school runs, cook dinner and tuck the kids into bed at night. You know, the kind of stuff you only get one chance of doing.

To say I've missed the buzz and excitement of what came before would be an understatement, and even now I look back fondly on what was a golden age for me and my work. But it was all worth it, and today is testament to that.

My target, all those years ago, was to see all the children safely into secondary school, and only after that to focus back on myself. Today is the first day of that new beginning. I'm excited for what's ahead, and feel a sense of rebirth as I turn my attention back to things I want to do with my remaining time on this little blue planet of ours. 🌎

Sep 2 · linkedin

The view across our meadow early this morning. Such a wonderful place to sit, read, think, work, recharge and immerse yourself in nature. ❤️

Coaching and mentoring sessions hosted here. Check out link in my profile. 🙂

Related Questions

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How did Ken Banks start his career in social entrepreneurship?
What kind of coaching does Ken Banks offer at beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship?
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What inspired Ken Banks to become an anthropologist and innovator?
Ken Banks
Ken Banks, photo 1
Ken Banks, photo 2
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Experience

Director of Future Data and Digital Self Management at Macmillan Cancer Support since December 2022

Education

BA (Hons) in Social Anthropology with Development Studies from University of Sussex (1996 - 1999)

Location

Cambridge, England, United Kingdom