Spend five minutes with Simon and you know: This is a man on a mission! Simon’s taking on our culture of conspicuous consumption and suggesting an alternative — contributory consumption; or, as he likes to frame it, moving from a “me first” to a “we first” society. More than pure altruism, Simon’s vision was born of three practical insights that business leaders would do well paying attention to:

• Brands cannot survive in societies that fail
• Today’s consumer wants a better world, not just better widgets
• Social media has created the means for people to connect as consumers and citizens

It’s the subject of his New York Times best-selling book, We First, and regularly featured in his Fast Company blog. But Simon is much more than a man with an idea. What makes his leadership exceptional is how he has built a strong community around it, putting every channel at his disposal to work for the cause. Simon is an expert at creating and channeling energy to make big things happen, and the perfect person to offer a perspective on how we as leaders can build critical mass in our organizations.