Meet Diane Binder
CEO / FOUNDER

Resume
Diane is an experienced business executive and social entrepreneur with over 20 years of international experience across corporate, development and not for profit sectors in Africa and the Global South. A firm believer in systemic change to prioritize social justice and planetary well-being, she has worked across silos structuring philantropic – public – private alliances to foster urban and community resilience, climate action and natural capital preservation. She has mobilized financing for projects of all scales up to $500 million, supporting private sector development and access to essential services.
In 2021, she founded Regenopolis (for “regenerative communities”), an international and collaborative initiative supporting local solutions at the intersection of climate action, nature regeneration and social well-being.
In 2023, Diane co-founded 700’000 heures Impact, pioneering regenerative travel, by harnessing hospitality to regenerate local communities and the surrounding natural ecosystems through the emergence of local bio-businesses and the preservation of cultural heritage.
Previously, Diane spent a decade at SUEZ, a global leader providing water and waste management services to populations and industries, successively as Senior Vice-President for International Development in charge of Africa, and Senior Vice-President for International Relations. In her role, Diane has developed major PPPs, aligning governments, DFIs, private sector and civil society.
Earlier, she worked for Development Financial Institutions such as European Investment Bank, French DevelopmentAgency, World Bank, and international NGOs such as WaterAid.
Between 2017 and 2022, Diane served on the French Presidential Council for Africa, advising President Macron on private sector development, urbanization and nature-based economies. She is also the President and co-founder of Action Emploi Réfugiés (AERé), the French leading service accompanying refugees into jobs. Early in her career, she founded YES Middle East, promoting peace initiatives between Israelis and Palestinians.
Diane was named an IMAGINE leader (2025), a global leadership community for impact. She is also recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (2019), and Rising Talent of the Women’s Forum (2014).
She holds a MSc in Management from E.M. Lyon, a MSc in Foreign Service and an Honour Certificate in International Business Diplomacy from Georgetown University, a Certificate in Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century from Harvard University, a Certificate in Artificial Intelligence from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Diane is also a certified Regenerative Practioner from the Regenesis Institute.
Advisory board roles
Flow
The Future of Living for One World – Founder and CEO, Mokena Makeka. A transdisciplinary institute dedicated to advancing sustainable urban development through Planet smart materials and economic systems designed within planetary boundaries.
Ubuntu Tribe
Founder and CEO, Mamadou Kwidjim Toure. A platform that democratize access to gold.
SOS Group International
Founder & CEO, Jean-Marc Borello. The largest social enterprise in Europe with activities in more than 50 countries through a constellation of NGOs, CSOs and social businesses dedicated to environment, livelihoods, equality, health and education
Les Cuistots Migrateurs (“The Migrant Cooks”)
Co-founders, Louis Jacquot & Sébastien Prunier. A French NGO that provides training and capacity building to refugees and supports them towards jobs in hospitality.