A 10-month reinvention of the traditional MBA, equipping leaders with the practical tools, philosophies & inner work to reinvent business for the Next Economy. Applications close 26th August.
Join us as we collectively redesign, reimagine and renew the world. Developed in partnership with global champions, the MBE reinvents and extends the traditional MBA to build the leaders we need for a better world.
This program equips leaders with the tools, strategies, networks and philosophies to successfully govern a purposeful organisation.
We live in an historic moment of turmoil, transition and opportunity: a climate and biodiversity emergency threatens the planet, our world remains a vastly unequal place, and a pandemic has taken lives, livelihoods and caused the greatest economic rupture since the Great Depression. History tells us that in moments of great uncertainty and pain, extraordinary progress can be born.
Our vision is to build the Next Economy – a system of leadership and governance that supports human flourishing while living in harmony with the natural world.
The MBE program is targeted at leaders from business, social enterprise and civil society who are conscious of our urgent social and economic context. We are seeking those who are ready to use their power to shepherd in a safe and just economic paradigm for humanity.
We have no formal pre-requisites and base our application process on diversity, lived experience and vision for a better future. We are searching for those seeking a unique peer-to-peer learning experience rather than topdown lectures and traditional accreditations. We actively encourage applications from people of all ages, backgrounds and experiences.
“I found the cohort inspirational and diverse and that is what made the course enjoyable. Each of the guides moved us all to a new place - Small Giants can take all the great credit for the people you have brought into our lives and the wisdom you share. I am grateful to each of you for the deep thinking you have challenged us with.”
“This has been a challenging year for me in many ways. The course served as a beautiful escape and delve into this North Star that I’ve always felt so deeply within myself but the MBE has put shape to it creating space for me to act. The course has inspired me to read more, think differently, ask more questions… it’s been everything for me. I can’t wait for this to integrate and permeate.”
“The MBE gives you new ideas and differen’t perspective. It asks, ‘How can profit and growth and earth go hand in hand? Doing the MBE might be the only way our children and grandchildren might respect us. “
Through an interactive blend of live virtual sessions, group work, coaching and transformative retreats we will explore the role of community and culture, the power of storytelling and communication, the magic of purpose-led operations and governance, the complexity of decision-making and strategy, the potential of finance, and the critical importance of imagination, creativity and flow.
Danny Almagor is co-founder (with his wife Berry) and the Executive Chair of Small Giants. Danny was the inaugural Social Entrepreneur in Residence at RMIT, the founder and former CEO of Engineers Without Borders Australia and is the co-founder and Chair of the Impact Investment Group, and more recently created Sentient Impact Group. He has founded over a dozen for profit and non profit organisations including The Sociable Weaver, The Impact Club, Beyond Family Office and Beyond Creative. He has served on numerous boards, including many of the Small Giants family of businesses such as Tom Organic, The School of Life, The Cape ecovillage and Pacific Biotechnologies, as well as non-profit boards and advisories boards including the Jewish Museum of Australia, Stand Up, Smiling Mind, The Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan and Toniic. Danny has been recognised through many awards including a Churchill Fellowship, RMIT Alumnus of the Year, EY Social Entrepreneur of the Year, UN PRI Social Investment Pioneer and the Medal of the Order of Australia.
He has studied Aerospace Engineering, Business Administration and outdoor education. He loves to cook, read, rock climb, talk about philosophy, garden, travel and jump on the trampoline with his three kids. He doesn’t like to run marathons, watch horror films, drink beer, spend time on social media, or invest in anything that isn’t impact.
Danny Almagor is co-founder (with his wife Berry) and the Executive Chair of Small Giants. Danny was the inaugural Social Entrepreneur in Residence at RMIT, the founder and former CEO of Engineers Without Borders Australia and is the co-founder and Chair of the Impact Investment Group, and more recently created Sentient Impact Group. He has founded over a dozen for profit and non profit organisations including The Sociable Weaver, The Impact Club, Beyond Family Office and Beyond Creative. He has served on numerous boards, including many of the Small Giants family of businesses such as Tom Organic, The School of Life, The Cape ecovillage and Pacific Biotechnologies, as well as non-profit boards and advisories boards including the Jewish Museum of Australia, Stand Up, Smiling Mind, The Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan and Toniic. Danny has been recognised through many awards including a Churchill Fellowship, RMIT Alumnus of the Year, EY Social Entrepreneur of the Year, UN PRI Social Investment Pioneer and the Medal of the Order of Australia.
He has studied Aerospace Engineering, Business Administration and outdoor education. He loves to cook, read, rock climb, talk about philosophy, garden, travel and jump on the trampoline with his three kids. He doesn’t like to run marathons, watch horror films, drink beer, spend time on social media, or invest in anything that isn’t impact.
Tamsin is the Head of Programs and the Mastery of Business and Empathy at Small Giants Academy. She brings several decades of leadership experience and systems change in Europe, Australia and Africa. Tamsin believes the best way to predict the future is to create it, change moves at the speed of trust and the superpower of leadership today is our ability to listen. After working as a policy advisor to the Premier of South Australia over two successful campaigns, Tamsin went on to ignite and co-create a string of initiatives including co-founding: Workshop17 inclusive innovation hub in Cape Town; TheBoardroom Africa to bring board gender balance; and The Rallying Cry to shift investment at the intersection of gender and nature for climate outcomes. She is a strategic advisor to CEOs on feminine leadership, gender lens investing and embodiment and holds an MBA from the University of Oxford as a scholar of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship.
Tamsin is the Head of Programs and the Mastery of Business and Empathy at Small Giants Academy. She brings several decades of leadership experience and systems change in Europe, Australia and Africa. Tamsin believes the best way to predict the future is to create it, change moves at the speed of trust and the superpower of leadership today is our ability to listen. After working as a policy advisor to the Premier of South Australia over two successful campaigns, Tamsin went on to ignite and co-create a string of initiatives including co-founding: Workshop17 inclusive innovation hub in Cape Town; TheBoardroom Africa to bring board gender balance; and The Rallying Cry to shift investment at the intersection of gender and nature for climate outcomes. She is a strategic advisor to CEOs on feminine leadership, gender lens investing and embodiment and holds an MBA from the University of Oxford as a scholar of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship.
Simon is a Leadership and Culture Specialist. He’s a coach and advisor, change agent, master facilitator and culture practitioner with 20 years of experience with small, medium, and large organisations in insurance, finance, energy, retail and philanthropic sectors.
He has an MBA, is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an accredited practitioner in change methodologies.
Simon is a Leadership and Culture Specialist. He’s a coach and advisor, change agent, master facilitator and culture practitioner with 20 years of experience with small, medium, and large organisations in insurance, finance, energy, retail and philanthropic sectors.
He has an MBA, is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an accredited practitioner in change methodologies.
Gayle and her Global Leadership Foundation co-founder, Malcolm Lazenby, are passionate about and committed to making a positive difference to people, organisations and communities – both locally and globally. They each bring over 30 years of experience and internationally recognised expertise in developing, strengthening and transforming individuals, teams, organisations and communities.
As a ‘for purpose’ organisation and a certified B Corp, Global Leadership Foundation, uses its business as a “force for good”, placing its profit each year into a philanthropic fund for the development of leaders in community. It’s pro-bono and low bono work also strengthens and supports individuals, organisations and communities to build compassionate and sustainable approaches to leadership and life.
Global Leadership Foundation along with its Global Fellows, works with boards, and senior leaders all over the world in a range of areas, including: transformational leadership and change in individuals and organisations, strategic planning and development, emotional health and leadership resilience, leading through facilitating, strengthening collaboration, and board and executive mentoring and coaching.
Gayle and her Global Leadership Foundation co-founder, Malcolm Lazenby, are passionate about and committed to making a positive difference to people, organisations and communities – both locally and globally. They each bring over 30 years of experience and internationally recognised expertise in developing, strengthening and transforming individuals, teams, organisations and communities.
As a ‘for purpose’ organisation and a certified B Corp, Global Leadership Foundation, uses its business as a “force for good”, placing its profit each year into a philanthropic fund for the development of leaders in community. It’s pro-bono and low bono work also strengthens and supports individuals, organisations and communities to build compassionate and sustainable approaches to leadership and life.
Global Leadership Foundation along with its Global Fellows, works with boards, and senior leaders all over the world in a range of areas, including: transformational leadership and change in individuals and organisations, strategic planning and development, emotional health and leadership resilience, leading through facilitating, strengthening collaboration, and board and executive mentoring and coaching.
Jo Brick is an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force. With a background in international law and strategy, she has worked in defence and national security for 25 years. She has been a legal advisor to senior military commanders, and was an instructor and Chief of Staff at the Australian Defence College. Jo is a fellow of the Small Giants Academy, having completed the Mastery of Business & Empathy in 2022.
Jo Brick is an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force. With a background in international law and strategy, she has worked in defence and national security for 25 years. She has been a legal advisor to senior military commanders, and was an instructor and Chief of Staff at the Australian Defence College. Jo is a fellow of the Small Giants Academy, having completed the Mastery of Business & Empathy in 2022.
Khalid Malik is a journalist and broadcaster and is working with us producing the Mastery of Business and Empathy program. In this personal essay, Khalid shares his experience of looking for work in Australia.
Lydia is a Conscious Leadership Facilitator. Her professional background is in executive arts leadership, festival curation and producing for theatre and film, in both urban and remote communities. She was previously the dual recipient of the Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship and the Australia Council for the Arts Community Arts and Cultural Development Fellowship, where she formed much of the work she does today in facilitating conscious leadership, spiritual direction and next economy transitions for both companies and individuals.
Lydia has a BA in Social Sciences and is currently undertaking post-graduate studies in theology. She enjoys a continued arts practice as a singer/songwriter and freelance writer, creating two back to back albums True North and The Narrows in 2019–21. Lydia loves to enjoy her free time either in the ocean, church or the bush, and outside of her work she enjoys a simple, quiet life with her partner and two children.
The throughline of his interests has to do with ways of improving the health and development of individuals and society, with a virtuous relationship between the two as a goal.
Listen to Dumbo Feather Podcast: Daniel Schmachtenberger PART 1: social philosopher, thought leader, sensemaker
N'arweet Carolyn Briggs is a Boon Wurrung senior elder and is the chairperson and founder of the Boon Wurrung Foundation.
A descendant of the First Peoples of Melbourne, the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung, N’arweet is the great-granddaughter of Louisa Briggs, a Boon Wurrung woman born near Melbourne in the 1830’s.
N’arwee thas been involved in developing and supporting opportunities for Indigenous youth and Boon Wurrung culture for over 40 years. In 2005, she established the Boon Wurrung Foundation, which has been responsible for significant work in cultural research, including the restoration of the Boon Wurrung language. The Foundation also helps connect Aboriginal youth to their heritage.
N'arweet plays a key role in our Commitment to Indigenous Australia and we are grateful that she shares her wisdom and knowledge with us as we work towards the Next Economy.
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Kaj is the Director of the Small Giants Academy Action Labs, where he leads the incubation and development of new initiatives. This has included the creation of Regen Melbourne, launching B Corporation in our region, bringing the School of Life to Australia and co-creating the Mastery of Business and Empathy and Impact Safari. He is a guide on a number of the SGA programs including Impact Safari Scandinavia: the Future of Cities.
Berry Liberman is a podcaster and writer who focuses on themes of leadership, storytelling, consciousness, money, and human cultural evolutio and connection.
Berry, whose family office Small Giants has a 100% impact portfolio, is a pioneer in the impact investing landscape globally, across media, the built environment, venture capital, regenerative agriculture, financial services, nature-based climate solutions, biodiversity, and energy systems.
Berry is the Creative Director of Small Giants Academy, a not-for-profit accelerator, education and media initiative with a focus on leadership fora hopeful future. Berry was the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Dumbo Feather Magazine — now The Wisdom & Action Podcast — with an abundant audience of conscious leaders from all sectors.
As a mother to three beautiful children, her work is in service to them and generations to come.
Aziz is a renowned figure in peace-building and conflict resolution. With experience in 60 countries, including conflict zones like Afghanistan and Syria, he's made significant contributions to fostering peace and reconciliation.
Aziz’s work has earned him the titles of National Geographic Explorer and Ted Fellow. He has written opinion pieces for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Al-Quds, Haaretz, and has been published by National Geographic, CNN, TED, and Al Arabiya. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the World by the Royal Strategic Centre in Jordan each year since 2010.
He has served as Executive Director at the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University and as the Chairman for the Parents Circle Family Forum. He is the cofounder of InterAct International, a non profit advancing sustainability, education, and cross cultural connections.
His work has been recognised with numerous awards, including the Goldberg Prize for Peace in the Middle East and the Intercultural Innovation Award from the UN Alliance of Civilizations, with recognition from former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Learn more about Aziz Abu Sarah
We spoke with Aziz in Issue 34 of Dumbo Feather Magazine.
An organization focused on educating and preparing society for the coming cultural transition.
Allied with leading ecologists, energy experts, politicians and systems thinkers ISEOF assembles road-maps and off-ramps for how human societies can adapt to lower throughout lifestyles.
Listen to Dumbo Feather Podcast: Where Are We Headed? with Nate Hagens #1: Human Behaviour
Dr Vandana Shiva is an Indian scholar, environmental activist and food sovereignty advocate. This is an extract from her 2018 report, The Future of Our Daily Bread: Regeneration or Collapse. Read her Dumbo Feather conversation here.
Dr. Julia Kim joined the Gross National Happiness Centre of Bhutan in 2013, after serving as a member of the International Expert Working Group for a New Development Paradigm. Julia brings a background in programs, policy, and research in the fields of global health and sustainable development with the UN. Julia co-hosts our safaris in Bhutan.
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AUD $23,600 inc GST
Upfront and interest-free monthly payment plans are available.
The MBE is for people of influence across industries and sectors – from executives to grassroots change-makers. A limited number of partial scholarships are available for social innovators and leaders experiencing systemic and/or financial barriers to participation. If you are interested in a scholarship position, please complete an application – shortlisted applicants will be invited to apply for scholarships.
Completing the Mastery of Business and Empathy is just the beginning of your journey. Our Fellowship is made up of leaders who integrate wisdom and action to support each other, co-create learning opportunities and actively collaborate on impactful projects for a more hopeful future.
The MBE is led by the Small Giants Academy, guided by co-founder and Chair Danny Almagor OAM and the Head of MBE Tamsin Jones. Our program taps into a global network of esteemed guest speakers, featuring influential figures like Lorna Davis, Geoff Manchester, Nora Bateson, Berry Liberman, and more. Supporting this, we have facilitators such as Simon Fieldhouse from Mush Consulting, Gayle Hardie from the Global Leadership Foundation, and Jo Brick from the Royal Australian Air Force
Active participation throughout the program, including attendance at sessions, and completion of reflection exercises and project work, will result in successful graduation from the Mastery of Business and Empathy.
Our time together will include guest speaker sessions, case studies and group work. Participants can expect an immersive, participatory and peer-to-peer driven experience. As such, participation at each weekly session is required. We do not have a minimum rate of participation as such, and of course, life sometimes gets in the way! Some sessions will be recorded for catch-up viewing, however, regular participation is expected.
The emphasis of our program is on peer-to-peer learning. Our time together will also include guest faculty sessions, case studies and group work. Participants can expect an immersive, participatory and peer-to-peer driven experience.
We offer payment plans. Our standard options include both 3-month and 10-month plans. However, we understand that each applicant's circumstances are unique. Therefore, we discuss payment arrangements on a case-by-case basis to ensure they align with your goals. Additionally, we offer scholarships that can be applied for after your application is received. Please reach out to us for more information on payment options and scholarship opportunities.
Our Mastery of Business and Empathy is a non-accredited course and does not result in the award of a qualification recognised with the Australian Qualifications Framework. As such unfortunately HECS/HELP funding is not available. We do offer a monthly payment option.
The MBE program offers a unique peer-to-peer learning experience, focusing on community, culture, storytelling, purpose-led operations and governance, decision-making and strategy, finance, and imagination. It moves away from top-down lectures and traditional accreditations, emphasizing diversity, lived experience, and a vision for a better future.
The MBE program, developed in partnership with global champions, is designed to expand horizons, build meaningful connections, and deepen impact in the world. It reinvents and extends the traditional MBA to build leaders needed for a better world. It is aimed at individuals from business, social enterprise, and civil society who are ready to lead their organizations towards a better world for people and the planet.
The MBE is led by the Small Giants Academy, guided by co-founder and Chair Danny Almagor OAM and the Head of MBE Tamsin Jones. Our program taps into a global network of esteemed guest speakers, featuring influential figures like Lorna Davis, Geoff Manchester, Nora Bateson, Berry Liberman, and more. Supporting this, we have facilitators such as Simon Fieldhouse from Mush Consulting, Gayle Hardie from the Global Leadership Foundation, and Jo Brick from the Royal Australian Air Force
Active participation throughout the program, including attendance at sessions, and completion of reflection exercises and project work, will result in successful graduation from the Mastery of Business and Empathy.
Our time together will include guest speaker sessions, case studies and group work. Participants can expect an immersive, participatory and peer-to-peer driven experience. As such, participation at each weekly session is required. We do not have a minimum rate of participation as such, and of course, life sometimes gets in the way! Some sessions will be recorded for catch-up viewing, however, regular participation is expected.
The emphasis of our program is on peer-to-peer learning. Our time together will also include guest faculty sessions, case studies and group work. Participants can expect an immersive, participatory and peer-to-peer driven experience.
We offer payment plans. Our standard options include both 3-month and 10-month plans. However, we understand that each applicant's circumstances are unique. Therefore, we discuss payment arrangements on a case-by-case basis to ensure they align with your goals. Additionally, we offer scholarships that can be applied for after your application is received. Please reach out to us for more information on payment options and scholarship opportunities.
Our Mastery of Business and Empathy is a non-accredited course and does not result in the award of a qualification recognised with the Australian Qualifications Framework. As such unfortunately HECS/HELP funding is not available. We do offer a monthly payment option.
The MBE program offers a unique peer-to-peer learning experience, focusing on community, culture, storytelling, purpose-led operations and governance, decision-making and strategy, finance, and imagination. It moves away from top-down lectures and traditional accreditations, emphasizing diversity, lived experience, and a vision for a better future.
The MBE program, developed in partnership with global champions, is designed to expand horizons, build meaningful connections, and deepen impact in the world. It reinvents and extends the traditional MBA to build leaders needed for a better world. It is aimed at individuals from business, social enterprise, and civil society who are ready to lead their organizations towards a better world for people and the planet.
If you’re interested in learning more about the MBE, we’d love to speak with you.
Book a call with our team, register for our information evening, or sign up to learn more about the journey of our MBE program.
Accelerating the personal and professional evolution of your top talent builds a resilient and agile organisation that’s ready for the future.
Sponsor your employee to complete a Mastery of Business and Empathy (MBE) and join a fellowship of outstanding leaders re-imagining business for a rapidly changing world.
