A dynamic, purpose-driven CEO, Martin brings over 20 years of successful leadership experience across various sectors, including technology, media, food, events, the arts, and education.

Martin started his career in the arts working at independent music companies and began his work in leadership at EMI where he developed music talent. Following a move to Apple, he helped launch iTunes Europe from a start-up and ran iTunes’ Pan European business before heading up Disney’s EMEA regional arm managing several major brands and music talent. As an entrepreneur he launched sustainable food company Ceviche and Andina before co-founding a circular economy consultancy. Additionally, through various leadership supportive roles, Martin has steered charities and social enterprises for the last 20 years including children’s education charity Amantani, and more recently Big Issue Invest and Recovery Focus.

Martin is a best-selling author, a seasoned speaker, and has won various awards in leadership,

entrepreneurship, technology, and food sustainability including Sunday Times Food Book of the Year, Evening Standard’s Leaderships Progress 1000, a GQ Innovator of the Year Award, and the SRA’s Sustainability Best of the Year Award. He currently serves on the boards of social finance organisation Big Issue Invest, grant giving charity Global Radio’s Make Some Noise, and sustainability benchmarking organisation Future Fit Foundation.

Basil Demeroutis, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Institute of Imagination said: “We are thrilled to have Martin join the iOi and lead the organisation at this most critical moment. The Covid pandemic has highlighted the essential need for charities like the iOi, while at the same time stressing that charities must be creative, entrepreneurial, and above all, impactful. Martin has led multiple organisations across business and the third sector, at times through transformation and in challenging environments and changing industries, scaling them successfully.”

Martin Allen Morales commented:

“The way we live tomorrow will be shaped by the future change-makers being formed today. These will address the world’s more challenging problems with new skills, creativity, innovation, and enterprise. If we can nurture the imagination of our children with the right places, projects, programmes, and platforms, then this will be a tremendous boost for society and our natural world. I’d like to help achieve that and I can’t think of a better place to do that in than at the iOi. In the last few years, the iOi has become the thought leader in this space with a unique approach to embedding ourselves quickly in a community, reaching to those who need us most, and delivering an innovative approach fusing digital and physical programmes and products”.

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