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Ilana Wetzler

Living Fields

Spaces to reconnect, remember, and resource.

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Living Fields

Spaces to connect, remember and resource - for individuals, groups and organisations.

For almost two decades I've been lucky enough to work alongside incredible leaders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, educators, and system designers around the world - those imagining and pioneering more beautiful pathways forward.

Hosting & Facilitation
Global summits, retreats and gatherings
Speaking & Keynotes
Talks and keynotes for conferences and gatherings
Consulting & Design
Leadership journeys, learning experiences and programmes
Mentoring & Coaching
1-1 with leaders, entrepreneurs, and those guiding others

Watching Ilana is watching a master artist at work - I have experienced flow in the most beautiful and amazing way, where I am completely me and completely connected.

Karen Goldberg · Reos Partners, Cape Town

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. - Alan Watts
About

Coming Home.

I've always been fascinated by what makes people come alive.

Born in England, growing up in South Africa, then working all over the world, I've had a deep longing for home most of my life. Not having a geographical identity meant that I have felt a strange freedom of belonging both everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Roots were not something that came naturally to me, wings were much easier.

I remember giving away chocolates when I was younger and getting a kind of high from seeing people light up. That feeling inspired my first project, Serotonin Productions - built entirely around the idea of raising people's spirits through comedy, satire, music and events.

Then I heard about near-death experiences where people would somehow wake up to who they really were and what they really wanted to do. I started wondering if we could get to that insight without the NDE. That question and fascination took me on the most extraordinary adventure.

I got to travel the world for the next 18+ years, creating and guiding experiences across Europe, China, India, South Africa and America - inspired by this question and making visible the deeper connection that lives within and between us. This was the closest thing to real magic I had ever experienced.

At some point, with all wings and no roots, I burnt out. This turned out to be an invitation for a much deeper journey inwards. And so a new chapter started - a long and profound journey back home to myself. I had to explore much further inward than I had outward, and it felt both far more treacherous and beautiful than I could have imagined.

I now work alongside pioneers of our time - deepening and expanding internally, so as to explore and navigate externally. Whether through hosting, coaching, guiding or consulting - all of my work involves playing together in and with the living field.

Ilana Wetzler at European Forum Alpbach

© Ioana Cirlig · European Forum Alpbach

Some previous clients, partners & collaborators
Unilever
BMW Foundation
European Forum Alpbach
Ashoka
Better Way Foundation
Skoll Foundation
Re:source
Summit Junto
Climate Farmers
Raffles Institution
University of Oxford
Erasmus+
Generation Pledge
Create Meaning
Power of Youth
Leaders Quest
IkamvaYouth
Sagana
Lila Poonawalla Foundation
Flowstate
Colorifix
29k
Dance4Life
TSiBA University
enke
BARA
Light
18+Years
20+Countries
1,000+Programmes
i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) - ee cummings
Working Together

A Living Practice.

My work continues to evolve and surprise me, taking on new and unexpected forms.

What it's looked like more recently is hosting global summits that bring people together from across sectors and systems, creating living labs, consulting with pioneering organisations, guiding experiential journeys for those guiding others, and 1-1 coaching for those in entrepreneurial leadership roles.

Whether through hosting, coaching, guiding, or consulting - all of my work involves playing with and encouraging the creative capacities seeded within each of us.

Hosting & Facilitation

Summits, retreats, gatherings, labs and learning journeys across sectors, cultures and contexts — with clients including Summit Junto, European Forum Alpbach, Skoll Foundation and Ashoka.

Keynotes — Living Sessions

Full-colour experiential talks on coming alive — for ourselves, our work. Available for conferences, summits and organisational gatherings.

Consulting & Design

Co-creative design of learning experiences, leadership journeys and transformational programmes, shaped around the people in the room and what wants to emerge.

Coaching & Mentoring

1-1 work with leaders, pioneers and those who guide others — weaving ancient wisdom, human development and creative practice to reconnect to inner alignment, intuition and guidance.

"I am bedazzled by her approach. She is able to engage with all of us, reaching into the depth of our core."

Khanita · TSiBA University, Cape Town

Programmes run

Spaces and places.
And, of course, Zoom.

Portfolio

A non-linear route.

Along with 1-1 leadership coaching and regenerative consulting, my work has taken many forms - programmes, summits, events, gatherings, retreats, experiments, projects, experiences, designing, interviewing, writing. I've been following a creative impulse for over 20 years.

Below are some examples. It doesn't reflect the courses I've been lucky enough to attend, the work that couldn't get completed, the personal heartbreaks, the once-offs, the burn-outs, the global shifts, the moves, the losses, the lessons - but it is a start, which seems quite fitting.

2020 – 2026

Regeneration · Education · Climate · Joy · Philanthropy · Entrepreneurship · Leadership · Systems Sensing
Global
Spaces and gatherings for pioneers exploring living questions — Living Democracy, Living Joy, and more.
Europe
Spaces and gatherings for those stewarding regeneration across Europe's agrifood system — Spain, Italy, Germany and online.
Online
Facilitator Mentoring
Mentoring facilitators and teams in the design, development and delivery of transformational circles, retreats, gatherings and programmes.
Online
Open Sessions
Various gatherings including "Listening Beyond Words" — bringing together leaders from across systems to reflect and practice together.
Berlin
Responsible Leaders Network
Hosted the annual Network Drivers Meeting for the BMW Foundation ecosystem in Berlin.
Austria · 2021–
Climate Leaders Lab, Climate Opportunity Leaders Labs, Beyond Siloes, Regenerative Ag panel, Leadership Circles, Bold Approaches to Systemic Funding retreat, and more.
Germany
Led the Responsible Leaders' Retreat for Climate Tech leaders and industry experts — experiential multi-day gathering on connection, collaboration and climate tech innovation.
Singapore
Co-led a Systems Change Design Studio immersion on the Future of Education and the Future of Teaching.
Spain
Guided a Learning and Development Journey online with in-person team retreats in Mallorca.
Iceland / London
Sarsen · Light
Hosted an immersive journey in Iceland for 60+ young people on Inner Work for Outer Impact, in partnership with Leaders Quest.
UK / Global
Family Businesses & Inheritors
Working across generations with inheritors and their leadership and impact journeys.
Berlin
BMW Foundation
Strategic Planning workshop with Collective Intelligence team — strategy sessions in early 2024.
London
Unilever
Two-day sustainability workshop bridging Global Sustainability and Procurement Sustainability teams using Appreciative Inquiry.
UK / Global
Designed and hosted the first in-person retreat and gathering for Generation Pledge's global community.
Italy / Austria
Hosted Ashoka's Global Gathering in Rome for 200 people and two European Forums in Rome and Vienna.
The Netherlands
BARA
Facilitated the founding gathering for a new alliance of regenerative agriculture businesses.
Online / Global
Radicle
Co-developed provocations and a systems map with Dark Matter Labs for the RewirEd future of education conference.
Berlin · 2016–
Partner in design, strategy and consulting — hosting events, workshops and retreats including the launch of the Cocreation.loft in Berlin, with Ekskaret Foundation and 29k.
US / Global · 2020–2021
Lead facilitator launching and guiding Summit Junto's inaugural year with its initial 300+ members.
Online
The Well-Being Project
Online community events for the global ecosystem during the pandemic.

Before 2020

Social Innovation · Peace · Youth · Leadership · Education
Berlin · 2017
Ashoka AmEx Leadership Bootcamp
Led intensive leadership development program for emerging social innovators from Ashoka's global network.
Scotland · 2015
Created an experiential leadership curriculum for the International Summer School for young leaders, inspired by the Foundation for Transformational Leadership.
Edinburgh · 2015
Metta Network
Co-launched community for changemakers building a better world through business, as an extension of Power of Youth.
Edinburgh / Global · 2011–2016
Power of Youth
Director & Lead Facilitator. Global Summits in Scotland, England, Cape Town, Beijing, Delhi, Berlin and Bangalore — building an ecosystem of purpose-driven entrepreneurs.
UK · 2011–2016
Lead Facilitator for Erasmus+ programmes: Social Entrepreneurship, Peace and Change, Dance4Life Youth Council, Peace Education and Non-Violent Action.
Oxford · 2013–2015
Co-hosted multiple annual community summits for Skoll Scholars at the University of Oxford's social impact centre.
Pune · 2011
Lila Poonawalla Foundation
Leadership training for leading women from the foundation, which provides scholarships to academically outstanding girls from economically weaker backgrounds.
South Africa · 2011
IkamvaYouth
Strategic planning and leadership retreat for South African youth development organisation — enabling disadvantaged youth through peer-to-peer tutoring and mentoring.
Johannesburg · 2010–2012
Facilitator Training & Content Advisor for youth development organisation empowering young South Africans through leadership development and social action.
South Africa · 2009–2012
Lucca SA
CEO & Course Director. Programmes included Leadership Foundations, Living Leadership, Leadership in Action, Catalyst, Dance4Life Mentor Training, and Coaches Training.
Global · 2007–2012
Lucca Leadership
Course Director, Senior Coach — transformational leadership programmes in Macedonia, Italy, The Netherlands, UK, Ireland for young people bringing about positive change.
South Africa · 2005–2010
The Serotonin Project
Founder. Raising people's spirits through comedy, music and fundraising. Created shows Like Honey Like Fire and Cape Town Rocks, and directed the Fleur du Cap-winning satire Eurafrica.
Our task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within ourselves that we have built against it. - Rumi

Some testimonials

Ilana's expertise is so deep that it appears effortless, magical. She can bring a group of people together — strangers, colleagues, competitors — and through her facilitation they will leave having connected at a deep human level.

Pip · Climatics, NZ

I have met no-one since who can as effectively unlock the potential within a group of people. Her mix of deep intuition and experience mixed with her boundless creativity and energy create the perfect conditions for transformational experiences. Ilana is quite simply the best facilitator I have ever worked with.

Adam · Dark Matter Labs & Co-founder Power of Youth

Ilana is a masterful facilitator, trainer and speaker. I have never seen anything quite like it. Her ability to hold space, go deep, challenge and also be playful changed my life 360 degrees. Hands down my favourite, most powerful, most life-changing course I have done.

Katie · Facilitator and Coach, Spain

Ilana Wetzler is unique in the field of leadership development. Her playful manner and shy smile belie her ability to captivate her audience completely, creating a space where trust is absolute and strong and rewarding bonds are forged.

Evelyn · CEO ScotEdge, Scotland

She's the person with the biggest influence on my life until now, my biggest inspiration without any doubt.

Ana Patricia · Portugal

Ilana has a very rare ability to bring people together in a way that they open up and share the most important and honest parts of themselves. The Ilana effect continues to ripple round the world.

Neil · CEO Umega Lettings, Scotland
More testimonials Show ↓

Over the past two decades I have been a part of countless groups and facilitators. It is difficult to overstate how special Ilana is. She is the best facilitator I have ever experienced.

Sid · Generation Pledge

Watching Ilana was watching a master artist at work. I have experienced flow in the most beautiful and amazing way — where I am completely me and completely connected.

Karen · Reos Partners, Cape Town

It has impacted every aspect of my life, personally and professionally. The most amazing facilitator I have ever come across. Best of the best! I was in awe, mind-blowing stuff. A rare gem. A gift from God.

Michael · Developmental Practitioner, South Africa

I am bedazzled by her approach. She is able to engage with all of us, reaching into the depth of our core.

Khanita · TSiBA University, Cape Town

Ilana is a magician. You know when you witness something absolutely amazing that nobody else sees — like a unicorn? Well, that's how I feel the world is going to feel after my experience.

Isabel · IkamvaYouth, South Africa

The way Ilana facilitated these 2.5 days has been absolutely fascinating and incredibly inspiring. It's a true gift to bring 20 persons from completely different backgrounds together and create a connection that I don't think many of us have experienced in so short a time.

American Express Emerging Innovators · Berlin

Incredible. The best facilitator I've witnessed. She was exceptional in leading our group and in creating space for deeply personal introductions.

Summit Junto Member · US

It is only with the absence of Ilana that you realise the impact of her presence. Just as a professional musician makes their instrument look so easy — so it is that you only realise how difficult it is when you try it for yourself.

Alex · Co-founder Power of Youth, Scotland

My favourite facilitator in the whole world.

Mark · Impact Investor, Austin

This experience changed the way I think about myself and the world around me for the better. The impact is, excuse the cliché, life-changing.

Andrew · Entrepreneur, South Africa

It has reconfirmed and strengthened my belief in humanity. I feel more like a human being now than I did before, and more connected to the world, to myself and mankind as a collective.

Christopher · Serial Entrepreneur, San Francisco

Magically facilitated. An amazing job facilitating the toughest group of people you can potentially get together.

Tim · Serial Entrepreneur, The Netherlands
Stop everything. Place both hands over your heart. Say "I am here in this body. I am home." Repeat. - Sarah Blondin
Coaching & Mentoring

An invitation.

Remembering who and what you already are.

1-1 work with leaders, pioneers and those who guide others — weaving ancient wisdom, human development and creative practice to create the conditions to hear oneself, to reconnect to inner alignment, intuition and guidance.

Get in Touch
Get in touch

For speaking, hosting
& collaborations.