Sonal Patel

Sonal graduated from Cambridge University with an MA in Economics and Management Studies. She started her career as a strategy consultant at Bain & Company, in both the UK and India, and is now the Chief Executive Officer of GMSP charitable Foundation that works to fundamentally improve the rights and lives of vulnerable women and girls with a focus on preventing gender violence.

As a social entrepreneur, Sonal endeavours to take well known but complex social challenges and retell them in powerful ways which challenge convention: bringing acid attack survivors to the catwalk in London fashion week and curating an ethical luxury fashion line to give a voice to Indian artisans.

A British-Indian mother with strong cultural roots, for Sonal the Gita contains a deep spirituality vital to everyday living, and is irrevocably intertwined with it. She has been a disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda for over 20 years, practising yoga and meditation every day. She cites the philosophy of the Gita, as the key to bringing peace and contentment, and dealing with many of the grave issues we face today such as violence, disharmony and mental health.

Sonal lives in London with her husband and her 2 young daughters.