After graduating in Political Science at the University of Bologna (major in International Politics Analysis and Relationship Management), moved to New York, where he obtained a Master of Arts in International Affairs at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), with a major in International Business and Finance. He then worked as a University Assistant at Columbia University, and Researcher at Institutional Investor, a US corporation. He has held various roles, at a global, regional and national level, in the Marketing Department of large consumer and fashion corporations, such as Barilla, Kraft Foods - Mondelez International and Fossil Group, covering, by the end of his twenty-year corporate experience, the role of CMO - Vice President, Head of Brand & Marketing EMEA for Fossil Group Europe until July 2020. In 2020 he joined a Swiss start-up specialized in blockchain technology, as Global Head of Sales, while working as a Contributor & Author for Il Sole 24 Ore, for which he curates the 'CEO Confidential’ editorial, publishing books on leadership and technology. As of summer of 2022 he is an Advisor to four start-ups, among which Una Terra and a Senior Partner at Jakala. He is an expert in Leadership and High-Tech themes, such as Web 3, Blockchain and AI.

As its founding CEO, Leslie Johnston leads the development and execution of Laudes Foundation’s strategy to deliver on its mission to accelerate the transition to a green, fair and inclusive economy. Leslie currently serves on the boards of Impact Europe (formerly the European Venture Philanthropy Association) as Chair, Fashion for Good BV, the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE), Built by Nature Stichting (as Vice Chair), Climate Resilience for All as well as University College London’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose Advisory Board. Leslie has over 25 years of management experience across business, entrepreneurship, development, and philanthropy. Previously, she headed C&A Foundation as its first Executive Director, repositioning it as a global catalyst to make fashion a force for good. She served as Executive Director of the Argidius Foundation, Deputy Director for TechnoServe in Africa and a management consultant for McKinsey & Company. Leslie lives in Zug, Switzerland with her husband and two teenage sons.