Founder and CEO, Change Please Coffee

Cemal Ezel OBE is the founder of Change Please Coffee, Old Spike Roastery, and Coal Rooms Restaurants—social enterprises dedicated to creating meaningful change through innovative business models. Change Please focuses on tackling homelessness by providing barista training, paying the London Living Wage, and offering housing within 10 days of employment. In 2024, the initiative supported over 1,970 people and has now expanded its impact to eight countries, demonstrating the scalability of the model.

Change Please has earned numerous accolades, including being named one of the "100 Most Disruptive Brands" by Marketing Week, "World’s Most Promising Startup" by Bloomberg, and winning the prestigious "World’s Best Social Enterprise Award." Despite this recognition, the focus remains on driving positive change for individuals and communities.

Alongside Change Please, Cemal founded Serious, a venture aimed at offering sustainable solutions to everyday products. Across all his initiatives, Cemal has been committed to proving that businesses can thrive while addressing critical social and environmental issues.

Cemal is passionate about challenging conventional business models, and his work continues to inspire both within the social enterprise sector and beyond. His efforts remain centered on driving sustainable impact, empowering individuals, and finding innovative ways to address the world’s most pressing challenges.