Xenya Scanlon
Chief of Communications, External Relations & Partnerships | United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)About Speaker
Xenya Scanlon is the Chief of Communications, External Relations and Partnerships at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). She brings 20 years of experience on sustainability issues with major international organisations across Africa, Australia and Europe, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and WWF.
Xenya is a recognised expert in sustainable fashion, a passion she has shared on her erstwhile blog green stilettos, during her TEDx talk “Slow Fashion—Food for Thought?” and through numerous articles and publications, including “Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social & Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands” and “Fashion & Land: Unravelling the Environmental Impacts of Fibres”. She is a member of the 2025 jury for the Sustainable Fashion Awards presented by the Italian National Chamber of Fashion.
A seasoned communicator fluent in five languages, Xenya holds a master’s degree in international relations, an advanced certificate in luxury management, and is a Fellow of Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Programme. She is married and has two children.