Ella Robertson McKay is the Managing Director of One Young World, a globally renowned organization that brings together young leaders to address critical global issues, often referred to as the “Junior Davos.” Since joining in 2011, Ella has held multiple leadership roles within the organization, helping it become a world leader in inclusivity and environmental sustainability.
Ella brings strategic and creative expertise to her role, overseeing community engagement for One Young World’s network of over 18,500 alumni in 190+ countries. She is also a skilled fundraiser, experienced in building partnerships across corporate, governmental, and philanthropic sectors.
Ella co-authored How to Make a Difference, a guide to effective activism featuring insights from leaders such as Sir Bob Geldof, Emma Watson, and Matt Damon. She serves on advisory boards for Unloc and Daughters for Earth and is a school governor for Ark Atwood Primary School in London.
Ella is also a member of the Magnitsky Awards Committee, recognising brave journalists, politicians, and activists in the field of human rights. As a TEDx speaker, she has shared insights on the complexities between mass activist movements and policy environments. Recognized as one of The Telegraph’s “35 Women Under 35,” Ella is a regular speaker at conferences, with appearances in The Times, Fortune, and The Telegraph.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
If I’m not traveling, my day starts at 8:30 with coffee and a catch-up with my mum, Kate Robertson, who’s also CEO of One Young World. We like to sync up before diving into the day. My schedule is usually filled with meetings (often fueled by almond croissants). Some of my team are fans of walking meetings, so we’ll stroll around Covent Garden or Trafalgar Square—one perk of being based in the West End.
Every day, I connect with Ambassadors from the One Young World community, whether through a formal call or a quick exchange on social media. It’s inspiring to hear their stories and see their impact firsthand—hardly a day goes by without a conversation that wows me how global and dynamic our community truly is.
I aim for “inbox zero” every day, which sometimes means late-night emails, but it keeps mornings smoother. I digitise errands like ordering thank-you gifts or supplies, and I keep everything—work and social—on one calendar for simplicity.
I do a fair amount of volunteering, so I might head to a Board meeting or a governors’ meeting at a local primary school, ARK Atwood after hours – one of my biggest highlights of 2024 was our school’s Outstanding status with Ofsted being renewed. I usually swing by one or two work events a week, either in the City or in Westminster and I love sharing our mission with others; even though One Young World is more established now I still get a kick when people are familiar with our work. Evenings at home are very relaxed, with a Gousto meal, some TV, and maybe a Lego set.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I think creating buy-in is the key – and infectious energy is the first step to bringing people on board. A successful entrepreneur told me very early in my career that execution beats ideas every time and I try to live by that – I’m a bit of an idea machine so finding the best people who will execute brilliantly and getting their support is key.
What’s one trend that excites you?
AI – so many tedious tasks are being done better and better by AI.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Being paper-free (almost). I would rather review text on a screen so I love not having to find sheets and documents – it’s also sustainable so doubly virtuous I suppose! If I weren’t paper-free I would constantly be saying “where is that piece of paper I had in my hand the other day?” like Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Learn Mandarin.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
Sometimes “sucking it up” is a better way to live than spilling all of your emotions and letting them control you.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Support independent bookshops!
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Allow myself a guilt-free break to watch TV or read, knowing that my brain will be more effective for it once the break is done.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Focusing on impact above all else – when prioritising feels challenging we always come back to impact and go from there, it keeps us true to our values but ensures we are delivering what matters.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
We’re lucky to work with many high-profile people who come to One Young World to support young leaders. However, when there’s been negative publicity around a VIP, it’s tough to manage—and even tougher for the team when it leads to trolling. It’s taught us a lot about resilience and handling public scrutiny, and we’ve become better at preparing staff and protecting our mission from distractions.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Much of the technology in the events industry is clunky and inflexible – anyone who can bring true innovation has endless opportunities.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
We love Slack at One Young World, it brings our team closer which fosters creativity and collaboration.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Theatre tickets – both Giant at the Royal Court (starring John Lithgow as Roald Dahl) and Operation Mincemeat were spectacular.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I love True Crime – I think the work Liz Hull and Caroline Cheetham have done on court reporting is absolutely outstanding. I balance that out with The Rest is Entertainment which is one of the few podcasts that imparts expertise without sneering at listeners who might disagree.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I was so happy to see Jilly Cooper finally get a worthy adaptation – Rivals was absolutely top notch.
Key learnings
- Focus on impact: Staying true to the mission is essential when setting priorities, especially when things get busy or complex.
- Resilience matters: Working with high-profile figures can mean dealing with public scrutiny, so supporting the team and staying prepared helps keep everyone focused and positive.
- Bringing ideas to life requires buy-in: Enthusiasm and clarity get people on board, but real success depends on the team’s commitment to making things happen.
- Let tech do the heavy lifting: Using AI and streamlined tools means spending less time on admin and more time on work that has a real impact.
- Work-life harmony beats work-life balance: It’s about having space for both high-energy work moments and genuine downtime, creating a rhythm that works.