Jobs news: Real estate advisory Cushman & Wakefield has introduced a slew of new roles, among them its first chief sustainability officer Jessica Francisco.
Francisco joined the company in 2022 as the global head of sustainability for the firm’s occupier services business. Prior to her tenure, she was the head of sustainability at Arcadis US, where her work involved leading its regional sustainability program. She had also led the renewable energy and climate consulting team at 3Degrees as well as the clean energy design team at Pacific Gas & Electric.
The company said the appointment of Francisco will mark a significant step in its journey towards a sustainable and resilient future.
Additionally, the firm had created three new regionally divided leadership roles surrounding its Asia Pacific sustainability services after restructuring. Appointed to these roles are:
- Alton Wong has been appointed head of sustainability advisory, Asia Pacific and is based in Hong Kong
- Ho Chee Kit has been appointed director, Net Zero Carbon Assets, Asia Pacific and is based in Singapore
- Gehan Palipana is appointed head of sustainability program management, Asia Pacific and is based in Brisbane
The Grattan Institute has a new CEO
The Grattan Institute’s new chief executiveAruna Sathanapally wasted no time in connecting with her new stakeholders last week in an email to subscribers.
Most important was establishing her credentials for this influential job.
Her background includes as lawyer for the Australian federal government, a barrister and, more recently, more than five years as a senior executive at the NSW Treasury.
“I was immersed in public policy ranging from macroeconomics to tax, health reform to criminal justice, federal financial relations (yes, GST), energy, water, climate change, and the 2021 NSW Intergenerational Report to boot,” she told the institute’s subscribers.
“I’ve worked for three Treasurers and two governments through three natural disasters in NSW and one global pandemic.”
And she flagged the work she wanted to focus on.
“We are facing challenges on multiple fronts.”
“There are those we have long known were coming, such as the demographic challenges on our public services and workforce, the transition to net-zero emissions, and the physical impacts of climate change. And there are those that have emerged over the past decade: a more fractured global political and economic environment, a crunch on housing that is exacerbating inequality, and the risks of extremism and social discord even in established liberal democracies.”
The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust has appointed Dr Trish McGee as its sustainability and strategy manager. Prior to her new gig, McGee had worked in several sustainability-related roles at the City of Monash, including most recently as a sustainability coordinator for more than seven years.
McGee had also served in climate change and sustainability services at EY and had similar roles at ECO-Buy, Net Balance, JJ Richards & Sons, and the Australian Food and Grocery Council.
Arup has promoted Alex Rosenthal to associate principal after he served more than 19 years as an associate. Rosenthal had worked as an architect and sustainability consultant for the organisation, specialising in designing sustainable buildings and decarbonisation strategies that align with Science Based Targets.
Gruen Eco Design announces closure
Passivhaus architecture firm Gruen Eco Design has closed after 14 years. Co-founder and director Simone Schenkel announced the firm’s closure, attributing the decision to losses during the pandemic, escalating construction costs and rising interest rates, which resulted in a decline in projects.
“For the past 14 years, Gruen Eco Design has not just been my work; it has been my passion, my commitment, and essentially, my life,” wrote Schenkel in a media statement.
“The journey we embarked on together has been nothing short of remarkable, and it’s with immense gratitude that I reflect on the relationships we’ve built, the projects we’ve realised, and the impact we’ve made towards sustainable and eco-friendly design.
“As we close this chapter, please know that this isn’t a goodbye but a heartfelt thank you for being an integral part of our journey.”
Activists fight against Richard Goyder’s re-appointment
CGI Glass Lewis hit the headlines last week as a proxy advisory firm that backed activist shareholder groups Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) and Market Forces – calling for Woodside to take stronger climate action.
The advisers were the first of major proxy firms to release pre-annual recommendations on Woodside and recommended against the re-election of Woodside Chair Richard Goyder and against the company’s Climate Transition Action Plan, which was described by ACCR as “lacking substance”.
In anticipation of Woodside’s annual general meeting on 24 April, ACCR has filed a members’ statement, calling for all shareholders, investors and its members to rethink electing Goyder as its chair. It claimed that under the chairmanship of Goyder, the current board continued to ignore the concerns of major shareholders over its lack of strategy in the global energy transition.
Among other accusations, ACCR said that Woodside was continuing to allocate the majority of capital to new oil and gas projects and has not set up Scope 3 emission targets despite these constituting 92 per cent of its total equity emissions.
The company had continued to push back against the campaign, telling a number of media outlets that Goyder was a “highly capable and effective leader”.