By FS Sustainability
The 50 most influential environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) professionals working at ASX-listed companies have been named by trade publication FS Sustainability in the 2024 ESG Power50 guide.
Running for the second year, the ESG Power50 comprises individuals that hail from diverse industries, each wielding significant influence in their respective spheres.
This year’s Power50 entrants are addressing ESG challenges that need urgent attention. Climate change mitigation remains paramount, with emphasis on renewable energy adoption and carbon neutrality targets.
Furthermore, governance reforms are crucial, ensuring transparency, accountability and ethical conduct across industry. Accordingly these elements were essential in determining the ESG Power50.
“As we strive for a brighter future, the pivotal role of individuals who live and breathe sustainability as a profession cannot be overstated. Their passion, innovation, and collective action drive transformative change,” said Michelle Baltazar, executive director of media at FS Sustainability.
“We were blown away by the diversity of skills, experiences and backgrounds. The ESG Power50 members are from a variety of positions across ASX-listed companies, from the big end of town to the small caps.”
Of the 50 individuals in the ESG Power50, four were representatives of mega cap organisations, 13 were from large caps, 17 from mid caps, five from small caps and 11 were from micro caps.
The 50 professionals on this list work at a variety of companies from financials and fast-moving consumer goods to mining, with the common good of protecting the long-term performances of their companies across a vast range of material ESG issues.
“One of the prevailing themes this year is how consumers can be educated about ‘greenwashing’. There is a heightened awareness against false claims and we see a strong commitment among our Power50 entries towards improved reporting of their sustainable practices,” Baltazar said.
“While there’s still a lot of work to be done across all of these aspects, the road to success is made easier thanks to their concerted efforts.”
The 2024 ESG Power50 members (listed alphabetically by surname) are:
| Name | Company | Position |
| Amarjot Bagga | Head of environmental and social impact | Iress |
| Amanda Bartley | Sustainability and ESG lead | Medibank |
| Tomm Ben-David | Head of environmental affairs | National Australia Bank |
| Anna Bennett | EGM strategy, sustainability and innovation | Elders |
| Rosemary Bissett | Head of ESG risk management | National Australia Bank |
| Steve Black | Head of ESG | Insignia Financial |
| Ricky Bridge | Group general manager environment, sustainability and reporting | Downer Group |
| Sue Brown | Executive group director sustainability | Worley |
| Alicia Burgmann | Head of sustainability and ESG | WiseTech Global |
| Michael Chen | Executive director, head of ESG | Westpac Institutional Bank |
| Sarah Clarke | Group general manager, sustainability | Mirvac |
| Yasmina Elshafei | Managing director, global carbon | Commonwealth Bank |
| Lachlan Feggans | Senior director ESG and sustainability regeneration | Brambles |
| Steven Ford | Head of sustainability and energy | GPT |
| Kathryn Franklin | Head of ESG | Qantas |
| Alison George | Head of impact and ethics | Australian Ethical |
| Luke Gleeson | Chief sustainability officer | Bellevue Gold |
| Will Hart | Director, ESG and sustainable investment | E&P Financial Group |
| Amy Hogan | Head of ESG and sustainability | Transurban |
| Jack Holden | GM sustainability | Fonterra |
| Jo Hynes | Manager sustainability | Atlas Arteria |
| Ramana James | Head of sustainability | Dexus |
| Siobhan Leach | Group chief sustainability officer | Ramsay Health Care |
| Hilary Macdonald | General counsel and company secretary | Northern Star Resources |
| Anna Matysek | Head of climate change | Bluescope |
| Kirsty McCartney | Director, debt products – sustainable finance | Westpac Institutional Bank |
| Lee McDougall | Head of group sustainability and climate action | IAG |
| Maria Helena Meinert | Sustainability director | Cochlear |
| Karena Milios | Head of sustainability | Elders |
| Charlotte O’Meara | Senior ESG specialist | Challenger |
| Michael Parks | Director of sustainability | Treasury Wine Estates |
| Dean Parsons | Sustainability manager | CHEP Australia |
| Tom Penny | Head of environment | Telstra |
| Brooke Pettit | Head of ESG and sustainability | Bendigo and Adelaide Bank |
| Richard Pittard | Head of sustainability | Cleanaway Waste Management |
| Blaise Porter | Group director sustainability and corporate responsibility | Sims Limited |
| Kylie Porter | Group head, sustainability | SunRice |
| Troy Powell | Head of sustainability | Orica |
| Kaitlin Priestley | Sustainability manager | Pinnacle Investment Management Group |
| Fiona Reynolds | Chair of ESG board | Qualitas |
| Justine Rowe | Chief sustainability officer | Telstra |
| Michael Tangonan | Legal counsel | AMP |
| Katharine Tapley | Head of sustainable finance | ANZ |
| Roslyn Toms | Group executive legal and chief risk officer | nib Group |
| Siobhan Toohill | Chief sustainability officer | Westpac |
| Mary Ann van Bodegraven | Director sustainability | Macquarie |
| James Vesper | Group head of sustainability | Goodman Group |
| Ben Walker | Head of ESG analytics and advisory | ANZ |
| Heidi Westlake | Group manager sustainability strategy | Origin Energy |
| Clair Wilson | ESG manager | Liontown Resources |
About FS Sustainability:
FS Sustainability reports on the most important Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues impacting Australian companies and investors regarding how they manage and disclose their ESG risks and opportunities.
The publication also explores how Australian institutional asset owners, asset managers and financial advisers are using best-practice ESG principles to mitigate risk and provide sources of long-term investment returns.
Content is delivered through news, thought leadership articles and whitepapers.
FS Sustainability is part of ISS STOXX’s Market Intelligence (ISS MI) business unit.
About ISS Market Intelligence
ISS Market Intelligence (MI) is a leading global provider of data, analytics, insights, media, and events solutions to the global financial services industry.
ISS MI empowers global asset and wealth management firms, insurance companies, distributors, service providers, and technology firms by providing cutting-edge market-engagement platforms and the actionable intelligence necessary to fully assess their target markets, identify and analysze the best opportunities within those markets, and execute on comprehensive go-to-market initiatives to grow their business.
ISS MI clients benefit from our increasingly connected global ecosystem that leverages a combination of proprietary data, powerful software and analytics, timely and relevant insights, in-depth research, as well as an extensive suite of industry leading media brands that deliver unmatched market connectivity through news and editorial content, events, training, ratings, and awards.
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