Ian will oversee our work in four physical systems – cities, energy, industry and food, land and oceans – and three enabling systems of sustainable economies, finance and corporates.

Part of the executive leadership group at Climateworks, the role of Head of Portfolio Management was created to support our system change approach. We are now working across four physical systems of the economy that produce emissions and three systems that enable emissions reduction. Systems are full of complexity and need to be examined as a ‘whole picture’ in order to drive large-scale change. This role will lead our system teams as they identify which interventions will have the greatest impact and then create and deliver initiatives to support this change.

Of the new role, Ian says: ‘this is an opportunity for me to join an inspiring organisation, within a top 100 University, with a clear focus on achieving net zero emissions and an understanding of the work that is needed to get us there. It is also a return to the field of work, and the generational challenge, that has constituted so much of my career to date.’

Ian has a long history in sustainability working across public, private and non-for-profit sectors. Most recently, he worked with the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) managing the Bushfires Inquiries Taskforce. Prior to that, Ian spent over five years as Chief of Staff to the Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change; Minister for Suburban Development and Minister for Solar Homes. Ian’s prior roles include CEO of the Alternative Technology Association (now Renew), senior consultant at the Nous Group and Executive Director of Sustainability Policy at the then Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (now DELWP), and Manager of Greenhouse Policy at the then Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment (now DELWP). Ian initially trained as a theoretical nuclear chemist and holds a BSc (Hons) from the University of Melbourne. 

Ian is also passionate about young people in music and the arts, and is board member of The Push, a charity supporting youth in music.

Ian is taking the reins from Janna de Groot, who took on the newly created position in 2020. Janna has created much of the internal infrastructure and systems needed for our new structure, and is moving to a part time adviser position with a particular focus on supporting our food, land and oceans system.

Find out more about our new leadership and structure, scaling up our approach to make net zero a reality for Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.