JOBS NEWS: At last, someone from our patch has risen to the ranks of governor general. But then again, in retrospect, Sam Mostyn was always on a path to greater things. The media keeps calling her a successful businesswoman, but Mostyn is so much more than that. She’s a leader in that refined and steady ethical way that brings Quentin Bryce to mind. She has been on the radar of The Fifth Estate since soon after we started – with prominent roles in climate change advocacy and championing women’s advancement.
Mostyn was sitting just a row in front of The Fifth Estate just a few weeks ago in the Great Hall at the University of Technology Sydney to listen to a brilliant presentation by economist Mariana Mazzucato.
In climate, she’s had roles with the Australia 2020 Summit as chair of the Climate Council.
According to Wikipedia, she has written about bushfires and climate change for the Climate Council. “In a 2021 event on climate leadership prior to Glasgow 2021, Mostyn interviewed Professor Lesley Hughes. She is a board member of Climate Works and won the IGCC Climate awards in 2019. Her Doctor of Laws was awarded for her leadership climate change work.”
Mostyn is also the current chair of the federal government’s Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce with other roles, including as a commissioner for the Australian Football League.
She will replace David Hurley in the GG role on 1 July.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Mostyn was “an exceptional leader who represents the best of modern Australia.”
Cushman & Wakefield has appointed Noral Wild as its chief executive of Australia and New Zealand.
The commercial real estate agency said that the new leadership position was created due to the company’s significant investment in its ANZ business, with the business now managing 20 million square metres of facilities on behalf of its clients.
Wild has more than 28 years of experience in commercial real estate, including leadership positions at JB Were, EY, and at JLL, where she served as the executive director and head of alternatives for 12 years. Wild also continues serving as international director and head of alternatives at Cushman and Wakefield APAC.
GHD has appointed Melbourne-based Jim Giannopoulos as its new global chief executive of the sustainability-focused engineering consultancy, starting 2 April. Giannopoulos served as the CEO of the organisation’s America division, which includes Canada, the USA, and Chile, for four years.
He joined the organisation more than 30 years ago as a graduate chemical engineer and moved through various leadership and project roles throughout Australia, Asia, and America.
Ashley Wright, the organisation’s chief executive since 2016, will move on after ensuring a smooth transition with the new chief.