Environmental & Sustainability Award: The 2025 nominees

Professor James Arvanitakis is the Director of the Forrest Research Foundation based at the University of Western Australia and brings together the five Western Australian universities to attract world class research to the state and confront the world’s grand challenges. He is an award-winning educator, cultural researcher, and media commentator with 20-year experience in the higher education sector having also had successful careers in finance and the not-for profit sector. As an educator and researcher, James was the driving force behind several innovative programs at Western Sydney University (WSU) including The Academy which received the Australian Financial Review’s Excellence in Education Award. James is a Fulbright alumnus, having spent 12 months at the University of Wyoming as the Milward L Simpson Fellow. In 2021, he was appointed the inaugural Patron of Diversity Arts Australia in recognition of his commitment to promoting a cultural sector that reflects the rich diversity of Australia. In 2022 he founded Respectful Disagreements, a brave spaces project that promotes the lost art of civility in political disagreement as well as the educational power of discomfort. He sits on several boards including the Perth Festival and the Western Australian Government’s Science and Technology Advisory Council.

Dr. Fanny de Busserolles is a marine biologist and environmental advocate based in Australia. With a PhD from The University of Queensland, she has over 15 years of experience in deep-sea ecology, sensory neurobiology, and visual systems of marine life. Her research has been published in leading journals such as Nature and Science, contributing to our understanding of fish vision in low-light environments. Beyond her scientific work, Dr. de Busserolles is deeply committed to community engagement and environmental education. She co-founded *People For Nature*, a citizen-led charity dedicated to empowering Australians to protect biodiversity and build climate resilience through education, action, and science. In her role as Chief Program Officer at People For Nature, Dr. de Busserolles leads initiatives that make ecological issues accessible and actionable for the public. She develops educational tools and workshops, including collaborations with organizations like La Fresque du Climat, to simplify complex scientific information and inspire positive environmental change. Additionally, Dr. de Busserolles is involved with *Conservation Volunteers Australia*, aligning with their mission to empower all Australians to take simple yet powerful actions for nature. Her work bridges the gap between scientific research and community action, demonstrating how informed and engaged citizens can drive meaningful environmental change.

Pierre Tarik Elias applies his global experience to address climate change through practical, community-focused action.Based in Australia, his work connects innovation with Pacific needs for a global impact. His primary focus is Fairgradeforests.com, a social startup, Papua New Guinea owned for over a decade which he co founded. FGF has global ambition and is part of French Tech Australia. It uses simple open-source technology and is fit for purpose private blockchain to bring clarity and fairness verify community Livelihood, agroforestry and with biodiversity and carbon credits as byproducts. This system verifies the work of local communities, ensuring they receive a transparent and equitable support like farming equipment for protecting biodiversity and storing carbon. Pierre’s journey *from corporate P&G Procter & Gamble to grassroots work in PNG Papua New Guinea* is driven by a belief in putting technology to work for people. Pierre attended COP26 Climate Change conference in Glasgow Scotland in 2021 as part of the official PNG delegation and more recently was selected as part of the seventh batch of the "IMAGINE Oxford Experience" with global climate change actors on the ground.

Professor Christophe Gaudin is a distinguished French-Australian engineer and scientist specializing in offshore geotechnical engineering and marine renewable energy. Since October 2022, he has served as the Director of the Oceans Institute at the University of Western Australia (UWA), leading a multidisciplinary team of over 350 researchers in ocean engineering, marine science, and social and economic studies related to the ocean. With a career spanning two decades, Professor Gaudin has held several leadership roles, including Head of the Oceans Graduate School and Director of Marine Energy Research Australia. His research focuses on supporting and developing marine renewable energy through multidisciplinary approaches, including offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy. A graduate of École Centrale de Nantes, Professor Gaudin's work has significantly contributed to Australia's leadership in offshore renewable energy. He is passionate about addressing the scientific and social challenges currently faced by our oceans and actively engages with industry, local, state, and federal governments to promote sustainable solutions.

Jessica Leau is a dedicated renewable energy professional with six years of experience in the sector, specialising in energy market modelling, solar yield analysis, and lightning studies. She currently works with EY in Australia, where she applies her technical knowledge to driving innovation and sustainability in energy solutions. Her work has spanned complex aspects of the energy market, using data-driven modelling to forecast demand, grid behaviour, and renewable penetration. She analyses solar energy output to improve system design and performance, and undertakes lightning studies to ensure infrastructure resilience and safety. These contributions help make renewable energy deployments more efficient, reliable, and suited to Australia’s varied environment. Jessica is also an active voice in Australia’s STEM community. She has shared her insights publicly, speaking on panels about the role of women in clean energy and the need for sustainable practices in technology and infrastructure.([STEM Sisters][2]) Her expertise and leadership offer an example of how technical excellence and sustainability can go hand in hand. Through her work, Jessica Leau contributes significantly to Australia’s transition toward cleaner energy. By integrating technical modelling, renewable systems design, and resilient infrastructure analysis, she helps shape a more sustainable energy future. Her ongoing efforts are helping to bring about tangible progress in renewable energy adoption and innovation.

Kim is of French and Mexican heritage, and more recently also Australian. She is an internationally published marine scientist, founder of Educational Marine Areas (EMA) Australia, and a registered teacher with experience across university, high school, and primary education. Her scientific career has taken her across Australia, the Caribbean, the Indo-Pacific, and the Persian Gulf, where she got a global perspective on the interconnected challenges facing our oceans and contributed to pioneering research in marine microbial ecology. Kim completed her PhD at James Cook University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, before holding postdoctoral fellowships at IFREMER in France, the University of Hawai‘i, Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates, and the University of New South Wales. More recently, Kim transitioned into education through a Master’s in Teaching at the University of Western Australia. She chose to specialise in Mathematics and embraced a Two-Way Science framework that values both Western scientific traditions and Indigenous knowledge systems. This commitment to interdisciplinary and intercultural learning inspired her to initiate the Educational Marine Areas program in Australia which originally developed in French Polynesia and continues to expand in France and Europe. Above all, Kim is a passionate educator deeply committed to advancing both Ocean Literacy—Waatu Kaatajin (Wadandi for “Ocean Knowledge”)—and mathematical thinking. She believes one of the most powerful actions we can take today is to inspire the next generation to connect with, understand, and care for our oceans. Through EMA, young people take on the responsibility of caring for their coasts while fostering both local and international collaboration. As the initiative grows, it brings together scientists, stakeholders, teachers, Traditional Custodians, and students, while also building strong connections between schools in France and Australia. The program serves as a reminder to children—and to us all—that no matter where we live, we share one ocean, and with it a collective responsibility to protect and cherish it for generations to come. In recognition of its origins in the South West of Australia, the program has been gifted the Wadandi name Wongi Gulyarra Waaty—“We Talk Oceans Together.” Since its launch in 2023, EMA Australia has engaged 354 students across four schools in Western Australia and three schools in Réunion Island and France. Looking forward, the program aims to expand to more schools, strengthen Two-Way Science partnerships, and spark ocean conversations that unite communities across the globe.

Francoise joined Endeavour Energy as its first female Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2020 and plays a pivotal role in transforming the company’s financial operations, regulatory protocols and culture as it evolves from a traditional ‘poles and wires’ electricity distribution network to a modern grid. Endeavour Energy powers 2.6 million people living and working in Australia’s fastest growing region, Sydney’s Greater West, as well as the Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, Illawarra and the South Coast of NSW. Francoise has been instrumental in driving a focus on sustainable outcomes based on energy generation - with Endeavour Energy recently becoming the first electricity distributor in Australia to introduce a sustainability-linked loan tied to sustainability performance targets on greenhouse gas emissions reduction, landfill waste diversion, net habitat gain, and mental health and wellbeing training participation. Françoise drives success through emphasising the strategic partnership model, automation, and adoption of new technologies. She is also passionate about increasing Diversity & Inclusion and driving the organisational rewards associated with it. As a seasoned CFO and executive with over 20 years’ experience in the engineering, infrastructure and defence sectors, Francoise is a highly regarded speaker, often sought after for keynote presentations and panel discussions; having most recently presented at major conferences including the AFR CFO Live Summit, CFO Forum, Adapt CFO Edge, Business Sydney’s Sustainability forum etc with topics including: “Sustainability is the new Black”. Prior to joining Endeavour Energy, Françoise held executive and senior management roles at Transfield Services Group, Australia Defence Industries, Thales and Aurecon.

David is an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Australia, within the Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure and Resource Management (SIRM). As co-founder of the World Sufficiency Lab (WSL), Paris, and with expensive experience in government, the UN, and the NFP sector, he is committed to introducing the sufficiency concept within Australia and the Indo-Pacific Region. In essence, sufficiency is about living well with ‘enough’. As defined by the IPCC (2022), ‘sufficiency measures and practices seek to avoid demand for energy, materials and other natural resources, while enabling well-being for all within planetary limits.’ France is successfully pursuing ‘sufficiency first’ approaches in tackling climate change, after becoming the first country to enshrine energy sufficiency in law in 2015. With AFRAN support, David co-organised the First International Sufficiency Summit (hybrid) in 2023, connecting an Adelaide audience with another at Sciences Po Paris and speakers from around the globe, and covering topics such as sufficiency in human settlements, clothing and food. This led to an AFRAN Sufficiency and Sustainable Management of Resources community, the launch of the WSL in 2024, and more recently to a 2025 AFRAN Workshop on Sufficiency and Adaptive Reuse involving leaders from the building and planning sector. David sees sufficiency as a critical element missing from Climate Policy in Australia, able to cut emissions by over 17%. With a passion for social justice and rebalancing resource consumption between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’, he strongly supports the ‘Zero Carbon for All’ tool recently launched by the WSL. This delivers country- specific timelines and trajectories based on a ‘fair-share’ principle.

Jenni Philippe is an Associate at Aurecon, a multinational engineering, design, and consulting company, where she leads initiatives to advance circular economy principles across Australia. Her role focuses on developing circular economy strategies and policies for both government and private sectors, ensuring sustainable infrastructure, design, and business practices. She emphasizes collaboration, leveraging her expertise in strategy, stakeholder engagement, and science to deliver solutions that create meaningful environmental and social impact. In addition to her work at Aurecon, Jenni serves as Co-Chair for the Infrastructure & Precincts Taskforce at Circular Australia, helping to shape national agendas and integrate circular principles into everyday practice. She guides cross-sector dialogue, fosters innovation, and ensures infrastructure projects support a regenerative economy. Her leadership reflects a commitment to excellence, delivering results that benefit clients while contributing to a healthier planet. Jenni’s expertise spans corporate strategy, decarbonisation and circular economy planning, ESG frameworks, stakeholder engagement, organisational change, and program management. She has applied her skills across multiple sectors, including the built environment, government, financial services, telecommunications, infrastructure, and education. Beyond her professional work, Jenni is an Ambassador for People For Nature, a citizen-led charity advocating biodiversity, climate action, and circular economy education. In this role, she runs workshops, supports community initiatives, and helps grow a movement of environmentally conscious citizens. With a career that combines technical expertise, strategic vision, and environmental advocacy, Jenni Philippe continues to influence sustainable practices in Australia, demonstrating how circular economy leadership can drive innovation, resilience, and positive change across industries.

Jean François Roiron is first and foremost a father, and it was from this role that the inspiration for Koor was born. Like many parents, he wanted to provide his children with healthy snacks that were convenient and easy to pack for school and outings. While yoghurt pouches seemed like the perfect solution—popular, mess-free, and practical—he became increasingly concerned by the reality that they were industrial, expensive, and impossible to recycle. More importantly, he realised they were teaching the next generation that throwing things away was normal. Determined to challenge this pattern, he set out to create a more sustainable alternative. This vision became Koor, a refillable bottle designed to replace single-use pouches. Simple, durable, and reusable, Koor can be filled with yoghurt, fruit purées, honey, sauces, or even non-food products such as toothpaste, sunscreen, glue, or paints. The innovation makes sustainability practical in everyday life while also helping families save money—up to $470 per child each year. Starting from scratch, Jean François bootstrapped the project, teaching himself 3D design on YouTube and producing prototypes with a home 3D printer. From these humble beginnings, Koor has grown into an internationally recognised innovation. Today, Koor is protected by two patents, has received four international awards, and was supported by a Queensland Government grant. Jean François has built collaborations with FaBA and CSIRO and is now engaging with industry leaders to help them shift towards refillable packaging options. Beyond sustainability, Koor has also found a role in accessibility: occupational therapists and families have discovered that it supports people with motor disabilities, swallowing difficulties, or sensory disorders. One quadriplegic woman shared how Koor transformed her daily life, allowing her to enjoy yoghurt independently and without mess. Looking ahead, Jean François is working on deploying refill stations in shops, creating a closed loop that reduces waste, supports local products, and promotes reuse over disposal. What began as one father’s solution to a small problem at home has grown into a movement to make reuse the new norm. Koor's design combines functionality with sustainability, featuring a syringe-like mechanism for easy refilling and cleaning. Made from durable, food-grade materials, the container is both cost-effective and eco-friendly, promoting a circular economy by reducing plastic waste. Jean-François's commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship has earned him recognition in the Australian packaging industry. His work exemplifies the fusion of French ingenuity and Australian entrepreneurial spirit, contributing to a more sustainable future.

Patrick Sieb (Climate Tech Partners, NSW) is a dedicated Climate Tech investor, specialising in early-stage investments that drive innovative solutions to combat climate change. With a deep passion for sustainability and a forward-thinking approach, Patrick is committed to supporting groundbreaking technologies that address the most pressing environmental challenges. His expertise lies in identifying and nurturing startups with the potential to make a significant impact on the future of our planet, fostering innovation that paves the way for a more sustainable world. Through his work, Patrick is playing a pivotal role in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy and creating a lasting, positive environmental legacy.