Aurecon Appoints Climate Change Risk & Resilience Leader to Support Growing Practice

Michael’s priorities will focus on building Aurecon’s offering and expertise on climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies and planning, working closely with Aurecon’s Future Energy team, sustainability practitioners and the Environment and Planning advisory team under the broader sustainability and climate change capability.

Previously, Michael led the strategic direction, partnerships and growth of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) – Cities Programme hosted by RMIT University. He has extensive experience in sustainability, climate change, carbon management and resilience for government and private sector.

Aurecon Chief Executive, Australia & New Zealand, Louise Adams, welcomed Michael and said his appointment would be a significant asset to the team.

“Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today and an organisation’s future economic success has direct links to its sustainability and climate change performance,” Louise said.

“Michael’s expertise and experience in this area is hugely varied and will really help us counsel clients to create and adapt businesses that are not only sustainable but also create a healthier future for people and for our planet.”

Aurecon Market Managing Director for Energy, Resources and Water Paul Gleeson, responsible for shaping what sustainability and climate change will mean for Aurecon, said that Michael’s extensive experience would further guide Aurecon’s capabilities in this space.

“Michael’s extensive consulting experience in climate change, carbon management, resilience and sustainable infrastructure and substantial applied experience in risk management, resource recovery, behaviour change and governance will serve us well as we help our clients transform towards a low-carbon economy,” Paul said.

Michael said that Aurecon’s leadership and depth of expertise in transition risk management, scenario analysis, climate change adaptation and resilience planning attracted him to this new challenge.

“There are so many factors which clients need to consider around climate change, whether it’s transitioning assets to a low-carbon economy or mitigating the rising physical impacts of natural hazards,” Michael said.

“In this decade, successful organisations will be defined by their resilience and adjustment to the risks and opportunities of a changing climate. Aurecon is in a unique position, to facilitate multi-sector collaborations for innovative, profitable and high impact solutions.”

For the UNGC Cities Programme, Michael led international engagement and partnerships with several UN and international agencies, global corporate partners and supports over 120 states and local governments globally. He represented the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australian in developing the Australian Standard AS5334 Climate Change Adaptation for Settlements and Infrastructure.

Michael led a Resilient Cities Investment project for the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction focused on San Francisco and developed the UN City Disaster Resilience Scorecard in combination with IBM. He also successfully developed and managed his own environmental consultancy business focused on waste minimisation and energy efficiency.

Michael has global experience working in Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Brazil, Canada, USA, Denmark, France, Spain, Switzerland and UK.