HESTA CEO Debby Blakey will take on the role starting next month alongside trustee director of CareSuper, Michelle Gardiner, who has been named deputy president.
Ms Blakey and Ms Gardiner, who are both already ACSI directors, will replace outgoing AustralianSuper CEO Ian Silk as president and Antony Thow as deputy president.
“Ian’s leadership has been instrumental in elevating the focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and good governance. I thank him for his guidance and support of ACSI and his huge contribution to the superannuation sector more broadly,” ACSI CEO Louise Davidson said.
“We are delighted to have Debby Blakey and Michelle Gardiner take on these important roles for ACSI. Both have demonstrated a strong commitment to our work in seeking to improve the ESG performance of listed companies.”
Ms Blakey said she is “excited” to take on the new role.
“Managing ESG issues helps protect the retirement savings of superfund members into the future. Investors and companies must work together to tackle significant long-term investment risks, including climate change, corporate governance and gender diversity,” she said.
Mr Silk also welcomed the new appointments, saying, “Debby and Michelle are strong advocates of the importance of focusing on ESG issues”.
“They will be excellent in their roles, working with the ACSI team on delivering outcomes in the best financial interests of millions of super fund members,” he said.
