This address was originally broadcast on the 14th of October, 2021.
As Founder and Chairman, Dr Andrew Forrest has led Fortescue Metals Group (Fortescue) from inception to a US$60 billion listed natural resources company that’s invested US$40+ billion developing some of the world’s most efficient infrastructure. In 2021, Fortescue announced its commitment to become zero-emissions by 2030, and created Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), a developer, financier, and operator of a global portfolio of renewable energy resources to produce green energy at a scale equal to the oil and gas super-majors.
In 2001, Andrew co-founded Minderoo Foundation with his wife Nicola, and to date they’ve donated more than US$1.6 billion supporting 300+ initiatives addressing modern slavery, ocean health, cancer, indigenous disparity, childhood development, artificial intelligence, disaster resilience, and plastic waste.
Dr Forrest’s commercial business, Tattarang, is backing new renewable green energy projects including WindLab wind power and SunCable solar power, and expanding sustainable and carbon-neutral practices within agri-food business Harvest Road.
Dr Forrest has a PhD in Marine Ecology from the University of Western Australia, and serves as an IUCN Patron of Nature, a World Economic Forum Friend of Ocean Action, and a member of the United Nations Environment Program’s Scientific Advisory Committee on the Assessment on Marine Litter and Microplastics.
Dr. Forrest is Co-Chair of the Australia-China Senior Business Leaders’ Forum, Global Patron of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, and served as a Councillor of the Global Citizen Commission charged by the United Nations in 2016 to modernise the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In 2017, Dr Forrest was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to philanthropy, mining, employment, and sustainable foreign investment.
