Council appoints research publishing innovator CEO

The Biodiversity Council has appointed the co-founder and former Managing Director of The Conversation Media Group as new CEO.

"We are delighted to announce Jack Rejtman’s appointment as CEO,” said Professor Sarah Bekessy from the University of Melbourne, Biodiversity Council Board Chair and Lead Councillor.

"Jack has extensive experience building and scaling organisations and cross-sector partnerships that elevate expert voices and translate evidence into action on nationally important issues. That is exactly what the council needs as we expand our impact as Australia’s trusted independent voice for biodiversity.”

Rejtman has spent the past 18 years translating science into environmental, social and commercial outcomes. After moving to Australia from the United States in 2008, he co-founded and became managing director of The Conversation, helping build it into the world’s leading publisher of research-based journalism. He later held executive and advisory roles spanning The University of Melbourne, Monash University, CSIRO, ASX-listed companies and social enterprises. Most recently, he was CEO of Eratos, an Australian scientific data platform enabling organisations to better measure and manage carbon emissions, climate and environmental risks.

"The science is clear. Business and policy as usual are driving rapid nature declines in Australia,” Rejtman said. “This is increasingly harming our health, economy, climate resilience, culture and national identity.”

"Ocean heatwaves and algal blooms are devastating Australian and global marine ecosystems, with major impacts not just to the environment but also to fisheries, tourism and nearby communities.

"Nature loss is also affecting human health. People living in neighbourhoods with less tree cover and biodiversity are more likely to experience diabetes, heart disease and stroke, while children growing up with less nature have higher rates of allergies, poorer immune function and more mental health challenges.”

"I’m proud to join an organisation that is trusted by governments, widely cited by the media and regularly sought out as a partner by organisations across Australia. The council’s work is clearly making a difference, and now we need to scale that impact.

"Australia leads the world in extinctions – more than 2,000 Australian species are now threatened and many ecosystems are showing signs of collapse. Yet Australian Governments invest far more in supporting nature-damaging industries than in on-ground conservation to halt the loss of our native plants and animals.

"Small actions by millions of Australians can collectively make a meaningful difference for biodiversity. But governments and industry also must boldly act and be accountable."

"As CEO of the Council, I look forward to working closely with leading biodiversity experts, First Peoples, funders, government, industry and other nature conservation groups to scale investment and actions to stop and reverse biodiversity loss.”

Rejtman succeeds James Trezise as CEO. Under James’ leadership – working with a small but extraordinary team and a dedicated group of Councillors, funders and founding partners - the Council delivered tangible wins for nature.

Key initiatives included:

• Mobilising experts to inform responses to South Australia's harmful algal bloom
• Strengthening safeguards for biodiversity in Victoria's renewable energy rollout
• Influencing the rejection of the Redbank biomass proposal in NSW
• Strengthening protections for irreplaceable habitat in national environment law reform
• Helping maintain robust environmental oversight of offshore oil and gas approvals
• Putting billions of dollars in federal subsidies that drive nature loss in the spotlight.

The Council, partnering with the Australian Ethical Foundation, also recently released a groundbreaking report exposing the nature impacts of Australia’s largest 200 companies - an important step toward bringing business biodiversity impacts into investment decision-making.