Beyond CW 2025: Australian Closing Forum
Join us for Beyond CW 2025: Australian Closing Forum, an evening of reflection and forward-looking dialogue as we close out Climate Week NYC. This special event will spotlight Australian perspectives on climate leadership, innovation, and action on the global stage.
Our panel will feature:
Anna Marsden – Managing Director, Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Anna Marsden is the Managing Director of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, leading the organisation’s work to protect and restore the world’s most iconic reef for future generations. With a strong background in corporate leadership and not-for-profit management, Anna brings a dynamic and strategic approach to conservation.
Since joining the Foundation in 2016, Anna has overseen significant growth in the scale and impact of its work, including managing major partnerships with government, science, business, and community stakeholders. Under her leadership, the Foundation was appointed to deliver the largest ever non-government investment in reef protection through the Reef Trust Partnership with the Australian Government.
Prior to her role at the Foundation, Anna held senior positions at the Queensland Ballet and the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, where she championed cultural engagement and institutional innovation.
Anna is a passionate Queenslander and advocate for science-led solutions and community-driven action, ensuring the Great Barrier Reef remains a global treasure for generations to come.
James Schultz – Director, Earth Space Robotics and GreenCollar
James is the co-founder and CEO of GreenCollar, Australia’s leading natural resource management and environmental markets investor.
Under James’s leadership, GreenCollar has grown to become Australia’s largest manager and investor in the carbon space.
James has 15 years’ experience advising governments, international development and financing organisations, as well as the private sector in the development and implementation of climate change adaptation/mitigation financing strategies and environment and natural resource management investment programs, with a focus on land use and carbon. Organisations he has worked for include the World Bank, the African Union and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. His passion lies in exploring how markets can offer innovative solutions that have significant environment, economic and social outcomes globally.
James is a highly regarded advisor to government departments (local, state and federal) as well as organisations and NGOs involved in the development and implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, environmental markets and natural resource management.
Adam Lake – Head of Communications, North America, Climate Group
Adam is Head of Communications, North America at Climate Group. He is based in our New York office and leads on communications, media, and engagement across Climate Group’s work in North America and LATAM countries. This includes overseeing communications for our systems initiatives, (RE100, EV100), subnational engagement (Under2 Coalition) and core activations (US Climate Action Summit, Climate Week NYC).
Prior to this Adam served as Head of Climate Week at Climate Group, leading Climate Week NYC for the last five years with oversight of brand, development, content, communications, and partnerships. This role involved growing Climate Week NYC to become the largest climate event of its kind, negotiating a range of partnerships with NYC, the media, and NGOs, and working closely with international partners to ensure its integration as a major moment on the climate calendar.
In previous roles, Adam served as Head of Communications for the International Rescue Committee, Head of Communications for UK poverty charity Turn2us, advisor to the Press Complaints Commission media regulatory body, communications lead in UK Parliament, and as a freelance writer and editor for various publications. He has contributed as a spokesperson on CNN, BBC, Sky News, Channel 4 News, ITV, BBC Radio 4 and various international outlets. For the last five years he has also sat on the Board of Directors for Lewisham Refugee & Migrant Network (LRMN), a charity that provides support, training and counselling for vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers.
John O’Brien – Managing Director, Deloitte Sustainability | Deloitte & Touche LLP
John is a Managing Director at Deloitte & Touche LLP. He focuses on energy and sustainability. Additionally, he serves as Deloitte’s Global Lead for decarbonization in the Mining and Metals sector. He co-founded the Australian Climate Leaders Coalition and is the global lead for Deloitte’s work with the World Economic Forum on leading-practice climate governance for boards.
A widely published author, John’s most recent book, “Stories from 2030”, was launched at COP26 in Glasgow and sets out practical steps of what is likely to happen locally and globally over the next decade.
John has more than 30 years of experience providing advisory services to global clients regarding strategy development, commercial and financial analysis, project and industry development, project financing, risk and opportunity assessment, policy and acquisition advice, and on translating decarbonization ambitions into practical financial and strategic actions.
Together, these leaders will share insights from Climate Week 2025, explore pathways for collaboration, and highlight how Australia is shaping climate action at home and abroad.
Reception to follow.