21 Jun 2016
21 JUN 2016
Ms Cox has more than 20 years’ experience as an executive and non-executive director on a wide range of boards, and was the chief operating officer of the $17.6 billion DEXUS Property Group for more than a decade.
The WorldGBC’s CEO Terri Wills says the depth of Ms Cox’s commercial experience, along with her sharp business acumen and strong governance background will add extra depth to an already powerful board.
“As chair of the Green Building Council of Australia, Tanya is driving an ambitious strategy which aims to expand the Council’s influence and impact. Her commitment, expertise and strong leadership, which has contributed to Australia’s status as a world leader in green building, has been recognised with this appointment to our Board of Directors,” Ms Wills says.
Australia’s property industry has been named the ‘global green leader’ for five consecutive years, according to the annual Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), and Australian companies frequently top the table in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. More than 1,070 building projects around Australia have achieved Green Star ratings, and 30 per cent of the nation’s office space is Green Star certified.
“As momentum for change grows following the COP21 Climate Change pact, the global property and construction sector has an unrivalled opportunity to show leadership and act with purpose,” Ms Cox says.
“Our industry understands this imperative – but it needs a loud voice on the global stage to tell our story, and to bring the hundreds of thousands of individuals and companies together on the journey. I’m honoured and excited to be part of this global movement working together towards a zero carbon future.”
The WorldGBC Board of Directors is comprised of senior leaders from 15 green building councils around the world, including the United States, Germany, India, Singapore, Colombia and Jordan. The Board guides the WorldGBC’s strategy to ensure it successfully delivers on its mission.
An experienced chair and director of both commercial and not-for-profit boards, Tanya Cox is a property expert with a passion for sustainability. As the chief operating officer of $17.6 billion DEXUS Property Group for more than a decade, Tanya oversaw corporate responsibility and sustainability, risk management, marketing and communications, corporate operations and governance, as well as company secretarial practices.
Tanya has more than 20 years’ experience as an executive director and 10 years as a non-executive director on boards as diverse as the Australian Paralympic Committee, Cricket NSW Advisory Board and Music & Opera Singers Trust. She is currently chair of the Green Building Council of Australia and a director of ASX-listed OtherLevels Holdings and BuildingIQ Inc. Tanya is also director of a number of unlisted companies and a member of the NSW Climate Change Council.
As an appointee to the Board and Investment Committee of Low Carbon Australia from 2010 to 2014, Tanya oversaw investment of the federal government’s $100 million finance of carbon reduction technologies. A member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Tanya holds an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance.
The World Green Building Council is a network of national green building councils in more than 75 countries, making it the world’s largest international organisation influencing the green building marketplace. The WorldGBC’s mission is to strengthen GBCs in member countries by championing their leadership and connecting them to a network of knowledge, inspiration and practical support. With 100,000 buildings and more than one billion square metres of green building space registered, the influence and impact of this global network is a significant force for social and environmental change.
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) was established in 2002 to develop a sustainable property industry in Australia and drive the adoption of green building practices through market-based solutions.
Karen Jamal
Green Building Council of Australia
Phone: 0412 179 135
Email: karen.jamal@gbca.org.au