Mara Bun, CEO, Green Cross Australia

Mara brings 20 years of community and business experience to Green Cross. In the community sector Mara was a familiar media commentator about consumer issues when she led policy and media activities for the Australian Consumer's Association (CHOICE).

Mara was head of financial and corporate matters for Greenpeace Australia in the early 1990s, and for eight years has served as a Director on the Board of Bush Heritage Australia as Treasurer. Mara was a member of the NSW Sustainable Energy Development Authority Advisory Council for six years.

Mara's private sector experience is grounded in the finance sector. She was a senior financial analyst with Morgan Stanley in the high technology area in the 1980s, and returned to investment banking in Australia as Senior Equities Analyst at Macquarie Bank covering Internet and e-commerce equities. As Director of The Allen Consulting Group Mara advised companies such as Microsoft and Optus in relation to public policy and Corporate Social Responsibility strategy and programs.
 

Before moving to the Queensland hinterland two years ago, Mara combined her commercial and community interests in her role as Director of Business Development for the CSIRO, where for three years she helped to shape science funding partnerships involving government, academic and corporate interests. Mara was Head of Research at CANNEX, Australia's leading consumer finance research firm before joining Green Cross as founding CEO.

 

Mara and her husband Stuart moved to the Gold Coast hinterland to create a more sustainable lifestyle. Together with their dogs Banjo and Xuxa, they live in a home made of recycled materials. Their property is entirely dependant on rainwater tanks. Stuart's garden is thriving. Soon they will be putting in solar PV panels to power their electricity needs, and they look forward to sharing that journey on the Green Cross website.

Mara is a native Brazilian and was educated in the US before arriving in Australia in 1991.