Mara Bun, CEO, Green Cross Australia

Mara was born and raised in Brazil and studied and worked in the US before moving to Australia in 1991. She brings 20 years of community and business experience to Green Cross Australia.

Mara studied economics and political science at Williams College before beginning her career in investment banking with Morgan Stanley in their NYC Mergers and Acquisitions Department and in their San Francisco High Technology practice. After five years in investment banking Mara worked for a World Bank earthquake reconstruction project in Nepal between 1989 and 1990.

After arriving in Australia, Mara worked in senior finance roles with The Wilderness Society and Greenpeace Australia, then became a familiar media commentator about consumer issues when she led policy and media activities for the Australian Consumer's Association (CHOICE). While at CHOICE, Mara remained engaged with environmental issues as a Director on the Board of Bush Heritage Australia where she served for eight years and as a member of the NSW Sustainable Energy Development Authority Advisory Council for six years.

When the Internet exploded Mara returned to investment banking in Australia as Senior Equities Analyst at Macquarie Bank where her team of analysts covered Internet and e-commerce equities. This was a great role when technology markets boomed and became much less fun when they collapsed. After leaving Macquarie Bank, Mara became a Director of The Allen Consulting Group where she advised companies such as ANZ, Microsoft and Optus in relation to public policy and Corporate Social Responsibility strategy and programs.

Between 2002 and 2006 Mara combined her commercial and community interests in her role as Director of Business Development for the CSIRO, where she helped to shape science funding partnerships involving government, academic and corporate interests.

After moving from Sydney to the Gold Coast hinterland in 2006 Mara became Head of Research at CANNEX, Australia's leading consumer finance research firm before joining Green Cross Australia as founding CEO in late 2007.

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 dependent on rainwater tanks and is nearly 100% powered by solar PV panels. Stuart's garden sometimes thrives depending on rain and his energy levels. Mara and Stu look forward to sharing their sustainability journey on the Green Cross website.

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