Jon Anstey, Founder
Jon's 25 years of experience as a lawyer, executive and leader in 20+ countries includes 10 years with BP, Shell and the United Nations in Asia and Europe.
As a lawyer, he has 15 years of experience in energy, climate, resources, infrastructure, finance, and commercial law. Jon's in-house roles include at BP, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), Westpac Banking Corporation and Coliban Region Water Corporation, as well as the United Nations. Previously, he worked in private practice at Clayton Utz.
Jon's 20+ years of governance experience – as chair, treasurer, secretary and director in the health, resources, environment, art and sport sectors – includes at the Water Services Association of Australia, Australian Conservation Foundation and the Victorian Healthcare Association.
Jon is a Principal Consultant at Proud Mary Consulting, which creates public value with clients through advising on policy, strategy, governance and public administration.
Recently, he's developed social finance in new markets for health and wellbeing at Health Futures Australia, the charitable social enterprise which he helped to establish.
Recently, too, Jon has been a Member of the Civil Society Advisory Group and Community Expectations Working Group at the Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative, building on his past practice as a Banking and Finance Lawyer at Clayton Utz.
He enjoys speaking and presenting at conferences and other events, including on energy, climate, water and health.
Jon holds five post-graduate qualifications, in climate, finance, investment, governance and international relations, including from Seoul National University.
Michael Wheelahan, Principal
Michael brings extensive experience in developing policy and strategy, as well as in his capacity as a practicing lawyer. He is renowned for his ability to shape and work within policy, institutional and regulatory frameworks and to navigate government. Michael is sought out for his ability to contextualise complex policy issues and articulate strategies to a wide range of audiences.
He has over twenty years’ experience in public policy design and delivery. Michael has held senior roles in the Victorian State government in water and climate change, including most recently as Director, Climate Change Policy and Director, Water Sector Governance in the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
He holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne and an Executive Master of Public Administration from the Australia & New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), as well as being a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Michael is a Director of the Climate and Health Alliance (CaHA), a coalition of health care stakeholders who work together to address the threat to human health from climate change and ecological degradation.
In 2020, the Minister for Planning appointed him as a Sessional Panel Member of Planning Panels Victoria. Michael is a member of the Carbon Market Institute and the Business Renewables Centre Australia.
Ella Rose Steven, Associate
Ella Rose is an analytical thinker and creative problem-solver.
Her legal advocacy and research skills have been honed through her tertiary education, volunteer experience and professional engagements.
Ella Rose studied law and geography at the University of Auckland, with a focus on environmental law and policy. During her time at university, Ella Rose has completed comprehensive research projects on the legal rights of nature, the global policy framework for ocean acidification, the impact of neoliberal reforms on climate change policy, and the role of indigenous perspectives in resource management law.
Ella Rose’s volunteer role with Equal Justice Project’s Advocacy team has seen her present to local government on environmental policy; lead lobbying to abolish policies on the detention of asylum seekers; and also educate a team of students in advocacy skills. Ella Rose has also volunteered with a US-based environmental and animal welfare NGO, where she created and contributed to campaigns for legal reforms.
Ella Rose has worked as a research assistant for both the New Zealand Centre for Environmental Law and the commercial law department of the University of Auckland.
She has also interned with one of New Zealand’s leading commercial law firms.
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