Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) has announced the appointment of Dr Guy Debelle as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Dr Debelle has been the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia since 2016.
He was the Assistant Governor (Financial Markets) and has held roles at the International Monetary Fund, Bank for International Settlements, Australian Treasury and as a visiting professor in economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
In addition to serving as FFI’s CFO, Dr Debelle will also lead the new FFI Sydney office.
According to Fortescue Chair and Founder, Dr Andrew Forrest, Dr Debelle’s appointment is in line with FFI’s vision for the future.
“Dr Debelle with the leadership team, will drive the most optimal financial solutions for FFI’s vast technology and energy portfolio. This will be instrumental in Fortescue’s journey to become the best green hydrogen, energy and resources company in the world,” he said.
“We will prove that going green has a profitable future for companies the world over. We will demonstrate this so that other heavy emitters, like us, will follow our efforts and go green too. Further, we will produce the green energy and ammonia to enable them to do it.
Dr Debelle said he was happy to join FFI’s efforts to address global climate change issues after he assumes his new role in June 2022.
“Climate change has a broad-ranging impact on Australia, both in terms of geography and in terms of Australian businesses and households. There are plenty of opportunities for Australia. Reflecting our endowment, Australia has been an energy exporter for many decades. And there is no reason why this should change. Australia is also endowed with resources that have the potential for us to continue to be an exporter of energy – but renewable rather than emissions-intensive fossil fuels,” he said.
“I see this as an incredibly exciting opportunity for the future of our country and the world. There are challenges ahead in managing the transition and in managing the financial risks. But with the risk comes a great potential for reward.”
