Leading in an Evolving World - Claire Bull (TC 2000)

I have had a very non-linear career, which is now increasingly common but wasn't something I was aware of in my time at school. A non-linear career is built by taking chances and following your passion rather than the well-worn path of others. It is not about climbing each rung of a ladder but rather about building up blocks of skills and applying them across industries and opportunities.

Early Influences and Sustainability Foundations

I started caring about sustainability and climate change very early on; my father owned a recycling business and I used to work there during the school holidays while I was at Toorak College. I believe I started in sustainability ‘before it was cool’ – in fact, at the time it was a little bit uncool. As with any new, innovative, or developing industry, there is a large focus on educating other people about what you are doing and why, before you even get to make things happen. I learnt early on that it was important to tell stories about the effects of climate change and the small part each person could play.

Entering the Corporate World

At my first corporate job, I was lucky enough to be at the intersection of sustainability and technology. I was helping large corporations, governments and schools launch recycling programs. At that time, there were a lot of sustainable technologies available but not many of them were commercially viable – it was cheaper to ruin the planet than to help it. Many companies were not motivated to change their processes or invest in new technology to reduce their impact on the environment.

Taking a Leap into Startup Life

After I had my first child, I was presented the opportunity to work at a little startup called Frank Green – now a very wellknown global consumer brand. I was brought on as their Chief Operating Officer and first employee. As I had only ever worked in a multibillion dollar company and also had my three-monthold daughter in tow, I was taking a big risk. I was driven by their mission to create sustainable, reusable coffee cups and drink bottles in a stylish way so that they were adopted and embraced by the mass market. I loved the ‘little bit of everything’ I got to do as part of a startup. It was in stark contrast to my corporate career where I had a human resources department, a legal department and a marketing department to call on – suddenly I WAS all these departments and more.

A Global Opportunity

My next chance came right after I had purchased my dream home in Melbourne and had a second child. There was a job opportunity in Singapore for my husband – did I want to move my very young family to a country I had never been to? Sure. This experience gave me a global view of available technology and I was able to bring this experience back to Australia.

Coming Full Circle

I now invest in and mentor female-led technology businesses and work as a Director of Sustainability, Innovation and Technology, helping large businesses reduce their carbon emissions – something they are now ready to invest in. Rather than being linear, my career has come full circle and I couldn’t be happier about that.