Dr Catherine Brown OAM

Catherine is an Enterprise Professor at Melbourne Business School in the Centre of Sustainability & Business, where she is working on blended finance for climate and nature. Catherine was CEO of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation (LMCF) for 12 years until January 2024. The Foundation is the largest community foundation in Australia with assets of $260 million. In 2016, Catherine led the Foundation’s work placing a climate lens across all its work including energy efficient housing, jobs in the clean and green economy, health impacts of climate change, and community climate resilience. Catherine has held Victorian Government Chair and Deputy Chair roles and was a member of the Social Impact Investing Taskforce advising the Federal Government. She is also a part time Enterprise Professor at the Melbourne Law School.

Catherine was awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia for services to charitable organisations. Her PhD was titled Unlocking the innovation potential of philanthropic foundations.