Chair

Elizabeth Gaines is one of Australia’s most experienced business leaders, with more than three decades of executive and board experience across the resources, infrastructure, travel and tourism, technology and financial sectors.

She served as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of ASX listed Fortescue from February 2018 to August 2022, having previously joined the Executive team as Chief Financial Officer in February 2017 and the Board as a Non-Executive Director in February 2013.  She retired from the Board of Fortescue on 30 June 2026 after more than 13 years service.  During her tenure, Fortescue delivered significant operational and financial growth while strengthening its focus on sustainability, safety, innovation and the decarbonisation of its mining operations.

Elizabeth has extensive international experience in financial, commercial and strategic leadership, together with deep expertise in corporate governance, capital allocation, mergers and acquisitions, business transformation and stakeholder engagement.  She has worked closely with global customers, governments and investors throughout Asia, Europe and North America, with particular insight into the role of Australian resources in supporting economic development and the global energy transition.

Elizabeth currently serves as Deputy Chair of Greatland Resources Ltd,  Non Executive Director of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and Senior Adviser to Oryx Global Partners Ltd.

Previously, Elizabeth was Chief Executive Officer of Helloworld Limited and Heytesbury Pty Limited and has served as a Non-Executive Director of Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Limited, NEXTDC Limited, Mantra Group Limited and ImpediMed Limited.

Elizabeth’s leadership has been widely recognised. She was ranked second in the 2019 Fortune Magazine’s Businessperson of the Year, was named Joint Australian Businessperson of the Year by the Australian Financial Review in 2021 and received the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia’s Women in Resources Champion Award in 2020.

Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Curtin University, a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and an Honorary Doctorate of Commerce from Curtin University. She is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of Chief Executive Women.