Anthesis, a leading sustainability advisory and solutions firm, has announced the appointment of Dr. Matthew Bell as its new Group Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Bell, who previously led climate and sustainability initiatives at EY, will assume his role in December, succeeding co-founder and current CEO Stuart McLachlan. McLachlan will remain on the board of directors.
Founded in 2013 and headquartered in London, Anthesis collaborates with companies, cities, and organisations to enhance sustainability performance and develop financially-driven sustainability strategies. The firm has expanded significantly, acquiring 24 businesses and employing over 1,400 experts globally. Its services cover a wide spectrum, including carbon credits, brand communications, environmental management, ESG, net zero and decarbonisation, sustainability reporting, sustainable products and circularity, sustainable finance, and supply chain and sustainable sourcing.
In 2023, The Carlyle Group, a global private capital investment firm, acquired a majority stake in Anthesis, further strengthening the firm’s position in the sustainability sector.
Dr. Bell commented on his new role, stating, “The sustainability field is at an inflection point: organisations are navigating a rapidly changing environment with evolving regulation and standards, Artificial Intelligence development, radical transparency on performance, and a need to manage risk and create new forms of value. They will need scalable solutions to deliver sustainable performance. Anthesis has a unique combination of talent, breadth of services, and global reach to deliver this at scale for our clients.”
Before joining Anthesis, Dr. Bell spent 18 years at EY, most recently as the Global Leader for Climate Change and Sustainability Services, where he led a team of over 4,300 specialists advising multinational corporations and governments. His prior experience includes leading the UK Government’s project office on major climate and energy policies. Dr. Bell also serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the World Green Building Council.
Derek Kemp, Chair of Anthesis, expressed gratitude to McLachlan for his leadership, stating, “On behalf of the Board and the Anthesis team, I want to thank Stuart for his outstanding leadership in building Anthesis into the business it is today. We are delighted to welcome Matthew as our new CEO. He brings a rare combination of policy depth, extensive market experience and credibility, and high-performance leadership on a global scale.”
Alex Wagenberg, Managing Director and Partner at Carlyle, added, “On behalf of Carlyle, we thank Stuart for his commitment to Anthesis over the last decade. His vision and stewardship created a differentiated platform with global scale and client trust. As a shareholder to the business, we are excited to partner with Matthew and the Anthesis team to accelerate growth and execute the strategy for long term success.”
