Jon Dee
Social Entrepreneur & Philanthropist
Jon Dee is a pioneering Australian social entrepreneur, broadcaster, and environmental campaigner. Co-founder of Planet Ark and founder of DoSomething, he has spent over 36 years driving sustainability, inspiring businesses, communities, and governments to take action for a greener, smarter future.
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Jon Dee is a renowned Australian social entrepreneur, broadcaster, and environmental campaigner with over 36 years of experience driving sustainability and social change. Widely recognised as one of Australia’s foremost leaders in sustainability, he was described by Michael Liebreich, founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, as “the leading Australian figure in sustainability and the environment” (2020).
Jon created and hosted Smart Money, a live TV program on Sky News Business Channel, bringing business sustainability to mainstream audiences. Across 700+ episodes, he interviewed leading international companies including Toyota, McDonald’s, LEGO, Tesla, and Qantas, showcasing how businesses can innovate and operate sustainably.
A driving force in corporate renewable energy, Jon leads the Australian arm of the RE100 initiative, supporting over 110 major companies with a combined market capitalisation of $650 billion to transition to 100% renewable energy. Through his Energy Insights video series, he interviews global leaders, including Apple’s Lisa Jackson, highlighting corporate sustainability achievements worldwide.
Jon is also a highly influential not-for-profit leader. He co-founded Planet Ark in 1991, where he served as Managing Director for 15 years, launching national campaigns such as National Recycling Week and National Tree Day, which has seen millions of trees planted across Australia. He later founded DoSomething, empowering individuals to take action on environmental and social issues, and co-founded One Tree Per Child, an international tree-planting initiative active in 10 countries.
His campaigns have directly influenced policy and behaviour change, including Ban the Bulb, which helped phase out incandescent light bulbs in Australia, and Plastic Free, contributing to the national ban on plastic checkout bags.
Jon’s achievements have earned him wide recognition, including Australian of the Year (NSW) 2010, and the Order of Honour from Armenia in 2009 for his humanitarian work following the 1988 Armenian earthquake. Through his ongoing advocacy and his Smarter Futures platform, Jon continues to inspire individuals, businesses, and governments to embrace sustainable practices and create measurable impact.
