our team
Management Team

Ms. Melanie O'Brien

Head of Research and Standards
Melanie is responsible for the development and promotion of the AA1000 Series of Standards and AccountAbility’s research initiatives. Based in our New York City office, Melanie is an experienced management consultant and researcher with over 10 years of experience working in numerous fields including CFO research and advisory, sustainability, and other commercial advisory services. Melanie has experience managing stakeholder consultation engagements for large infrastructure projects and advising executives on ESG Strategy and Communications.

Prior to joining AccountAbility, Melanie led the corporate finance research and advisory team at Gartner, working with senior finance professionals on matters related to ESG and Sustainability, board relations, CFO leadership and professional development, investor relations, and real estate. Before moving to the US, Melanie was the Vice President of APAC for finance and assurance advisory, covering a broader suite of topics, in addition to finance, including enterprise risk management, audit and procurement. She has also worked in numerous consulting roles, developing strategies for different government jurisdictions, private sector companies and industry bodies, often as the lead stakeholder engagement consultant managing relationships and ensuring a high degree of integrity over these engagements.

Starting her career in policy development and advocacy in Australia, Melanie has held a variety of senior roles working with Executives to support the response to, and implementation of, various regulations. This has provided her with a multidimensional perspective of regulatory structure, change and the related impact on business operations, as well as an understanding of the need for clear communications and processes to help stakeholders adapt to change.

Melanie holds a Master of International Law from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism and Politics) from the University of Wollongong.

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