John Gertsakis

John is an experienced policy, communications and sustainability practitioner across diverse industries, sectors and portfolios. His policy and advocacy work involves extensive dealings with ministers, government officials and diverse industry associations.

John is a director of the recently established Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence, a senior policy adviser with the DIA, and an adjunct professor with the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney. As an honorary fellow of the DIA, John seeks to elevate the value and role of designers in a circular economy.

He served as executive director of Product Stewardship Australia representing global consumer electronics and IT brands in the design of the Product Stewardship Act, and his project engagements cover appliances, electronics, furniture, flooring, textiles and plastic products used in the hospital and healthcare sector.

His early work on cradle-to-cradle thinking represents a pioneering phase with RMIT’s Centre for Design team.