Professor Richard Bush is a recognized international leader in environmental sustainability, having worked at the highest levels of government and academia. He brings his renowned expertise as Chief Environment Officer to NEOM.

Leading the environmental functions and operations at NEOM, Richard is integral to ensuring that the giga-project delivers on its ambition to become the world’s most sustainable and livable region and an exemplary model for co-existing in harmony with nature. Central to his mission is the full integration of world-leading environmental sustainability, technologies, policies and innovation that will position NEOM as the new benchmark for what future sustainability can become.

Prior to joining NEOM, Richard was the Crown Lands Commissioner for the Government of New South Wales (NSW), where he was responsible for the strategic governance of a USD 24 billion land portfolio and worked closely with the Ministers of Water, Environment, Treasury and Planning. He was also a board member for the NSW Environmental Protection Agency – the lead agency for environmental regulation in NSW – collaborating with federal, state and local governments to deliver environmental outcomes. He is currently Conjoint Professor for Sustainable Development at Monash University, educating the sustainability leaders of the future.

Richard was the Founding Director for the International Centre for Balanced Land Use. He created the architecture for driving transformational reform in the regional economy through applied research and development in partnership with industry and government.

Achieving a distinguished career in academia and public administration, Richard has published over 200 scientific reports and has held several prestigious fellowships internationally. The impact of his career accomplishments includes patents, new technologies, policy reform and successful international efforts to implement environmental solutions to some of humanity’s greatest challenges, including climate change, water scarcity, circular economy and environmental sustainability.

Richard earned a Bachelor of Science and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of New South Wales in the field of environmental science. He also holds a number of certificates in leadership, government and education from a range of esteemed academic institutions.