Cristina Gil White has been named interim CEO of GRI, stepping up from her previous position as Chief Operating Officer. With a strong background in sustainability leadership, Cristina joined GRI’s management team a year ago after serving on the Supervisory Board.
As COO, Cristina was responsible for overseeing GRI’s commercial operations, marketing, stakeholder relations, and organisational strategy. In her new role as interim CEO, she will lead the final stages of developing GRI’s long-term strategy in collaboration with the Supervisory and Management Boards, while working closely with staff and governance bodies to implement actionable plans.
Her appointment comes following the start of the CEO recruitment process in June, initiated after Eelco van der Enden decided to step down. A decision regarding permanent leadership will be made in the coming months, ensuring a seamless transition.
“Cristina has a deep understanding of GRI and the varied needs and perspectives of our key stakeholders and staff, alongside proven credentials in corporate sustainability. She is therefore ideally placed to take on leadership of the organization at this time and I am delighted she has agreed to be interim CEO. The Management and Supervisory Boards will fully support Cristina to deliver on GRI’s strategic priorities,” said Jessica Fries, Chair of the GRI Supervisory Board.
Cristina expressed her enthusiasm for the role and said, “I believe the mission and values that GRI represents – to empower organizations to create sustainable, long-term value and unlock positive change – are more relevant now than ever. As interim CEO and with the support of a fantastic team, I am ready to get to work to achieve our goals. I also want to place on record my personal thanks to Eelco for his support and guidance since I joined GRI.”
Cristina, a Mexican national based in Madrid, has held leadership roles in sustainability, including Chief Sustainability and Communications Officer at Brazilian pulp manufacturer Suzano and VP of Sustainability at Mexican multinational Orbia. She also has extensive experience with nonprofits focused on environmental conservation, education, and poverty alleviation in Europe, the USA, and Latin America.