Anthesis has announced the appointment of Dr Matthew Bell as Group Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 December 2025. Co-founder Stuart McLachlan will step down as CEO after more than a decade in the role but will remain on the Board of Directors to support a smooth transition.
A career sustainability expert and published scientist, Dr Bell brings over 20 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors. He joins Anthesis from EY, where he served as Global Leader for Climate Change and Sustainability Services, overseeing a network of more than 4,300 specialists advising governments and multinational corporations on decarbonisation, reporting, and sustainable growth. Earlier in his career, he led the UK Government’s project office on major climate and energy policies (2003–2007) and currently serves as Chair of the World Green Building Council, the world’s largest network for advancing decarbonised and regenerative buildings.
Dr Bell succeeds Stuart McLachlan, who co-founded Anthesis in 2013 and led it through a decade of rapid expansion, including 24 acquisitions and growth to over 1,400 sustainability professionals worldwide.
“On behalf of the Board and the Anthesis team, I want to thank Stuart for his outstanding leadership in building Anthesis into the business it is today,” said Derek Kemp, Chair of Anthesis. “We are delighted to welcome Matthew as our new CEO. He brings a rare blend of policy expertise, market experience, and global leadership that will strengthen Anthesis as it enters its next phase of growth.”
Accepting the role, Dr Bell said he was honoured to join Anthesis at a pivotal moment for the sustainability sector.
“The sustainability field is at an inflection point,” he said. “Organisations are navigating new regulations, AI-driven transformation, and the need to deliver measurable, sustainable performance. Anthesis has the talent, scale, and reach to meet this challenge. I look forward to working with our team, partners, and clients to drive sustainability at scale.”
McLachlan praised the appointment, calling Dr Bell “the right leader to guide Anthesis through its next stage of growth.”
Backing the transition, Alex Wagenberg, Managing Director and Partner at Carlyle, a major shareholder in Anthesis, added: “Stuart’s vision and stewardship built a differentiated platform with global scale and client trust. We are excited to partner with Matthew and the Anthesis team to accelerate growth and deliver long-term success.”
