Dr. Bronwyn King AO Founder & CEO at Tobacco Free Portfolios & Radiation Oncologist

Talking Business with Alan Kohler

Dr. King is a specialist Radiation Oncologist, founder of Tobacco Free Portfolios, a former elite swimmer and Team Doctor for the Australian Swimming Team. Social entrepreneur, movement maker and a globally renowned humanitarian on a mission to inspire and transform organisations into purpose driven and sustainable businesses. Some of the first patients Bronwyn cared for at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre were suffering from lung cancer. However, while doing her best to treat these people, Bronwyn was unaware she was also supporting the global production of cigarettes. It was only during a meeting with a representative of her superannuation fund in 2010 that Bronwyn learned some of her money was flowing to tobacco companies through the default option of her superannuation fund. In the knowledge that many of her colleagues would be similarly unhappy with their unwitting investment in the tobacco industry, Bronwyn approached First State Super which had shortly before merged with Health Super. Following numerous meetings and a presentation to the Board, First State Super undertook a detailed analysis of the issue and in 2012, proudly made the decision to go tobacco free. Bronwyn is delighted with the willingness of the finance industry to engage and act on this issue. The work of the Tobacco Free Portfolios now has a global focus. She discusses the Stamp of Approval Program that now replaces the old Tobacco Free Portfolios Verified Tobacco Free program. The initiative now has an extensive global reach with Tobacco Free Portfolios working with 100+ pension funds, Sovereign Wealth funds, banks, insurers and fund managers in twenty countries. Bronwyn has received countless awards in recognition of her outstanding expertise and accomplishments. Most notably, she was awarded an Order of Australia (AO) in 2019 for distinguished service to community health and named 2019 Melburnian of the Year.

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