Fortescue’s high-profile exodus ramps up as Gunner quits

Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Metals has suffered another high-profile departure with former Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner quitting the billionaire’s mining empire.

Former Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner has quit Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue, the latest high profile departure from the billionaire’s mining and energy empire.

Fortescue’s green energy division hired Mr Gunner in November 2022, three months after he resigned from parliament, one of several big name recruits at the time including Guy Debelle, the Reserve Bank’s former deputy governor.

However, Mr Gunner has joined the procession of executives leaving Fortescu.

A social media post blamed the amount of travel away from his base in Darwin following a promotion last year.

Michael Gunner. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“After taking on the Australian Director role in August it meant more travel away from Darwin and the family, which I found too difficult,” Mr Gunner said in a LinkedIn post.

“I’m taking a bit of time before deciding with the family what I do next and am now reporting for lunchbox duty.”

Mr Gunner was initially hired to lead Fortescue Future Industries’ northern Australian operations in November 2022.

He was then promoted to a position as director of Australia and New Zealand in August 2023.

“Working for Andrew and Fortescue was an incredible opportunity - a dynamic company with a bold green energy vision. I will always be a friend of the Fortescue family and an advocate for Fortescue and the path they are forging,” Mr Gunner added.

A Fortescue spokesman said: “We respect Michael’s decision and his personal reasons for making it, and wish him and his family well.”

Earlier this week the finance boss of Fortescue’s energy division, Deborah Caudle, left the company after a consolidation of Fortescue’s finance functions.

A revolving door of executives have jumped ship from the company in the last 12 months as pressure grows on Fortescue to execute a high stakes pivot to green energy from its iron ore foundations which made its founder one of Australia’s richest men.

In August 2023 Fortescue’s chief executive Fiona Hick and chief financial officer Christine Morris both quit while Dr Debelle resigned as a director of Fortescue Future Industries.