Joanna Bonnett is Group Treasurer of Straumann Group and is this year’s winner of Woman of the Year EMEA. Joanna’s 25-year career in finance spans roles focused on treasury, investor relations, risk and sustainability. She held the role of Group Treasurer in four complex and distinct organisations spanning manufacturing, engineering, defence and professional services. In another career accolade she has helped shape policy and practice within the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT). Joanna also has a standout reputation for mentorship, governance, sustainability and advocacy in (and for) the treasury community.

Joanna has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). As a distinguished ACT Council Member and former President, she was the architect of critical initiatives that now form the bedrock of best practice in treasury governance.

For example, during her tenure the ACT established diversity and inclusion training for ACT Council (Board) members, ensuring that treasury leadership reflects and embraces the full spectrum of talent. She also introduced annual board effectiveness training, setting new governance standards that elevate the strategic impact of the ACT’s leadership. During her tenure at the ACT her leadership role included supporting and helping deliver significant changes for the Association, including the selection and appointment of a new Chief Executive in 2023 and the commissioning of a full governance review (led by an external law firm) in 2024.

“Joanna helped catalyse the work back in 2023 to initiate a regular dialogue between treasurers and bankers on diversity and inclusion, resulting in the publication of the ACT’s Guiding Principles on Diversity & Inclusion and the establishment of a regular treasurers and bankers forum, as well as the launch of ACT Diversity & Sustainability Awards,” says Annette Spencer, Chief Executive, ACT. “She encouraged the ACT to consider sustainability and sustainable finance as a distinct discipline, leading to the establishment of the ACT ESG Conference and, more recently, the launch of a specific qualification in this area, the Certificate in Sustainable Finance for Treasury.”

Her ‘sustainability’ impact on the ACT includes co-founding the ACT DEI and Sustainability Awards and continues to shape the awards as co-chief judge. Since the conception of the ACT ESG Conference, she also co-chaired the leading crucial conversations, presenting key insights and moderating high-impact discussions to drive action.

“I am proud that the ACT continues to set industry best practice. As the topic of DEI and sustainability continues to evolve with society, it is vital that treasury keeps pace with these developments,” Joanna says. “Serving on the Board as a Council member and as President was an absolute privilege. I highly recommend anyone wanting to diversify their skills to come forward and do the same”.

Joanna has also played a pivotal role in representing and progressing the treasury profession (beyond her work with the ACT). She is a frequent speaker at international treasury conferences and has sat on several UK government taskforces contributing to regulation such as transition climate related finance disclosures and the transition plan taskforce.

For example, in 2024 she represented the treasury profession on the UK Transition Finance Market Review taskforce, dedicating three months (pro-bono) full-time conducting in-depth interviews with treasurers on the future of green finance, sustainability-linked lending, social impact funding and transition finance. In this role she engaged with 270 treasurers (globally) to shape a policy-shifting report that is influencing the future of sustainable finance in the UK and ensuring future policy works within the real economy and for treasurers. She was also central to the report’s official launch at the London Stock Exchange. She currently serves as an associate member of the UK Transition Finance Council and is spearheading further change with like-minded treasurers normalising carbon emission reporting within money market funds. This work will help define the future of treasury when sustainability regulations converge with treasury processing and in doing so, she is ensuring that corporations can access the financial mechanisms needed to drive a sustainable future.