Mike Cannon-Brookes, the Australian billionaire and co-founder of software company Atlassian, has defended his purchase of a private jet and his company's sponsorship of the Williams Formula One team, despite his reputation as a vocal climate advocate. In a lengthy LinkedIn post, Cannon-Brookes acknowledged a 'deep internal conflict' over the jet, reportedly a Bombardier 7500, but argued that technology such as direct air capture of CO2 and sustainable jet fuel would offset emissions from his flights.
Cannon-Brookes, estimated by Forbes to be worth US$13bn, said he bought the jet to run a global business from Australia while being a 'constantly present dad', describing it as a 'hard, continual tradeoff'. He also addressed criticism of Atlassian's sponsorship of Williams F1, noting he appreciated the 'double take' given that 'cars=fuel'. However, he expressed confidence in F1's plans to achieve net zero emissions, citing the sport's shift to 100% sustainable fuel by 2026.
In his post, Cannon-Brookes emphasised his 'extremely rigorous carbon regime' for flying, which includes using direct air capture and sustainable fuels to exceed his flight footprint. He claimed this makes his flights 'net negative carbon footprint'. The billionaire remains committed to climate action, stating his determination to help transform Australia into a 'renewable energy superpower' and that decarbonisation is 'the single greatest economic opportunity for Australia'.
