New CSO for JLL as Batten retires

JLL has appointed Erin Meezan as chief sustainability officer, following the retirement of Richard Batten.

Meezan will report Guy Grainger, global head of sustainability services & ESG and will be responsible for growing JLL's own sustainability programme. 

She joins with more than 19 years of sustainability experience and was previously CSO at flooring company Interface, Inc, where she developed its strategy to become a carbon-negative enterprise by 2040. 

"We welcome Erin as the new CSO who will build on the work JLL Is unlocking for climate action in built environments, leading us towards our goal of shaping the future of real estate for a better world," said Grainger.

Batten, who joined JLL after it acquired King Sturge, where he was joint senior partner, took on the CSO role in 2017, having previously focused on advising investor clients on commercial property. In addition to his role as CSO, Batten is an advisor on the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), Net Zero Expert Advisory Group, and sits on the Bloomberg Green Council.

"I want to thank Richard for his contributions over the last five years as an invaluable leader helping transform the way our company and our clients view sustainability, embedding it as a key pillar of our business," said Grainger.