Sarah Cook appointed CEO of Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation

AUSTRALIA – Sarah Cook is set to take over as chief executive officer of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation in November 2026, replacing Chris Foley, who has headed the organisation since 2022.

Cook’s career spans fast-moving consumer goods corporations and circular economy enterprises, including Nestlé, Coca-Cola and Samsara Eco. 

Across these roles, her work has focused on packaging sustainability, circular economy transformation and industry collaboration. 

Her background combines commercial experience at global beverage and food companies with hands-on involvement in recycling technology, giving her exposure to both the demand side of packaging and the infrastructure required to recover it.

Samsara Eco Role Targeted AI-Enabled Recycling

Most recently, Cook served as chief commercial officer at Samsara Eco, where she worked on the commercial scaling of AI-enabled recycling technology and participated in global policy development. 

During an earlier tenure at Coca-Cola, she directed major packaging investments and helped establish the Circular Plastics Australia joint venture. 

Over the past decade, Cook has managed recycling initiatives and circular economy programmes across Australia’s packaging value chain, building familiarity with the collection, sorting and processing systems that determine whether packaging targets can be met.

Board Cites Experience and Partnership Commitment

Sam Andersen, chair of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, said Cook’s experience, strategic capability and commitment to partnership across industry, government and the community made her the right leader as the organisation continued to collaborate with members and stakeholders across the value chain. 

Andersen also thanked Chris Foley for his leadership and contribution to the organisation and the packaging sector over the past four years. 

Foley’s tenure covered a period of significant regulatory development, including the introduction of expanded producer responsibility obligations and recycled-content targets.

Leadership Prioritises Practical Solutions

Cook said she was excited to join the organisation and work with its members, government and broader industry partners to accelerate Australia’s transition to a more circular packaging future. 

She noted that the organisation had a critical role in shaping the future for packaging and that she looked forward to building on the strong foundations already in place. 

She added that there was enormous opportunity for continued innovation, collaboration and impact across the packaging value chain, expressing commitment to ensuring the organisation continued to support industry, drive practical solutions and deliver meaningful environmental outcomes. 

Her appointment comes as Australian packaging producers face tightening requirements on recyclability, recycled content and reporting, with producer responsibility frameworks placing greater scrutiny on how packaging materials are designed and recovered.

Subscribe to our email newsletters that provide busy executives like you with the latest news insights and trends from Africa and the World. SUBSCRIBE HERE