Jill Lester, a highly successful executive from Australia with senior experience in government, the private sector and nonprofit governance, became The Hunger Project’s new CEO in January 2008.

Prior to joining The Hunger Project, Jill served for more than 10 years as a senior executive at Australia’s largest retail bank, the Commonwealth Bank, with 35,000 employees. She developed and led the bank’s positioning strategies through three major transitions: from government ownership to full privatization through public share offerings; the transition to a new CEO; and a merger with Colonial Bank, which was the largest merger in Australian corporate history. Jill also played a key role in the establishment and development of the bank’s philanthropic subsidiary, the Commonwealth Bank Foundation.

Jill has a master’s degree in development economics and degrees in education, history and psychology. Prior to working with the Commonwealth Bank, she served in a variety of government posts, including work with Aboriginal communities and as a diplomat with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Her roles have required extensive travel, particularly throughout the Asia-Pacific region, India and Africa. In recent years, Jill has played an active role on the boards of nonprofits, including the Australian Red Cross, where she chairs its International Committee. She has also served on the Ministerial Advisory Council of AusAID, the Australian government’s overseas aid program.
Common threads running throughout Jill's career have been the building of strategies to cope with significant organizational change, community consultation and reputation management. She is highly respected for her ability to listen to and anticipate the needs of diverse stakeholders, to create powerful communication strategies that keep everyone moving forward together, and for her emphasis on building supportive and motivated teams in the workplace.

Jill is married and has two grown children, who live in New York City.