About Martin K Haese

Martin Haese is an entrepreneur, educator and public figure.

After founding and building a successful national retail company, Martin led the Rundle Mall Management Authority in South Australia where he enabled Rundle Mall’s upgrade and provided advocacy and program support for 700 retailers.

In 2014, Martin was directly elected as the Lord Mayor of Adelaide, a public office he held until late 2018. With his community orientated approach, he initiated strong sustainability and technology agendas resulting in Carbon Neutral Adelaide 2025, Ten Gigabit Adelaide, the purchase of the former Le Cornu site in North Adelaide and the development plan for the Adelaide Central Market Arcade (Market Square).

Martin builds bridges between the economy and the environment. He was a guest speaker at the United Nations COP21 in Paris in 2015, the World Cities Summit in Singapore in 2018, COP26 in Glasgow Scotland in 2021 and COP28 in Dubai UAE in 2023 and advocates that addressing climate change is both an environmental necessity and economic opportunity.

Martin has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Distinction Honours, has worked as a part-time University lecturer across the nation and advised clients as diverse as small to medium sized enterprises to local governments and international Real Estate Investment Trusts.

From 2019 to 2022, Martin was the CEO of Business SA, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in South Australia, where his leadership, advocacy and the Chamber’s services supported many thousands of business owners during the global pandemic. Today, Martin maintains a portfolio of State Government and private investment interests. 

Martin is the current Chair the Premier’s Climate Change Council (PCCC) and the Special Envoy to Singapore and Southeast Asia for Trade and Investment, both for the Government of South Australia. He is the Co-Host of Your Personal Podcast and the Executive Chairman of Infinity Ventures, a private investment company incorporated in Australia.

Martin is married to Genevieve who was born in Singapore and educated in the United States and United Kingdom. Genevieve worked for a global advertising agency in London before founding her own media and wellness businesses in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Martin is an accomplished public speaker having addressed several thousand government, industry and entrepreneurship events in Australia, Asia and Europe throughout his career.