• Appointment blends sustainability, policy and geopolitical engagement across a strategic industrial sector
• Follows bp’s internal realignment toward greater oil and gas investment and lower low carbon capex
• Highlights intensifying race for industrial firms to shape climate, energy and policy pathways

Rolls Royce has appointed former bp Chief Sustainability Officer Ivanka Mamic as Global Head of Government Relations and Chief Sustainability Officer. The new post places sustainability and government engagement within a single leadership portfolio at one of Britain’s most strategically important industrial technology companies.

A Strategic Hire at a Geopolitical Moment

Rolls Royce has been positioning its civil aerospace, defense, and emerging energy systems businesses for a decade defined by decarbonisation, industrial security, and techno-political competition. The decision to combine sustainability with government relations is notable for a firm that operates across regulated markets, sovereign-level procurement, and long-duration climate and energy transition cycles.

Mamic joins after five years at bp, where she led the design and execution of the company’s global sustainability strategy. Her tenure coincided with bp’s public push into low carbon energy and investor engagement on climate transition through 2020 to 2023, followed by a strategic rebalancing last year. That shift included a larger allocation of capital to oil and gas and reduced capex for low carbon investments to below five percent.

Before bp, Mamic spent nearly a decade in sustainability-focused roles at Target, including oversight of global responsible sourcing. She has worked across decarbonisation strategy, supply chain accountability and corporate governance, and has engaged with regulators and investors on the materiality of climate risk.

Personal Statement as Transition Marker

In a public statement announcing her move, Mamic said she was motivated by mission focus and industrial heritage. She noted: “As someone with a strong interest in enduring, mission-driven companies, I am proud to join this iconic British organisation and be part of a team focused on excellence and innovation to drive real-world solutions to complex challenges.”

On LinkedIn, she added: “I’m excited to start 2026 by joining Rolls-Royce as Global Head of Government Relations and Chief Sustainability Officer.” She described her bp experience as “highly formative and rewarding” and continued: “I am deeply thankful for the experiences, the trust, and most importantly the people I had the pleasure of working with. To the teams, colleagues and partners across bp, my best wishes in the year to come.”

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Implications for Governance, Policy and Investors

The appointment lands at a time when industrial firms are facing simultaneous demands: accelerate decarbonisation, secure supply chains, manage cost of capital, and navigate proliferating disclosure and taxonomy regimes across the EU, UK and US.

Rolls Royce has been exploring next generation small modular nuclear reactors for both national energy security and export markets. It has also been working on sustainable aviation fuel pathways and propulsion efficiency for the civil aviation sector. All three arenas are reliant on public policy, regulatory certainty and government procurement.

For institutional investors with exposure to aerospace, defense and energy transition infrastructure, the combined government relations and sustainability role may streamline engagement on climate transition, industrial policy, and regulatory risk. It could also signal that high-emitting and strategically sensitive industrials expect climate and energy transition outcomes to be decided as much in parliaments and negotiating rooms as in capital markets.

What to Watch

C suite leaders and sustainable finance professionals will be looking for clarity on how Rolls Royce integrates climate strategy with policy advocacy. The company sits at the intersection of NATO country defense spending, net zero aviation debates, nuclear energy innovation, and industrial competitiveness. Each features distinct timelines, stakeholders and capital needs.

The global significance of the move lies in a broader trend: climate transition is becoming inseparable from geopolitics, industrial strategy and national security. Firms operating in those arenas are seeking leadership that can navigate governments, disclosure regimes, and investor expectations simultaneously.

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