Elizabeth Gaines

Elizabeth Gaines is an Australian businesswoman who serves as chief executive officer (CEO) of iron ore company Fortescue Metals Group. She is the company’s first female CEO.

Gaines attended Perth Modern School. She graduated from Curtin University and received a Master’s in Applied Finance from Macquarie University.

Gaines served as CEO of Heytesbury from 1997 to 2005. She also served as CFO of Stella Group and Entertainment Rights.

In 2008, Gaines joined travel company Helloworld. She served as CFO of the company and became CEO in April 2014. Gaines joined the board of Fortescue in 2013. In June 2015, she resigned as Helloworld's CEO.

Gaines was appointed CEO of Fortescue in November 2017 following Nev Power. Before becoming CEO, she served as the Fortescue’s chief financial officer (CFO). She was appointed CEO following an announcement from the company’s chairman, Andrew Forrest, that he would be appointing women to the roles of CEO and deputy chief executive.

She was the company's first female non-executive director. She became CFO of the company in February 2017 and in February 2018 took over as CEO.