Dinner Mentors

Dinner mentors also include the following workshop presenters, speakers and panellists:

Click here for their biographies

  • Denise Aldous, Director Cronulla Sharks, KEA Australia, UnitingCare NSW/ACT
  • Paul Binsted, Chair Sydney Ports Corporation
  • Rebecca Davies, partner Freehills & director
  • Joanne Grainger, Chair Cotton Australia
  • Peter McCarthy, Managing Director of AMC Consultants
  • Peter Shergold, Chair Centre for Social Impact, director AMP, former head Prime Minister & Cabinet
  • Fiona Shand, Managing Director Shand & Associates
  • Erica Smyth, Chair Toro Energy Ltd
  • Melinda Snowden, Director Vita Group
  • Chris Thomas, Partner Egon Zehnder International

 

Tracey Ah Hee

Tracey is the Founder and Director of innovative businesses Genroe and HelpingHero. She is a director of Women on Boards.

Tracey has extensive marketing experience in telecommunications, financial services and media with a specialisation in customer retention strategies. Her most recent role, prior to founding Genroe, was as GM Customer Management at Singtel Optus where she developed and implemented an overarching customer management strategy encompassing cross sell/up-sell, retention and loyalty initiatives across the customer base; resulting in outstanding P&L customer profitability.

Robyn Chalmers

Robyn is a Partner in the Sydney office of Mallesons Stephen Jaques where she specialises in commercial and product liability litigation. She has been named a “Leading Individual” for “Life Sciences - Product Liability” and "Highly Recommended" for "Dispute Resolution" in Global Counsel 3000 and is a trained mediator.

Robyn was admitted as the first female partner of the firm in 1984 and was Chairman of the firm from 2002 to 2005. She was elected to the Management Board of the partnership in 1997 before standing down in 2005.

Robyn is the firm's National Equal Employment Opportunity Partner. She is Chair of the Sydney office Pro Bono Committee.She has been a member of the firm's Partnership Admissions Committee and is currently a member of the Graduate Recruitment Committee.Robyn is a member of Chief Executive Women. Robyn is a Board member of The Sydney Institutes of Health and Medical Research.

John Colvin

John is chief executive officer and managing director of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He commenced in this position on 1 September 2008.

Prior to joining AICD, John was the Head of the Sydney office of Freehills and the founding partner of Freehills' Sydney Employee Relations practice. At Freehills, John was well known for his work with chairmen, boards, directors and senior executives on employee relations issues including corporate governance. He also had extensive experience at Freehills in structuring, drafting and negotiating CEO and senior executive agreements.

John was a non-executive director of Sydney Water from 1993 to 1997, a director and chairman of AWT and he remains chairman of the New South Wales Cancer Patients Assistance Society (Can Assist). 

Major General Liz Cosson CSC

Liz Cosson entered the Australian Army in 1979, and in 2007 became the first woman to reach the two star rank of Major General in the Australian Defence Force. Specialising in logistics, Liz has served in Cambodia, East Timor and was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross for her service in Bougainville.

Don Easter

Don is an experienced senior executive and company director. He has previously held executive positions with Westpac Banking Corporation, ABN AMRO and EDS. Don is currently a non-executive director two listed companies where he chairs Remuneration and Audit Committees. Don is also active in capital advisory and consulting assisting companies to maximise performance through growth and/or by restructuring operations.

Liz Gale

Dr Liz Gale is a CEO/Senior Executive and director who has succeeded in diverse business environments in the private, public and not for profit health sectors. Liz has delivered commercial outcomes as a CEO, a Trans -Tasman institutional banker, biotechnology commercialisation leader, consortium leader in major tenders and project manager of clinical redesign and major capital works programs. Liz backs her experience with high level qualifications and is recognised for her achievements in publications, speaking engagements and as a Winner of the prestigious Telstra, N.S.W / ACT Business Woman of the Year.

Christine Hawkins

After an early career as an economist for the Reserve Bank of Australia, Christine moved along a path from academia to investment banking. She spent 10 years as a corporate advisory executive before establishing a new investment bank in partnership with seven others. Her expertise is in high level strategy and corporate governance.

Christine has been a director on the boards of private and public companies, statutory corporations, and unincorporated joint ventures. During the last 15 years her roles have included Executive and Non executive director, Deputy Chairman and Chairman as well as a member and Chairman on various board committees and task forces. She is currently on the board of the Sheep Cooperative Research Centre.

Christine has a passion for wool and was a Director of Wool International, the Australian Wool Research & Promotion Organisation, and The Woolmark Company. She established Cinnabar Designs Pty Limited, which manufactures superfine knitwear and other garments, in 2000.

David Herlihy

David is Chairman of Mosaic Oil. An experienced director and business professional, his Board and corporate advisory responsibilities have covered public, government, "not for profit" and private enterprise following a successful career in capital markets with an emphasis on debt/equity markets.

Among the diverse range of directorships he has held over the past three decades, David is a former Chairman of the State Transit Authority of NSW. He concurrently holds directorships on several other Boards including representation of international, private and publicly listed entities.

Jennifer Hill-Ling

Jennifer is the Chairman and Non-Independent Non-Executive Director of Hills Industries Limited. She was appointed Director in August 1985, appointed Deputy Chairman in June 2004 and Chairman on 28 October 2005. She is a Member of the Nomination Committee and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee. She is a former Director of Tower Trust Ltd.

Jennifer has extensive experience in corporate and commercial law. She specialises in corporate and business structuring, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and related commercial transactions. 

Helen Lynch AM

Helen Lynch AM had a distinguished career, spanning 35 years, in the Banking and Finance industry at Westpac Banking Corporation including being a member of the Bank’s executive committee. She left Westpac in 1994 and was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Bank in 1997.

During the past 15 years she has served as a Non-Executive Director of the following public listed companies; Coles Myer Ltd, OPSM Group (Chairman), Pacific Brands Limited (Deputy Chairman), Southcorp Limited and Westpac Banking Corporation.

Helen  is currently the Chairman of each of the Westpac Foundation and the Westpac Staff Superannuation Plan and an advisor to Mallesons Stephen Jaques.

Helen has always been committed to the community, serving as a director of a number of arts, charitable and government organisations. This includes Chairman of each of The Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Superannuation Funds Management Corporation of South Australia.

Wendy McCarthy AO

Wendy began her career as a secondary school teacher and remains passionate about the power of education. She has worked with government, corporations and community based organisations in education, women’s issues, public health, heritage, media and waste management and she has held national leadership roles in all of these areas.
 
Currently she is the Chair of Circus Oz; McGrath Estate Agents; the Sydney Community Foundation, headspace and the Pacific Friends of the Global Foundation. She is Vice Chair of Plan International and a Director and Immediate Past Chair of Plan Australia. She is Patron of the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance.   In 2005 she completed a decade as Chancellor of the University of Canberra and she was a founding member of the Australian Chancellors’ Conference.                           

David Mortimer AO

David is the Chairman of Leighton Holdings and Australia Post and a director of Macquarie Infrastructure Investment Management Limited.

David is a former director of Petsec Energy Limited, Macquarie Infrastructure Group, Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Adsteam Marine, Citect Corporation Limited and Virgin Blue Holdings Limited.

He is the former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TNT Limited.

Paul Murnane

Paul is an investment banker and company director with over 35 years diversified experience in financial services, consulting and general management in Australia and overseas. Paul is a Senior Adviser of independent corporate advisory firm Palladio Partners, a Director of several listed and private companies and an advisor to a number of companies. He also serves on the Boards and committees of a number of organisations involved in social welfare services, public policy, the arts, health & medical research,  education  and corporate governance.

Anne O'Donnell

Anne is the Chief Executive Officer of Australian Ethical Investment Ltd.  The company was established in 1989 and listed on the ASX in 2002.  Australian Ethical is a Canberra based independent boutique fund manager specializing in incorporating environment, social and governance considerations into investment decision making. Australian Ethical has some $560 million in funds under management and some 18,000 investors.       

Anne has some 29 years experience in the finance industry.  Prior to joining Australian Ethical she held senior management positions with the ANZ Bank, in the past she has held directorships in the superannuation and not-for profit sectors.  Anne is currently a director of the Investment and Financial Services Association and Community CPS Australia Ltd.

Anne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Banking and Finance and a Master of Business Administration.  She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of Finsia and a member of the Australasian Institute of Credit Union Directors. 

Adam Ramshaw

Adam is the Founder and Director of innovative businesses Genroe and HelpingHero. Adam has managed both the technical and commercial needs of businesses during his 15 years of experience across the Telecommunications, IT and Engineering industries.

With positions as varied as Managing Director, General Manager Marketing, and Corporate Finance and Planning for a variety of organisations he has driven the operational, marketing and finance needs of businesses to achieve exceptional outcomes.

Peter Scott

Peter Scott was elected Chairman of Sinclair Knight Merz Management Pty Limited in October 2007 after joining the board as a Non Executive Director in March 2005. An Engineer by training, Peter returned to Sinclair Knight Merz after almost 20 years, having worked in the firm’s Melbourne office in the late 1980’s.

Peter is a Non Executive Director of the Stockland Group and Perpetual Limited, two Australian listed public companies.  In addition, he is also a Director of Pilotlight, a not for profit organisation. He is a former Chief Executive of MLC, part of the National Australia Bank’s Wealth Management business.  MLC is a Financial Services business responsible for A$80bn in assets under management and 6000 employees operating in seven countries.  Prior to joining MLC, he held a number of senior positions within the Lend Lease organisation including Managing Director of Civil & Civic and Lend Lease Interiors.

Naseema Sparks

Naseema is a professional non-executive director and sits on the boards of Blackmores Ltd and Mitchell Communications Group. She is Vice President of Osteoporosis Australia and National President of Chief Executive Women.
Naseema’s most recent executive position was as Managing Director of M&C Saatchi, one of world’s most respected brand and advertising groups.

With a background in pharmaceutical marketing and strategic consulting, Naseema joined the advertising business in 1998 and has worked in Australia and the UK for major companies including J Walter Thompson, DDB, McCann Erickson and Fleishman Hilliard. Past boards include Melbourne International Arts Festival, Racing Victoria Ltd and Melbourne Business School Inc.

She graduated as a Bachelor of Pharmacy followed by a Master of Pharmacology. She also holds a marketing diploma and an MBA from Melbourne Business School. 

Emma Stein

Emma is a Sydney based non-executive director of Clough Ltd, DUET (majority shareholder in Dampier to Bunbury), and 2 NSW government boards (Integral Energy and the Growth Centres Commission). 

She also sits on the Strategy and Resources committee for University of Western Sydney, NSW President for NAPCAN (National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) and is an Ambassador for the Guides. 

Prior to moving to Australia in late 2003, she had an executive career in the building materials, fuel distribution and energy industries. Her last executive role was as UK Managing Director for the French utility Gaz de France, managing their energy retailing operations.

Jenny Tait

Jenny is a Director and Chair of the Finance and Audit committee of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute.  She was previously the Chief Operating Officer and an executive Director of Blackmores Ltd. Jenny is a chemist by training.

Rob Thomas

Rob is the non-executive Chairman of Tower Australia and Heartware Limited and a non-executive Director of Virgin Blue Holdings Limited. He is resident in Sydney, Australia.

Rob has in excess of 30 years experience in the investment and securities industry. He was CEO and subsequently Chairman of Citigroup Australia and New Zealand, Corporate and Investment Bank from the late 1990's until his retirement in 2004 and currently acts as a consultant to Citigroup.

Don Taylor

Don is the Chairman of Graincorp Ltd and a director of Forest Enterprises Aust Ltd. He is a grain grower from Moonie, Queensland  and a Chartered Accountant with audit and taxation experience in manufacturing and heavy industry.

He is the former Executive Chairman of Grainco Australia Limited and Chairman of Carrington Cotton Corporation (previously listed). He is Chairman of the Graincorp Remuneration and Nominations Committee, the Trading Risk Management Committee, and the GrainCorp Foundation. 

Lynn Wood

Lynn is Chairman of Noni B Ltd, a Non Executive Director of GPT Funds Management Ltd, CEDA (Committee for Economic Development of Australia) and MS Australia Ltd. She is also a Member of FIRB (Foreign Investment Review Board) and a Syndicate Chairman for the CEO Institute.  

Her career in financial services began at American Express including a posting in Hong Kong as Director Sales and Marketing NE Asia responsible for card sales and marketing in Hong Kong as well as profits of the card operations in the Philippines and Taiwan. Lynn has an MA (Psychology) from the University of Sydney and an MBA from the AGSM, University of NSW. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003 for service to Australian Society through Business and Finance.