Board

Derek Young, Melbourne Theatre Company [AMPAG Chair]

Derek joined the AMPAG board in June 2005 and was appointed Chair the following year. He has been Chair of the Melbourne Theatre Company since May 2005 and a Board member since 1994. In 2003 Derek retired from Accenture Australia after 30 years with the firm. Prior to his retirement he was the Managing Director of Accenture Australia Ltd and the Managing Partner of Accenture’s Financial Services business in Asia. Derek is a director of a number of private companies, member of Council at RMIT University, Chair of Accenture Australia Foundation, a member of the Orcadia Foundation and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK).

John C. Conde AO, Sydney Symphony Orchestra

John joined the AMPAG board in October 2007, the same year as he was appointed Chair of Sydney Symphony. He is Chairman of AusGrid and of BUPA Australia, President of the Commonwealth Remuneration Tribunal and Chairman of Whitehaven Coal Limited and Homebush Motor Racing Authority, Advisory Board. He is a Director of DEXUS Property Group, Chairman of the Australian Olympic Committee (NSW) Fundraising Committee and a member of Bond University’s Board of Trustee Members. Positions previously held by John include: Director of BHP Billiton and Excel Coal Limited, Managing Director of Broadcast Investment Holdings Pty Limited, Director of Lumley Corporation and President of the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

Rowan Ross, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra 

Rowan was the founding Chair of AMPAG in 1999 and was reappointed to the Board in January 2008. He is Chair of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, a position he’s held since September 2006. He is an executive director of Macquarie Capital (Australia) and has more than 35 years experience in investment banking. Rowan is Chairman of Genea Limited. He was former Chairman of Sydney Dance Company.

Joan M. Sheldon AM, Queensland Ballet

Joan has been a board member of AMPAG since 2007 and is the Chair of the Queensland Ballet, having been appointed to that Board in 2005. Joan ran her own physiotherapy practice before becoming a Member of Parliament (1990 – 2004). She held a range of senior positions including Deputy Premier, Treasurer, and Minister for the Arts. From 1991 to 1998 she was Leader of the Liberal Party. Joan is a Licentiate of Trinity College, London, in speech and drama; a Fellow of both the Australian Institute of Management and the Australian Institute of Company Directors; Adjunct Professor at the Sunshine Coast University; a member of various company boards; and a former Executive in Residence at the Australian Institute of Management. Joan was appointed the Ethics and Integrity Commissioner for the Local government Association of Australia in 2011.

Ziggy Switkowski, Opera Australia 

Ziggy was appointed to the AMPAG Board in 2009, the same year he was appointed Chair of Opera Australia. He is a former Chief Executive of Telstra, Optus and Kodak (Australasia) and is currently Chairman of Suncorp and a non Executive Director of Tabcorp, Oil Search and Lynas Corporation, as well as Chancellor of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). He was also Chair of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, and is a graduate of the University of Melbourne with a PhD in nuclear physics, and a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Science.

Janet Holmes à Court AC, West Australian Symphony Orchestra 

John Irving, State Theatre Company of South Australia

Julian Knights, Sydney Dance Company

Julian joined the AMPAG board in March 2011.  Julian has been a Director of Sydney Dance Company since 2006 and Chairman since 2008.  Julian has been an Investment Banker and Fund Manager for the past 30 years.  He is a founding Partner of Ironbridge Capital, a leading Australian MBO firm.  Prior to moving to Australia in 1997, Julian worked with a number of major investment banks in London and Johannesburg.  Julian has served four terms on the Council of AVCAL (Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association) and was Chairman of AVCAL in 2008.

Geoff Willis, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra

Geoff joined the AMPAG board in 2011 and is the current Chair of Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and a Trustee of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. He is the Chairman of Colorpak Limited and Aurora Energy Pty Ltd - Tasmania’s state-owned electricity retail and distribution business. Geoff has also held the positions of Executive Chair of Tasmania’s Water & Sewerage Corporations, Chair of the Tasmanian Forest Practices Authority and Commissioner of the Tasmanian Planning Commission. Geoff holds a Bachelor of Commerce and MBA from the University of Melbourne and he attended the Stanford Executive Programme. He is a CPA, a member of the Institute of Company Directors and a Companion of the Australian Institute of Engineers. 

Susan Donnelly, Executive Director

Sue was appointed Executive Director in February 2009. She has extensive experience in arts and cultural development, health and social policy. Sue was previously Director, UNSW Foundation and has held senior management positions at Arts NSW, South East Arts (UK), Company B (Belvoir St Theatre) and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. She has consulted and lectured in arts management, served on a range of Government advisory boards and tribunals, as well as the Boards of numerous arts and community organisations. She is currently a Board Director of the Community Council for Australia, Performance Space and Critical Path.