Our People
Patron
Governor of VictoriaThe Honourable Margaret Gardener AC
Committee for Melbourne’s Patron is The Honourable Margaret Gardener AC, Governor of Victoria.
Professor Margaret Gardner was the 9th and first woman President and Vice-Chancellor of Monash University from 1 September 2014 until 4 August 2023.
Prior to joining Monash, Professor Gardner was Vice-Chancellor and President of RMIT from April 2005 until August 2014. She has extensive academic experience, having held various leadership positions in Australian universities throughout her career, including at the University of Queensland and Griffith University.
She attained a first-class honours degree in Economics and a PhD from the University of Sydney. In 1988, she was a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow, spending time at MIT, Cornell and Berkley. In 2018, she was elected a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.
Professor Gardner was Chair of the Group of Eight Universities in Australia from 2020 to 2023. She was also a Director of Infrastructure Victoria from 2015 to 2023, the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) from 2015 to 2023 and Chair of CASE Asia-Pacific Regional Council from 2019 to 2023.
Professor Gardner was Chair of Universities Australia from 2017 to 2019 and Museum Victoria from 2008 to 2016 and chaired the Strategic Advisory Committee and the Expert Panel of the Office of Learning and Teaching (Federal Government Department of Education and Training). She has also been a member of various other boards and committees, including the Australian-American Fulbright Commission, the ANZAC Centenary Advisory Board and the International Education Advisory Committee, which led to the Chaney Report.
In 2007, Professor Gardner was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of service to tertiary education, particularly in the areas of university governance and gender equity, and to industrial relations in Queensland. Subsequently in January 2020, Professor Gardner was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for her eminent service to tertiary education through leadership and innovation in teaching and learning, research and financial sustainability.
Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC was inaugurated as the 30th Governor of Victoria on 9 August 2023.
Advisory Board
Team
Scott VeenkerChief Executive Officer
Prior to his recent appointment as Chief Executive of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce, Scott joined the Victorian Chamber as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the organisation’s membership services, internship program, events, marketing, training, health & safety consulting, workplace relations consulting, and the Victorian business of Apprenticeship Support Australia. He is also a Director of Workplace Assured, a separate business that the Chamber has a significant shareholding in.
Scott has more than 20 years’ experience in banking and finance, having held senior positions across multiple distribution channels with Esanda Finance and ANZ.
Scott is a Fellow of FINSIA, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), and holds a Masters in Business Administration, Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment, and a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics and Finance).
Troy WoodSenior Relationship Manager
Troy has over 15 years’ experience as a relationship manager, working in customer roles within recruitment and vocational education and training sectors. Prior to joining Committee for Melbourne, Troy managed the delivery of the Victorian government’s Skills for Growth program and the National Workforce Development Fund for two of Australia’s largest registered training organisations. In these roles, he led a team to help enterprises address their workforce development and general business needs.
Danny JacksonRelationship Manager
Danny has over 25 years of corporate experience primarily in the Travel and Tourism and Aviation sector. His expertise includes Account/Stakeholder Management, Strategy Formulation, Negotiation, Customer Service and Training. Danny is an analytical thinker with a demonstrated record of being able to develop and maintain quality relationships, ensuring favourable business outcomes for all parties. Prior to his appointment with the Committee, Danny held the role of Strategic Account Manager with Qantas Airways managing a diverse portfolio of corporate accounts on a national basis and has held roles in Travel Tech, Wholesale and Retail.
Danny has an Associate Diploma of Business and the key focus of his role as Relationship Manager is to retain and grow the Committee member base.
Alan GloverRelationship Manager
Prior to his appointment as a Relationship Manager at the Committee for Melbourne in March 2022, Alan spent the last 15 years with Etihad Airways finishing there as State Manager, Victoria & Tasmania. A very experienced Sales & Relationship Manager with a proven track record in successful sales development and mentoring sales teams to meet objectives and KPI’s.
Alan has spent 34 years in the Travel, Tourism and Aviation space and originating from Dublin Ireland, Alan moved with his family to Melbourne in 2014 to take up his role with Etihad Airways. Alan’s key focus is to build on the relationships with the existing Committee members and to grow membership.
Rebecca OverendRelationship Manager
Rebecca specialises in stakeholder management of Victoria’s Universities and TAFEs, Healthcare-providers and Victoria’s Council members.
She is a deeply passionate and compassionate people person. Her 15 years of experience working within the Australian Tertiary Education System has provided a platform for her in-depth development of meaningful relationship and stakeholder management.
Rebecca is also an experienced philanthropic fundraiser who thrives on creating transformational opportunities for disadvantaged students through her empowerment of education.
Her background in biomedical and psychological sciences enables her robust understanding and appreciation for philanthropy and business development within the health and wellness sectors.
Matt GaffneyGeneral Manager, Future Focus Group
Matt Gaffney is responsible for the Future Focus Group business leadership program conducted by Committee for Melbourne. His role includes program leadership, design and facilitation of key events, support of project teams as well as interactions with nominators of the participants from within member organisations.
In addition to running his own practice, Matt has over 20 years’ experience with leading international professional services firms.
Brett Van DuppenAdvisor, Policy & Advocacy
Brett Van Duppen provides the Committee with strategic policy development, advocacy and analysis on a wide range of issues that affect the Committee’s agenda for change. Brett is also working on the Committee’s flagship taskforce, Melbourne 4.0.
He joined us from the Whitehorse City Council and has experience in the private and government sectors.
He has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Politics from Monash University and is studying for a Master of International Business at the same university.
Jacqui deKievitProject Manager, Melbourne International Student Week
Jacqui is an experienced executive with a demonstrated history of working in not for profit and government. She brings an extensive and successful record of achievement in marketing, communications, event management, fundraising, stakeholder engagement, business planning, strategy and governance.
Jacqui has joined the Committee for Melbourne team to lead the planning for the 2024 Melbourne International Student Week.
She holds a Masters in Business (Marketing) and is a Graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course. Jacqui is also a graduate of the Future Focus Group.
Hannah KendallExecutive Assistant and Sponsorship Coordinator
Hannah is the Executive Assistant to Scott Veenker, Chief Executive of Committee for Melbourne.
With a professional background spanning over two decades in the fields of travel, tourism, aviation, and hospitality, she brings a wealth of experience to her role.
She has extensive experience in strategic planning, managing budgets, people and change, problem solving, project management and nurturing stakeholder relationships.
Laura Kerr SurahProject Manager - on maternity leave
Laura Kerr Surah is responsible for specific Committee for Melbourne projects, working closely with stakeholders on Presenting Partnerships, sponsorship and networking opportunities.
Laura joined the Committee after successfully launching the Parks Victoria CANOPY Eco Sleeper Pod pilot – an Eco-Tourism initiative developed as a key outcome of the Victorian Visitor Economy Strategy Action Plan 2016-2020.
Laura has worked in marketing and communications in both private and government sectors, including Tennis Australia, Victoria Racing Club and the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Laura studied a Bachelor of Commercial Law and Marketing and was recently appointed to the Board of Directors on the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) APAC region, a vibrant global association with thousands of members from around the world, representing many of the Global Fortune 500 companies. Laura is serving as the Partnerships Director for the APAC region.
Standing Committee
Future Economy
Prof John Dewar AO – SC Chair | Vice Chancellor, La Trobe University
Jacqui Savage – SC Deputy Chair | Founder / Director, MedCorp Technologies
Prof Bronwyn Fox | Chief Scientist, CSIRO
Sophia Grammenos | Chief of Staff, Blackmore Capital
Matthew Hibbins | Managing Partner – Melbourne, MinterEllison
Vishaal Kishore | Director – Impact, RMIT University
Peter Konidaris | Board Member, Committee for Melbourne
Michelle Loader | Managing Director, Fisher Leadership
Rohan Mead | Group Managing Director and CEO, Australian Unity
Christopher Whitefield | Executive Director, Communications, Plenary Group
Infrastructure and Sustainability
Dr Joseph Correnza – SC Chair | Principal – Member of Australasian Board and Arup University Councillor, Arup
Joseph Barbaro | Partner in Charge, Melbourne, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Sarah Browne | Executive General Manager Corporate Relations, Port of Melbourne
Alison Leighton | CEO, City of Melbourne
Patrick McCafferty | Managing Director, Yarra Valley Water
Patrick Miller | Partner – Sustainability, EY
Ishaan Nangia | Partner and CfM Director, McKinsey and Company Ltd
Nigel Pugh | General Manager Corporate Strategy, NBN Co
Michael Sewards | Co-CEO, Kinetic
Neil Stonell | Managing Partner, Grimshaw
Liveability and Urban Optimisation
Craig Shute – SC Chair | Managing Director, JLL
Julian Anderson | Director, Bates Smart
Dr Catherine Brown OAM | CEO, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust
Scott Chapman | CEO, Royal Flying Doctor Service (VIC)
Matt Cleary | Regional Director, Urbis
Mike Day | Partner, Urban Solutions VIC, Hatch Roberts Day
Genevieve Overell AM FAICD | Chair, Victoria Opera
Clive Scott AM | General Manager, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins
Geoff Ward | Group Head, Precincts, Development Victoria
Life Members
Mr George Pappas AO
Former Chancellor, Victoria University
Mr Roger Poole
Director, Roger Poole Architects
Mr Hugh Morgan AC
Principal, First Charnock Pty Ltd
Dr Janine Kirk AO
Former Chief Executive, The Prince’s Trust Australia
Mr Gary Morgan
Executive Chairman, The Roy Morgan Research Centre
Emeritus Prof. David Beanland AO
Professor Emeritus, RMIT University
Mr Jack Smorgon AO
Director, Escor Pty Ltd
Mr Bruce Teele
Life Member, Committee for Melbourne
Mr Tom Fricke AM
Executive Manager, GHD
Mrs Pamela Warrender OAM
Director, Melbourne Prize Trust
Mr David Miles AM
Life Member, Committee for Melbourne