Governance

Mr Varghese is the former Chancellor of the University of Queensland.

His illustrious 40-year career includes roles as Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2012–2016), High Commissioner to India (2009–2012), High Commissioner to Malaysia (2000–2002), Director-General of the Office of National Assessments (2004–2009), and Senior Advisor (International) to the Prime Minister (2003–2004).  

Kirsten has more than 20 years of experience in reputation management, communications and engagement. She is respected across both public and private sectors, with established relationships across media, government, education and business.

As the Vice-President External Engagement at the University of Sydney she has executive responsibility for student recruitment, marketing, communications and media at the University as well as industry, government and cultural engagement.

Kirsten joined the University of Sydney in 2013 to transform its media and government relations functions. She then spent three years as Chief of Staff to the Vice-Chancellor, when she also chaired the University’s Crisis Management Committee during the pandemic. Prior to joining the University, Kirsten held senior positions in government and the not-for-profit sector, including at the National Heart Foundation, as Chief of Staff to a federal minister, and Deputy Director of Communications to the Premier of New South Wales.

She is currently a Director of the United States Studies Centre, Destination New South Wales, Teach for Australia and A14 Holdings, an associated entity of the University of Sydney overseeing its operations in China and Vietnam.

Kirsten holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Communication Studies and a Master of Public Policy. She is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Chief Executive Women.

The Hon. Linda Jean Burney MP, a Wiradjuri woman, was first elected to the NSW Parliament in 2003 as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Canterbury, then became Deputy Leader of the Opposition and held several shadow portfolios. She was elected the federal representative for Barton in 2016 and was appointed the Australian Minister for Indigenous Australians in 2022, becoming the first First Nations woman to serve in Federal Cabinet. Before her parliamentary career, Ms Burney worked as a teacher in Western Sydney and later served as President of the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group.

Peter Duncan AM has over 40 years’ experience in government and infrastructure, working at local, state and national levels. He has held various senior public sector roles including in local government, Premier and Cabinet Department, Transport for NSW, Primary Industries and for the Olympic Coordination Authority.

Peter has worked as Chief Executive in areas such as transport, infrastructure, forestry, parks, maritime, technology and services. He is the principal of an Advisory business and holds non-executive director and board chair roles. He is currently Chair of the Australian Rail Track Corporation, WaterNSW, and NSW Local Government Boundaries Commission, and a non-executive director of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

Peter is a National Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and a Companion of The Institution of Engineers Australia.

Amy Persson is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Social Justice and Inclusion) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Amy is a public policy specialist who has worked extensively across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors to deliver major social, economic and environmental initiatives with social impact and social justice at their heart. For the last three years Amy has overseen UTS’s government and external engagement from the Vice Chancellor’s office, and before this spent eight years in various Senior Executive roles in the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, overseeing portfolios such as child protection, Aboriginal Affairs, social and affordable housing, city shaping and public transport, intergovernmental negotiations and media and communications for the Premier.

During this time, Amy ran the NSW Government’s Behavioural Insights Unit and Office of Social Impact, trialling innovative new ways to implement public policy initiatives aimed at improving the lives of the most vulnerable people in NSW. She also ran the Cities Branch, which was critical to delivering a more joined-up approach to transport and strategic planning in NSW. Earlier on in her career, Amy was a senior political adviser to several State Government Ministers and spent time in the UK driving climate change and environment initiatives with the major environmental groups headquartered there. Amy studied Arts/Law and is passionate about driving greater equity and diversity in the higher education sector.

Joseph Rizk AM is the CEO & Managing Director of Arab Bank Australia for the past 12 years. Prior to his appointment as Managing Director, Joseph held the position of Chief Banking Officer for over five years, overseeing the retail, commercial and trade banking operations as well as its branch network, and being responsible for all revenue generating arms of the Bank.

Joseph has 48 years of corporate, commercial and international banking and finance experience along with extensive experience across the banking spectrum with the ability to generate positive results in the face of tough market conditions and in an increasingly competitive business environment. Prior to joining Arab Bank Australia, Joseph worked predominantly for the National Australia Bank in a senior executive capacity, leading and managing a series of large business units in Sydney and NSW and headed up the NAB’s NSW & ACT Property Finance Groups.

Joseph is a member of The Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD) and a fellow of The Australian Institute of Management (AIM).

Professor Michael Wesley is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Culture and Engagement) and Professor of Politics at the University of Melbourne. With extensive experience in higher education and government, Professor Wesley previously served as Dean of the College of Asia and the Pacific at the Australian National University and as Director of the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at ANU. Earlier in his career, Professor Wesley was Executive Director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy, Director of the Griffith Asia Institute at Griffith University, and Assistant Director-General for Transnational Issues at the Office of National Assessments.