Chairman and Co-Founder, Australian Advisory Board on Competitiveness
Mr Charles Kiefel AM, Chairman, The Principals Funds Management- which is a full Corporate Member of the GFCC; Distinguished Fellow of the GFCC since 2016, 2018 to 2022 Member of the Board of Trustees of the GFCC; and in November 2024, Charles was appointed as Vice Chair of the GFCC.
Since 2024, he has been the Special Strategic Counsel to the Chairman and EIG, which is based in Washington, D.C., U.S.
A full biography is available at: https://www.principalsfunds.com/
Charles is former Board Chairman for 10 years of the Military Superannuation & Benefits Board of Trustees. He was also affiliated with LSV Asset Management for 16 years. Through a business partnership with Charles, LSV established a strong presence in Australia and New Zealand. With the instrumental help of Charles, LSV developed a sizeable business in Australia and New Zealand and gathered assets of more than $10 Billion. LSV clients included major superannuation funds and corporate plans.
Deputy Chairman
The Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO, Chairman of the Asia Group, Distinguished Fellow of the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils, former Ambassador to the USA and ex Chief of Staff to former Prime Minister The Hon. John Howard AC.
A full biography is available at: https://theasiagroup.com/talent/the-hon-arthur-sinodinos-ao/
Vice-Chair
(Overseeing youth leadership initiatives; liaison with Australian universities; and medical and healthcare initiatives)
Dr Rachel Swift, Executive Director of Health Care, Asia-Pacific for Future Secure AI; Director Innovation & Enterprise Advisory Board at the University of Melbourne School of Medicine and Director, GMHBA. Rachel is a strategist and health executive with international experience in the health industry, including a decade at The Boston Consulting Group. Her work focuses on innovation and enhancing patient health outcomes. In partnership with Professor Hon Greg Hunt, Dr Swift is co-leading the Fertility Society of Australia & New Zealand review and 10-year strategic roadmap to ensure affordable access to high-quality fertility care.
Rachel completed a doctorate in Clinical Medicine at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.
Life Members
Dr Larry Marshall - Co Founder and Life Member, former CEO of CSIRO, is a scientist, technology innovator and business leader with more than 25 years’ global experience in creating new value and impact with science. He is a member of the Accelerating R&D in NSW Advisory Committee (ARDAC), a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP), the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE).
Dr Jane Wilson AO, Immediate Past Co-Chair; former Guardians of the Future Fund Board, former Director Sonic Healthcare, former Director Transurban.
Professor the Honourable Greg Hunt, former Minister for Health; Honorary Melbourne Enterprise Professor, University of Melbourne, and Chair of the Monash University Turner Institute Advisory Council.
Board Members listed alphabetically by surname
Mr Arun Abey AM, Executive Chairman, Walsh Bay Partners; Chairman, External Advisory Board, College of Business and Economics, Australian National University. Arun has had a diverse career as an academic, an entrepreneur and a leading international executive with a leading Australian wealth management organisation, IPAC. He is involved in several philanthropic activities and is the author of various international best sellers. What connects these diverse activities together is Arun’s passion for ideas that help people enjoy happier, more meaningful, and financially secure lives. He has a long-standing commitment to helping those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Arun was born in Sri Lanka to parents who were involved in the arts, culture, and journalism. His early life involved stints in Sri Lanka and Australia before his parents settled in Australia. The family was involved in cultural activities, including arranging the first dance tour of Australia by an Asian dance company, the Chitrasena Dance Company of Sri Lanka in 1963.
Dr Stella M. Barber, communications specialist with qualifications and experience as a writer (author of 24 publications), research and heritage specialist, historian, archivist, and publicity and project manager. Stella is currently Communications advisor, Principals Funds Management. In early 2020 she was awarded her Doctorate for her research into the role of women camera operators on the Woomera rocket range during the Cold War. When not writing or working in communications roles, Dr Barber takes on contract work with museums and community groups. She has written several significance assessments of major historical collections and has also been a contributing author for the Australian Dictionary of Biography, research coordinator and consultant historian on other publications, documentaries, and heritage projects; and has managed various archival collections.
Professor Russell Boyce, Chair for Intelligent Space Systems at UNSW Canberra, and Director of UNSW Canberra Space - Australia’s largest and leading space mission, research and education team. Russell has built and led teams pursuing game changing technologies across a three-decade career, firstly in hypersonics and scramjets, and now in the development of artificial-intelligence-enabled space systems. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Australian Space Agency and is Australia’s only living Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is a graduate of INSEAD’s flagship Advanced Management Program and of the AICD and is passionate about the art of strategic yet personal leadership in an increasingly complex world.
Mr Bill Calcraft, former Managing Director Allianz Capital Partners (Munich); expert in financing, acquisitions and operation of renewable energy infrastructure across Europe and Australasia; experienced investment banker with Kleinwort Benson (London) and Union Bank of Switzerland (Zurich). Represented Australia at Rugby Union and is Wallaby648 and an Oxford Blue.
Mr Mark Delaney, Chief Investment Officer and Deputy Chief Executive of AustralianSuper, acting as an advisor to the board and responsible for the strategic direction and performance of the Fund’s investment program. Mark started in the role of Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Investment Officer of AustralianSuper in 2006, when Australian Super commenced operation. Prior to this, Mark was Chief Executive of the Superannuation Trust of Australia (STA) for three years before the merger with ARF to form AustralianSuper. Before AustralianSuper, Mark worked for 14 years at National Mutual/AXA, first as an Economist and later as Senior Manager of Investment Services. He previously spent four years working as an Economist in the Federal Department of Treasury. Mark is currently a Director on the IFM Investor Advisory Board. He has a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Professor Andrew Dzurak, is an innovator and entrepreneur in the global quantum technologies ecosystem, leading teams in both industry and academia. He is CEO & Founder of Diraq, a quantum computing company employing the silicon CMOS qubits developed by his team at UNSW Sydney over the past two decades. He is also concurrently a Scientia Professor in Quantum Engineering at UNSW Sydney, an ARC Laureate Fellow and a Member of the Executive Board of the Sydney Quantum Academy. Andrew holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Cambridge (UK) and a BSc (Hons) from the University of Sydney. Prior to launching Diraq, he was the foundational Director (2007-2022) of ANFF-NSW, the NSW node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility.
Professor Michael Evan Goodsite, is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Operations and Commercialisation) at the University of Adelaide, where he also serves as Managing Director of ICP Pty Ltd., the University's equity holding company. A chartered engineer and full professor, he holds degrees in civil and environmental engineering, a PhD in environment and climate, and an MBA in global management. His international career includes leadership roles in Danish universities, as Chief Operating Officer for Regional Development for the Region of Southern Denmark, and Director of the Nordic Centre of Excellence for Strategic Adaptation Research. Formerly a U.S. military officer, he served amongst other roles, as Director of the U.S. Army’s Cyber Counterintelligence Activity (CCA). Goodsite's research focuses on sustainability, and the nexus of resources and the environment, with extensive publications across his career. He provides thought leadership and champions innovative solutions to global challenges.
Mr Ric Gros, as Managing Partner at Convergency, Ric works with Boards, Founders, and CEOs of high-potential companies and technologies to accelerate growth by aligning their technical, commercial, and capital roadmaps. His focus: turning innovation into value at speed. He has over 35 years’ experience as CEO, Chair, and Board-level leadership across startups, scale-ups, ASX-listed companies, and global operations. Ric was previously CEO of METS Ignited (Australia's national industry growth centre for resources innovation), where he led strategy and program delivery across a national innovation agenda. Earlier, he held senior roles across mining equipment, mineral processing, infrastructure, industrial B2B, and FMCG sectors.
Ms Colleen Harkin, Director, IPA Schools Program and Research Fellow, Institute of Public Affairs. Colleen has experience as a political staffer, has worked in the IT sector, in business development and project management and she owned her own award-winning small business in the development of bespoke databases and widgets for a range of international clients. She has taught across government and private schools and has worked as an education consultant in Australia and Japan. She regularly appears in a range of media broadcast and print outlets. Colleen holds a Master of Education, Bachelor of Education, Post-Graduate in High Incidence Difficulties and Diploma of Teaching.
Mr Lucas Litewka, joined the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) in 2015 as the inaugural Director of the UniSC Clinical Trials Centre. Prior to this he was the Clinical Trials Business Development Manager at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, within the research directorate where he provided centralised expertise to over a dozen decentralised clinical trial units within the hospital. As a Senior Medical Scientist, Lucas worked on a broad portfolio of clinical neurological research. Lucas is a Director and Board Member of ARCS Australia Ltd, a professional development association for people working in the development of therapeutic goods. Lucas is a member of various internal/external advisory committees focusing on strategy development, ICT Health initiatives, finance and risk management and fundraising.
Ms Sue MacLeman, has more than 30 years' experience as a pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical technology executive having held senior roles in health administration, corporate, medical, commercial, and business development.Sue has served as CEO and Board member of several ASX, AIM and NASDAQ listed companies in the healthtech sector. Her broad commercial and technical experience is underpinned by a Bachelor of Pharmacy, a Master of Laws, and a Master of Marketing. She is a member of the Commonwealth Government National Research Infrastructure Advisory Group, NSW Government Innovation and Productivity Council, Fellow and Non-Executive Director of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) and Fellow/Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).
Mr Malcolm McComas, private investor, and experienced public company director, following a prominent 30-year career in investment banking and law. Leader in the privatisation of the banking sector in the global and Australian capital markets. His current director roles, both since 2019 include Actinogen (developing innovative treatments for cognitive impairment) and Core Lithium (Mineral exploration and lithium production in NT and WA.) Previous Chairman and directorships include with Fitzroy River Corporation, Syntara, Saunders International, BCI Minerals and Consolidated Minerals. Mal has also had over 30 years’ experience in the finance sector with Morgan Grenfell, County NatWest, Citi Group, Grant Samuel, and others.
Ms Prerana Mehta, MBA, CEO The Board of the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA), former Head of Strategic Partnerships Group CSIRO, former Head of Global Growth, Business Development & Global, CSIRO, former Deputy CEO and Chief of Ecosystem Development at AustCyber, Australia’s Cyber Security Growth Network, and Minister Counsellor, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner in Singapore.
Dr Manny Pohl AM, Chairman, Chief Executive and Chief Investment Officer of EC Pohl & Co Private Wealth and ECP Asset Management. A Freeman of the City of London, served on the Council of Bond University, Distinguished Fellow GFCC, founder of Hyperion Asset Management, member of the South African delegation to the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, philanthropist and sports enthusiast with a black belt in karate.
Professor Karen Reynolds, Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor, College of Science and Engineering. Karen commenced her research career through a Masters in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford, followed by research positions in the Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics at University of Oxford and the Department of Physiology at the University of Leicester where she gained her PhD. She subsequently worked as a research associate in the Leicester Royal Infirmary before gaining a lectureship at Leicester University. In 1997, she moved to Australia where she is currently a Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor in Biomedical Engineering in the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders. Professor Reynolds is Director of the University’s Medical Device Research Institute, and leads the Medical Device Partnering Program, a national initiative supporting early-stage innovation.
Dr Sonya Sawtell-Rickson, Chief Investment Officer (CIO) Hesta Super fund (from 2017); Director, Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) (from 2019); previously, Investment Director at Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) (2007-2017); General Manager, Investment Services Q Super (2001-2006) and Manager Corporate Finance, QSuper (1999-2001). Sonya has extensive experience in investment markets, including portfolio strategy and design, and has managed exposures across both traditional and alternative asset classes.
Mr Phil Scanlan AM, Founder, Australian American Leadership Dialogue. Phil’s career spans enterprise, education, public policy, NGO entrepreneurship and diplomacy. Currently, he serves as adviser to London-based Greater Pacific Capital and New York-based P3 Global Management. Appointed the first Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) in 2003, he has served on the boards of Fulbright and Asialink and been inaugural Chairman of the Sydney Institute. Phil was educated at Oxford and Harvard and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD). He has served on the Business Council of Australia, has spent more than three decades as a Governor of the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce, chaired Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and contributed in senior staff policy roles within the state parliaments of South Australia and New South Wales.
Ms Brenda Shanahan AO, Chief Investment Officer, Chair of Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery, Director St Vincents Medical Research Foundation. Ms Shanahan has served in senior executive and board roles in Australia and overseas primarily in stockbroking, funds management and investment consulting.