People

Trustee since July 2021, Chair since 2024

Craig is the President of the Geelong Football Club Limited, Chairman of Transurban Co Ltd, and Chairman of the Australian Foundation Investment Company. 

Craig was formerly a Member of the Federal Government's Financial Regulator Assessment Authority, Chief Executive Officer of Medibank Private Ltd, Group Executive Finance and Strategy of National Australia Bank (NAB) and Chief Executive Officer and Country Head of Bank of America Merrill Lynch (Australia). Earlier in his career, he was Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of Goldman Sachs JBWere.

Craig is a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia and is a Chartered Accountant.

Craig is also Chair of the Board of Governors of The Ian Potter Foundation.

Trustee since 2013

Tony Burgess is Chief Executive Officer of Flagstaff Partners, an independent corporate finance advisory firm.

Mr Burgess has over 30 years of experience in corporate finance in Melbourne, London and New York and was previously Global Co-Head of Mergers and Acquisitions for Deutsche Bank AG, based in London.

Mr Burgess holds an MBA (Distinction) from Harvard Business School (1985) and a Bachelor of Commerce (First Class Honours) from the University of Melbourne (1981). He is a Director of the listed investment company, Diversified United Investment Limited, a Director of Melbourne Business School Limited, Chairman of the Melbourne Foundation for Business and Economics, a Governor of The Ian Potter Foundation and a Director of the Board of Management of the Melbourne Theatre Company.

He is a member of CPA Australia and a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.

Trustee since 2021

Prior to his appointment, Professor Byrne was the President and Principal of King’s College London, and Chairman of King’s Health Partners from 2014–2021. At King’s College, Professor Byrne established a new university mission and vision for 2029 and significantly increased the range of degrees and programmes available to students.  Professor Byrne also founded the King’s Business School and through his work and connections with industry and business, King’s College has grown its global links as well as partnerships within London.

Professor Byrne is a neuroscientist and clinician by background. He is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London and Edinburgh, the American Academy and the American Association of Neurology. 

Professor Byrne has also served on a number of Company Boards. He was a non-executive director of Cochlear Pty Ltd for almost 20 years and had served as the Chairman of the company’s Medical Science Committee, as well as on the Nomination and Technology & Innovation Committees.  He was also director of BUPA, a private healthcare insurance provider in the UK and Australia.

Professor Byrne received the AO (Officer of the Order of Australia) in 2006, the AC (Companion of the Order of Australia) in 2014 and was awarded a Knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2020. He has wide interests in the arts and has written several books of poetry. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology, Science and Engineering and an honorary fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. In 2019, he was also elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in the UK. He has honorary doctorates from the Universities of Sydney, Monash, Adelaide, Warwick and Western, Ontario and honorary professorships at Warwick, Peking University and UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.

Trustee since 2016

After completing his degrees, Alex Chernov practised as a barrister for over 30 years in commercial law and equity and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1980.

Whilst a barrister he also taught law, co-authored a legal text, was involved in law reform, acted as company inspector and chaired a number of tribunals. He became Chairman of the Victorian Bar, Vice President of the Australian Bar Association and, later, President of the Law Council of Australia and Vice President of LawAsia.

In 1997 Alex Chernov was appointed to the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria and, in the following year, to its Court of Appeal. In 2009 he was elected as Chancellor of the University of Melbourne. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2008 and a Companion of the Order in 2012.

Alex Chernov was sworn in as Victoria’s 28th Governor in April 2011 and, in September, 2014 as deputy to the Governor-General.  After completing his term Mr Chernov joined the boards of The Ian Potter Foundation, the Grattan Institute, which he chairs, and other organisations and has been involved in alternative dispute resolutions.

Trustee since 2015

Susan Crennan was appointed to the High Court of Australia in November 2005.  She had then served for almost two years as a judge on the Federal Court. Before appointment Susan Crennan was a barrister for 24 years, 14 of them as one of her Majesty’s Counsel (Queen’s Counsel). During that time she became Chair (now President) of the Victorian Bar Council, President of the Australian Bar Association and served as a Commonwealth Commissioner for Human Rights. She has been admitted as a barrister at King’s Inns Dublin and appointed as a Master of the Bench (Hon) of Gray’s Inn, London.

Following retirement from the High Court in 2015 she conducts private dispute resolution, chiefly in Victoria and New South Wales.  She has been a member and chair of several committees of the Victorian Bar and the University of Melbourne, including serving as Deputy‑Chancellor of the University.  In 2008 she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia.

Trustee since 2021

Professor Karen Day was appointed to the Foundation's Board of Governors in September 2021. Professor Day is an infectious disease epidemiologist dedicated to improving global public health.  She is a microbe hunter describing the diversity of malaria parasites globally to improve disease surveillance and control. She has extensive international experience leading field programmes in malaria-endemic areas of East, West and Southern Africa, India, Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea and South America. She is a founder of the scientific discipline of malaria genomic epidemiology.  She has a strong track record of mentoring junior scientists.  

Professor Day is also an experienced educator and academic administrator in medicine and science and has held senior leadership posts in universities in the UK, US and Australia. Highlights include being recruited to the University of Oxford in 1993 where she was soon promoted to Professor for her scholarship and leadership. She is an Emeritus Fellow of Hertford College, Oxford, having been one of the first women science “dons” at that College.  From 2004-13, Professor Day led the development of interdisciplinary global public health programs as Director of the Institute of Urban and Global Health at New York University. Most recently she has been the Dean of Science at the University of Melbourne. Her profile as a manager is a change agent, building new enterprises and restructuring to improve organizational achievement. She now continues her malaria epidemiology research at the University of Melbourne.  

Trustee since 2007

Mr Davis has many years of experience in resource management, both in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and the United Kingdom, serving more than 40 years with Rio Tinto Plc at which he held a number of managerial posts around the world, ultimately as Chief Executive from 1997 to 2000.

He also served as Chief Executive of CRA Ltd. and was the Chairman of Westpac Banking Corporation from December 2000 to March 2007.  He was previously President of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, a Trustee of Westpac Foundation and the Rio Tinto Aboriginal Foundation.  

Trustee since 2021

Professor Johnston is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Sydney, having previously held the position of Dean of Science and Professor of Marine Ecology and Ecotoxicology at UNSW Sydney. Professor Johnston's research focus is on the impact of human activities in marine ecosystems and how we can build ecological resilience. Her research is conducted in diverse field environments from Antarctica to the Great Barrier Reef and temperate Australian estuaries

A highly awarded scientist, educator and communicator, Professor Johnston was previously Pro Vice-Chancellor Research at UNSW and Director of the Sydney Harbour Research Program for the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.

She is an elected fellow of the Australian Technological Society (ATSE) and her awards include the Australian Academy of Science's inaugural Nancy Millis Medal, the Royal Society of New South Wales Clark Medal, and the Eureka Prize for Science Communication. In 2018, she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for "distinguished service to higher education, particularly to marine ecology and ecotoxicology, as an academic, researcher and administrator, and to scientific institutes."

Professor Johnston is a national advocate for the Science and Technology sector, Co-Chief Author of the Australian Government's State of Environment Report, and a Director on the Board of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.  She consults with industry through the development and implementation of new biomonitoring and ecological engineering techniques and frequently contributes expert opinion to state, federal and international agencies.

Professor Johnston is also a television presenter for the ongoing BBC/Foxtel series,Coast Australia.

Trustee since 2013

Professor Larkins has over 40 years of experience in medicine, science and higher education. Formerly Dean of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne; Vice-Chancellor & President, Monash University; and Chancellor of La Trobe University. Other roles have included Chairman of the National Health and Research Council, President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Chairman of Universities Australia.

He has also been President of the Endocrine Society of Australia, Chair of the Accreditation Committee of the Australian Medical Council, a member on two occasions of the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council, member of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Council, President of the National Stroke Foundation, and Chair of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Council.

Trustee since 2004

Allan Myers is one of His Majesty’s Counsel (King's Counsel) in all States and Territories of Australia and a barrister in England and Papua New Guinea. For 40 years, he has practised continuously as a barrister, principally in Victoria, although his professional work has led to appearances in all jurisdictions within Australia, Papua New Guinea and England. His practice has been predominantly in aspects of commercial law.  He has frequently advised in relation to transactions under the laws of other countries.

Over many years Allan has held memberships and chairmanships of committees and foundations at the Victorian Bar, University Of Melbourne, Oxford University, Monivae College, Florey Neurosciences Institute, the National Gallery of Victoria, National Gallery of Australia, and others. He was the founding Chair of the Grattan Institute. 

In January 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal and, in June 2016, was made a Commander of the Order of Australia.

Trustee since 1993

Lady [Primrose] Potter has been an active supporter of the Australian arts sector over several decades. She was Founding Honorary Patron of the Melba Foundation and Founding Patron of the Victorian Opera Company and Patron-in-Chief of The Melbourne Opera Company. She has also served as director and Victorian Chairman of the Elizabethan Theatre Trust and founding director of the Bell Shakespeare Company, and Director of the Australian Ballet School. 

In the field of Contemporary Art, Lady Potter has been Patron of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, is current Patron of The Ian Potter Museum of Art at Melbourne University, Honorary Life Member of the National Gallery Victoria and was founding benefactor of the Museum of Contemporary Art. 

Beyond the Arts, Lady Potter is a founding director of the International Specialist Skills Institute and of the Williamson Community Leadership Program (now Leadership Australia), as well as a Fellow of the Institute of Directors. 

Lady Potter was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia for her contribution to the community in 1988, followed by a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2003.

Trustee since 2015

Professor Brian Schmidt is a Laureate Fellow and Distinguished Professor at The Australian National University. He received undergraduate degrees in Astronomy and Physics from the University of Arizona in 1989 and completed his Astronomy Master's degree (1992) and PhD (1993) from Harvard University.

Under his leadership, in 1998, the HighZ Supernova Search team made the startling discovery that the expansion rate of the Universe is accelerating, work that earned him the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics.   Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, The United States Academy of Science, and the Royal Society, he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2013.

He was previously Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University from 2016 to 2023.

Trustee 1993-2024, Chairman 1994-2024

Mr Charles Goode AC assumed the role of Chairman in 1994, retiring in April 2024. 

Mr Goode is the Chairman of the Australian United Investment Company Ltd, Diversified United Investment Ltd, and Flagstaff Partners. In February 2010, he retired as Chairman of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group; in July 2007, as Chairman of Woodside Petroleum Ltd after serving as a director for 19 years and as Chairman for 8 years.

Mr Goode was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in June 2001. In May 2003, he was a recipient of The Centenary Medal. He received the Melbourne Business School Award for 2006 and at the MBS Annual Alumni Dinner, there is a Charles Goode Oration. He has been honoured as a Life Member of the National Gallery of Victoria, a Member of Foodbank Australia's Hall of Fame, and a Life Member of Philanthropy Australia. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and received the A.I.C.D (Victorian Division) Distinguished Fellow Award for 2010 and in 2012 was given the Alumni of Distinction Lifetime Achievement Award by the Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Melbourne.