People

Trustee since 1987, Chairman since 1994

Mr Charles 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 Alumni of Distinction Lifetime Achievement Award by the Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Melbourne.

Charles Goode is also Chairman 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.

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 2007

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 July 2021

Craig is the President of the Geelong Football Club Limited, Chair of Transurban Co Ltd, Chair-elect of the Australian Foundation Investment Co and a Governor of The Ian Potter Foundation. 

Craig served as Chief Executive Officer of Medibank from July 2016 to May 2021. Prior to joining Medibank, Craig was Group Executive Finance and Strategy of National Australia Bank (NAB) and before then was Chief Executive Officer and Country Head of Bank of America Merrill Lynch (Australia).

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

Trustee since 2013

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 provided support to professional and charitable entities by membership and chairmanship of committees and Foundations at the Victorian Bar, University Of Melbourne, Oxford University, Monivae College, Florey Neurosciences Institute, the National Gallery of Victoria and others.

Allan is Chair of the National Gallery of Australia, the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory and Grattan Institute.  
In January 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal and, in June 2016, was made an 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 International Specialist Skills and of the Williamson Community Leadership Program (now Leadership Australia), as well as 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 Australian in 2003.

Trustee since 2015

Brian Schmidt is a Laureate Fellow and Distinguished Professor at The Australian National University.Schmidt 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.

Paul commenced as CEO of The Ian Potter Cultural in March 2023.

Paul holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Law (Hons) degrees from the University of Melbourne and has extensive experience in both the commercial world and the not-for-profit sector.

Paul's experience includes practising as a corporate lawyer in Australia, Asia and the UK, including working as Chief Legal Officer & Company Secretary of Fosters' Group Limited and Treasury Wine Estates Limited. Paul has also worked in a number of executive and chief executive roles both in Australia and the United States in public and private companies. 

Prior to joining the Foundation, Paul was Chief Executive Officer of FareShare, a volunteer-led organisation engaged in the transformation of food rescue into nutritious meals for people in need.

He has also served as Chairman of the Summer Foundation, an organisation focused on stopping young people with disability from being forced into residential aged care and ensuring they have access to the support required to be in control of where, how and with whom they live.

Paul is also CEO of The Ian Potter Foundation and The George Alexander Foundation.

Louise Joel has recently taken up the role of Program Manager responsible for The Ian Potter Foundation’s Vibrant funding pillar, including The Ian Potter Cultural Trust, The Ian Potter Moving Image Commission, and the Foundation’s Arts program area.

Louise holds a Bachelor of Arts (Art History) from The University of Melbourne, a Master’s degree in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Manchester University (Singapore), and a Masters of Business Administration from The Australian Institute of Business.

For the last fifteen years, Louise has worked in various roles in the Australian and International Arts sectors and brings a wealth of knowledge to the team.

Previously, Louise has worked for private galleries, auction houses, large public museums, in the government sector, and as an independent specialist arts business consultant.

Paula has recently stepped into the role of Program Officer, responsible for supporting the Foundation's program management team, including assisting with the administration of the Cultural Trust. 

Paula holds a Bachelor of Law, with a specialization in Management, Governance and Public Affairs and a Master’s in Government and Public Policy, from Externado University of Colombia.

After relocating to Australia, Paula completed a Master of Development Studies from the University of Melbourne.

Paula has more than ten years of experience working in the academic, legal, and international sectors. Including the Colombian Administrative Supreme Court, Colombian educational institutions, the Latin American Development Bank, and Australian and International non-for-profit organisations.

Sue has worked for the Trust since 2007.  After completing a Senior Secretarial diploma in 1979, Sue was recruited by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.  She then moved on to a career within the oil industry before moving to an administration role with a small engineering company.  Sue then took a 6 year career break while living in the UK and USA, before returning to Melbourne in 2006. Sue completed a Diploma in Visual Arts in 1996 and still continues to paint/create in her spare time.

Sara joined the Trust in 2015 to primarily develop and maintain the Foundation's websites and other digital media platforms as Digital Communications Coordinator. Her background includes working in online publishing in the higher education sector and providing digital services for the academic and corporate library sectors. In late 2016 Sara took on the role of Communications Manager.

Nina Beer joined The Ian Potter Foundation in January 2019  and has recently taken up the role of Communications & Engagement Coordinator.

Nina holds a Bachelor of Communications and a Bachelor of Sociology from Swinburne University of Technology and completed an international specialisation in Arts and Culture Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands.  

Previously Nina has held various communications roles in the higher education sector. Her background includes launching a community-based art collective with the purpose of connecting early-career artists and arts professionals to facilitate opportunities to develop exhibitions, show work and gain curatorial experience.

Nicole Hunter joined the Foundation in 2019 taking on the role of Office Coordinator. For the last 14 years, Nicole has worked for a range of ethical organisations including Oxfam Australian and the Australian Conservation Foundation in a range of administration and organisational support roles.