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Kelly O'Rourke
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Chief Legal and External Affairs Officer, South32 Limited
Kelly O’Rourke was appointed to the Lead Team in November 2020 and is our Chief Legal and External Affairs Officer, with responsibility for Legal, Company Secretariat, Business Integrity, Communications, Community, Government and Sustainability Strategy.
Kelly joined South32 in 2016 as Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations. She previously worked at BHP for nine years where she held senior roles in Legal, Business Development, Mergers and Acquisitions and the Office of the Chief Executive.
Kelly has more than 20 years of experience in the mining industry across legal, commercial, business development, mergers and acquisitions, external affairs and community roles across Australia, Asia, the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa and the Americas.
Kelly holds a Bachelor of Laws (Distinction) from The University of Western Australia, a Bachelor of Commerce from Curtin University and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
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Catherine Choate
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People Advisory Partner, Ernst & Young
Ms Catherine Choate is a Partner at EY in the People Advisory Services practice. She is an experienced management consultant specialising in strategic organisational change and business transformation.
Ms Choate has spent over 18 years advising clients in the areas of operating model and organisation design/structure and organisational change management. She also focuses on the resources and government sectors.
Ms Choate holds a Bachelor of business degree and Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Curtin University of Technology, a Masters of Business Administration degree from The University of Western Australia and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
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Jane Muirsmith
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Managing Director, Lenox Hill
Jane is an accomplished digital and marketing strategist, having held several executive positions in Sydney, New York, Melbourne, Singapore and Perth. Jane Muirsmith is Managing Director of Lenox Hill, a digital strategy and advisory firm, and is a Non-Executive Director of Cedar Woods Properties Ltd (CWP), the Australian Finance Group (AFG), Water Corporation and the Telethon Kids Institute.
Jane is a member of the UWA Business School's Ambassadorial Council and a former President of the Western Australian Women's Advisory Council to the Premier.
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Dr Alec J O'Connell
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Headmaster, Scotch College
Since graduating as a teacher in 1982, Alec has worked across PK-Tertiary, including a variety of both teaching and administrative positions.
Alec commenced as the 7th Headmaster of Scotch College in June 2011 and is currently in his third contractual period. Before taking on the role of Headmaster at Scotch College, Alec was the Assistant Director at the Catholic Education Office of WA where he held the portfolio of People and Organisational Services.
In 2000 he was appointed as the foundation Head and CEO of St Columba-Kingswood Colleges at the University of Western Australia. This role involved amalgamating two separately incorporated University residential institutions into one College, now Trinity Residential College.
In 2005 he commenced at the University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) as the Executive Director, Vice Chancellery and was later invited to take on the role of Executive of Academic and Student Services.
Throughout his career Alec has held several honorary roles. He is currently the Chairperson and Director of the Association of Independent Schools in WA (AISWA), Immediate Past Chair of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools Australia WA (AHISA WA) a Director of the Independent Schools Australia (ISA), Chair of the TSH Board ( a school for hearing impaired children and clinical hearing and speech services, Chair of the Health Sciences External Advisory Board at the University of Notre Dame, and a member of the UWA Business School Ambassadorial Committee.
In recognition of professional service, Alec has received several honorary awards. He is a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators (FACE), the Australian Institute of Management FAIM), the National Association of University Colleges and Halls FNAUCHI) and a Life Member of Trinity Residential College at the University of Western Australia. He was also a recipient of the Australian College of Educators College Medal for the most outstanding WA Educator.
Academically Alec holds a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Western Australia (UWA), where he investigated the concept of Values Congruence and its effect on Organisational Commitment. He also holds a Master of Education, Bachelor of Education, Diploma of Education and Graduate Diploma of Language Studies and Diploma Royal Society of Arts (London). He has also studied at the Executive Management level at Oxford University in Marketing, and at The London School of Economics in Purpose for Profit and Social Impact, and Start-up Companies.
Alec is frequently invited to comment on matters of education significance in the media and provide several guest lectures on the topic of Leadership and Values. In 2022, along with a UWA academic, he was invited to co-author in a British Journal on the topic of Leading through a Crisis. In 2020, he also co-authored an article in the Journal of International Studies in Educational Administration v48, No2, a Journal of the Commonwealth for Educational Administration and Management.
From 2015-2019 Alec was a member of the Uniting Church Child Abuse task force charged with reviewing and implementing the outcomes from the Royal Commission into the Reporting of Child Abuse in schools.
Most of all leadership is his real passion, and to lead successfully, he believes that you must value and understand the complexity of people, be able to connect with them in a meaningful and authentic manner, and organisationally be able to clearly articulate a shared and uncomplicated vision.
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Andrew Tome
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Chief Executive Officer, Hollywood Private Hospital
Andrew works for Ramsay Health Care and is currently the CEO of Hollywood Private Hospital – Australia’s largest private hospital with 950 licensed beds and 2,500+ employees. Hollywood is also the largest hospital (public and private) in Western Australia. Andrew’s focus is on both the strategic growth opportunities for the hospital as well as managing the operational challenges within the health industry.
Andrew has gained vast commercial experience over his 25+ years in business working in private practice, property development, the mining industry and most recently, health.
Andrew worked in London, UK for 7 years working with clients in the Intellectual property space, collaboratively negotiating outcomes between big corporate and university bodies around the world.
Andrew has a Bachelor of Business (majoring in Accounting). He is also an Associate of the Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand, and a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia.
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Kathleen Bozanic
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Chief Financial Officer, IGO Limited
Kathleen has over 30 years’ experience as a finance professional including as Partner of the professional services firm, Deloitte and Chief Financial Officer/General Manager of listed and private mining and contracting companies.
Kathleen is current the Chief Financial Officer of IGO Limited and has previously held senior positions with BGC Contracting, Atlas Iron and Mt Gibson. In addition to her corporate work, Kath has been a Non-Executive Director and Chair of Audit and Risk Committees for several listed, private and government organisations and is currently a member of the board of Rugby WA.
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Sara Curtin
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Director, Gen Sustainability
Sara Curtin has over 30 years' experience in the global resource sector, working in the USA, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Sara has worked predominately in mining and oil and gas in a range of roles spanning geology, hydrogeology, environmental, health and safety, risk, sustainability, digital transformation, project and business management.
Sara is Director of Gen Sustainability, sustainability advisor business, supporting businesses to create their sustainability journey and drive generational change.
Prior to starting her own business Sara worked in oil and gas for over 18 years in a variety of roles across the value chain in exploration, development, operations, projects and Corporate. Working for many years on the exploration project in Libya, North Africa with responsibility for HSSE and Q Management. Sara’s corporate role was leading sustainability performance and reporting.
Sara worked for over 12 years in mining with the majority of that time with Western Mining Corporation (WMC) in regional and field-based roles on geological and hydrogeological projects in Australia and internationally in USA, Philippines, and Canada.
Sara did her initial degree at University of WA graduating with honours in Geology. Sara originally from the UK led a tailing investigation project in Finland that formed part of her Masters in Hydrogeology from University College London (UCL) sponsored by WMC. Sara has also completed Post Graduate Certificate in Environmental Management from Murdoch University and an Executive MBA from University of WA.
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Emma Scotney
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Non-executive Director, De Grey Mining
Emma is an experienced corporate lawyer and non-executive director with strong financial and commercial acumen who has over 25 years combined expertise in the mining, agricultural and property industries. She has extensive experience in advising on corporate, financial, governance and commercial matters, including mergers and acquisitions and equity capital markets. In addition to private practice law firm experience, Emma was legal counsel at an ASX listed global mining services company where she specialised in international supply and distribution contracts for mining tools and equipment.
Emma serves as a non-executive director for ASX 200 listed De Grey Mining Limited (ASX):DEG), Minerals 260 Limited (ASX:MI6) and is a Commissioner with the Insurance Commission of Western Australia. Emma is also a member of a private company responsible for the operation of a high performing commercial livestock and cropping enterprise.
Emma has a Bachelor of Arts and Advanced Diploma in Management (University of Western Australia), Bachelor of Laws (Hons) (Edith Cowan University) and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
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Michael Britton
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Michael Britton, Executive General Manager Business Development, Wesfarmers
Michael has experience in various strategic and corporate development roles across a range of industries including healthcare, consumer retail and the industrial sectors
Michael currently leads Business Development at Wesfarmers, which supports a number of strategic initiatives, M&A projects and portfolio management decisions across the Group.
Michael is also Chairman of Wespine Industries and previously held roles in investment banking and private equity, including at The Carlyle Group.
Michael has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia.
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Craig Cowdrey
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Craig Cowdrey, Co-founder & CEO, Sonder
Craig Cowdrey is the Co-founder and CEO of Sonder, an award-winning technology company providing safety, medical, and mental health support to over 1,000,000 employees and students across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Under Craig’s leadership, Sonder has grown from a three-person startup to a 300+ strong team, securing
hundreds of partnerships including with Woolworths, McDonald's, CBA, PwC, and Allianz Insurance.
With expertise in growth strategy, product development, business leadership, and large-scale partnerships, Craig has raised over $100 million in funding, including a Series B round led by Blackbird Ventures. His ability to scale high-growth ventures has positioned Sonder as a leader in the digital wellbeing sector.
Before co-founding Sonder, Craig’s career spanned diplomacy, law, and military service. He was a diplomat for the Australian Government, serving at the United Nations Security Council and later as First Secretary, Political & Economic Affairs in Hong Kong. He also worked as an M&A lawyer at Clayton Utz and was an Officer in the Australian Army, which included a peacekeeping deployment to the Solomon Islands.
Craig has a keen interest in the film industry, contributing as an Executive Producer on a number of projects, such as Transfusion (2023) starring Sam Worthington.
Craig holds degrees in Law, Economics, and Arts from the University of Western Australia and maintains strong connections to corporate, investment, and technology communities across Australia.
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Kate Inverarity
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Kate Inverarity , Founding Partner, Nightingale Advisors
Kate is a Founding Partner of Nightingale Advisors, a strategic communications advisory firm. Nightingale is an advisor to leaders on issues that can impact the reputation of the organisation, board or leadership team or a company’s share price.
Kate works with a broad spectrum of clients across a wide range of industries and issues. Nightingale’s clients include listed companies, private businesses, sporting organisations and not for profits. Nightingale helps organisations and their leaders at critical moments, whether that be a merger or acquisition, a change of strategy, a leadership transition, financial reporting, or an issue or crisis.
Prior to founding Nightingale, Kate worked at Brunswick, a highly respected and now global communications firm, in their London and New York offices. During her time at Brunswick, the firm worked for about 20% of the FTSE100, and advised clients across large scale M&A, financial reporting and issues and crisis.
Kate developed a keen interest in business at a young age which led her to study commerce at UWA and take up a graduate position at KPMG in Perth. She quickly realised audit was not her game and moved to London for an adventure, where she found her calling at Brunswick. Returning to Australia, Kate founded Nightingale in 2007. Kate loves what she does and feels privileged to be in a position to give frank and fearless advice when people need it most.
Kate is a member of the Council of Trinity Grammar School in Melbourne and Chairs the Governance Committee.