The Australian Museum Trust
- Trustees
- Mr Brian Sherman, President
- Ms Cate Blanchett
- Mr David Handley
- Associate Professor Ronnie Harding
- Ms Sam Mostyn
- Dr Cindy Pan
- Michael Seyffer
- Ms Julianna Walton
Trustees
The Australian Museum Trust consists of nine trustees appointed by the Governor on the nomination of the Minister. The trustees must include at least one person who has a knowledge of, or experience in, science and at least one person who has a knowledge of, or experience in, education.
A Trustee is appointed for three years and is eligible for reappointment, but is not to hold office for four consecutive terms. The Governor may, on the nomination of the Minister, appoint a person to fill any vacancy that occurs for the remainder of the term of office of his or her predecessor and the appointment takes effect on 1 January of the following year. The President of the Trust is nominated by the Minister and the Director of the Australian Museum is Secretary to the Trust.
Brian Sherman AM (President) B Comm, CTA, SIA(Aff) is Chairman of Sonic Communications Pty Limited and Pulse International Pty Limited. He is a Director of Channel Ten and a Director of The Sherman Galleries. He is also a Director of a number of investment companies listed on the American and Canadian stock exchanges and is Chairman of Aberdeen Leaders Limited listed on the Australian stock exchange. He is a member of IIBAB which advises the NSW Government on policies for IT companies in NSW. Brian Sherman is the former Chairman and Joint Managing Director of the EquitiLink Group, was previously a Director of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) and Chairman of SOCOG's Finance Committee. He is also involved in numerous charitable projects. Brian is Director of Voiceless, the fund for Animals. He was appointed to the Australian Museum Trust as President in January 2001.
Ms Cate Blanchett is an internationally renowned actor and a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art. As of 2008, Ms Blanchett will take up the position of Co-Artistic Director and Co-CEO of the Sydney Theatre Company. Ms Blanchett is also Ambassador for the Australian Film Institute and the Australian Conservation Foundation, and is a Patron of the Sydney Film Festival and of SolarAid. She was appointed to the Trust in May 2007.
David Handley BA, LLB (University of Sydney), LLM (Kings College, University of London) is an Arts and Sports Producer. He is the founding director of Sculpture by the Sea; a director of Sculpture by the Sea Incorporated; and managing director of Bathtub Productions Pty Ltd, an arts and sports production company. He was appointed to the Trust in January 2002.
Dr Ronnie Harding BA (University of Sydney), BSc (Hons)(University of New South Wales), PhD (Zoology)(University of New South Wales) has had a lengthy career as an academic in the field of environmental studies. Dr Harding retired in late 2004 from her role as Director of the Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of New South Wales. Dr Harding is currently an Assistant Commissioner of the NSW Natural Resources Commission, Chair of the NSW Council on Environmental Education, a member of the Board of the World Wildlife Fund Australia, a member of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council and Chair of the Orica Botany Environmental Survey (Community Liaison Committee). Ronnie is a Visiting Associate Professor at the Institute of Environmental Studies at UNSW and an Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Geography and Environmental Sciences in the Faculty of Arts at Monash University. She was appointed to the Trust in January 2003.
Sam Mostyn BA, LLB, has an extensive background in law, corporate affairs, human resources and politics. She is Group Executive, Culture and Reputation, for the Insurance Australia Group (IAG), where she is primarily responsible for the embodiment of sustainable management practices within the business. Ms Mostyn also serves on the Academic Advisory Board of the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) and is on the Board of the Sydney Festival and the Centenary Institute. Previously, she was the Director of Corporate Development and Acting Human Resources Director at Cable & Wireless Optus. Prior to joining Cable & Wireless Optus, she was a senior adviser (communications) to the Prime Minister, The Hon. P J Keating. She was appointed to the Trust in January 2003.
Dr Cindy Pan MBBS, FRACGP is a doctor who works in the media. She is the author of the best selling 'Pandora's Box - lifting the lid on life's little nasties' (HarperCollins), a funny but information-packed book on health, relationships, drugs and sex. She writes regular columns on health and relationships in Body and Soul (The Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Herald Sun and Sunday Times) and Good Medicine magazines. She is best known for her appearances on television's The Panel, Beauty and the Beast, Sunrise, The Super Debates, Sex/Life, Big Brother Uncut, Test Australia: National IQ Test 2002, The Einstein Factor and the travel documentary The Ties that Bind. Dr Pan is also official Ambassador for Chinese New Year for the City of Sydney (since 2000) and Ausaid Ambassador 2003 and 2004. She was appointed to the Trust in January 2002.
Michael Seyffer B Town Planning (UNSW), AMP153 (Harvard) is Managing Director of Victory Consulting Pty. Limited, a company that provides advice on a range of urban development issues. Mr Seyffer has worked as a town planner with a number of Local Councils before moving into the development industry as a senior executive with Westfield where he was the Director responsible for Development for 10 years before moving into the International Role overseeing the Company's businesses in New Zealand, Britain and South-East Asia. He currently advises QIC on its Shopping Centre assets across Australia. Mr Seyffer has a number a rural interests and is very interested in Rural and Regional affairs. He was appointed a Trustee in May 2004.
Julianna Walton AOM, BA, LLB (University of Sydney), MTCP (University of Sydney) is a qualified lawyer and urban planner, and a non-practising Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW. Ms Walton began her career as a policy officer with the NSW Local Government and Shires Associations before moving into government as a Ministerial adviser and a consultant to government in a range of areas including legislation review, planning policy, public policy and regulatory systems. From September 1991 to September 1999, Ms Walton was a Sydney City Councillor. From September 1997 to March 2000 she served as Chairman of the Fair Trading Advisory Council and of the Property Services Advisory Council. Ms Walton is currently Harbour Projects Manager at the Sydney Harbour Foreshores Authority and was a Director of State Transit Authority until January 2004. She was appointed to the Trust in January 2000.