News

Derwent Movers and Shakers In Healthcare

July 22, 2020

2020 has been an interesting and undeniably testing year, however, Derwent’s Healthcare Practice remains busy and buoyant. In the first half of this year, we’ve worked with a broad base of healthcare clients and executive talent and there are strong indications of continuing positivity in the second half of the year. What follows is a summary of some of the exciting mandates that Derwent’s Healthcare Practice has been privileged to partner on in 2020.

Ms Brenda Ainsworth has been appointed as Chief Executive of The Skin Hospital, a leading centre of excellence in Australia for dermatological clinical services, education, research & clinical trials. Brenda spent the last eight years with Calvary Health Care as their National Director of Hospitals with responsibility for 11 Private and 4 Public Hospitals.

 Mr Paul Darcy has commenced as the new General Manager for St George Hospital, part of South Eastern Sydney LHD. Paul brings a valuable range of corporate and clinical leadership skills and experience developed throughout his career, spanning both the public and private hospital settings.

 Mr Martin Canova has joined NSW Health Pathology as Director of Strategy and Transformation. Martin brings a wealth of skills from his clinical leadership roles within health, as well as valuable experience from transport and professional services.

 Prof Amanda Johnson joins the University of Newcastle as their new Dean and Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery. Previously Amanda was the Head of School, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Paramedicine at the Australian Catholic University following several years in leadership roles with Western Sydney University.

 Ms Deborah Thomas has joined Camp Quality, one of Australia’s most highly regarded kids’ cancer support charities, as their new CEO. As well as managing some of Australia’s most popular magazine brands, including The Australian Women’s Weekly, where she was Editor-in-Chief for nine years, Deborah has spent her career working with purpose-driven organisations such as Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Royal Hospital for Women Foundation, Father Chris Riley’s Youth off the Streets and is a founding patron of the Taronga Conservation Foundation.

 Mr Umit Agis has been appointed as Chief Executive, Far West Local Health District, NSW. Umit is an experienced healthcare leader across multiple jurisdictions and was most recently Director of Strategy and Clinical Operations, Country Health South Australia, and prior to that was the Group General Manager for Tasmanian Health.

 Ms Margaret Bennett has commenced as Chief Executive, Southern NSW Local Health District. Prior to this role, Margaret was the CEO of Northeast Health Wangaratta in Victoria. Margaret brings an extensive background in regional and rural health leadership across three states, combined with strong clinical and community health management experience.

 Ms Sue Shilbury has joined Uniting as their Director of Children, Youth, and Family division. Sue was previously CEO of Austin Health in Melbourne and brings an impressive track record of clinical and executive leadership across a range of settings in both Australia and the UK.

 Dr Marianne Gale has joined South East Sydney Local Health District as Director of Population and Community Health. Marianne is a Public Health Physician with most recent experience as Medical Advisor to the Chief Health Officer, NSW Health. Marianne brings strong national and international experience to the role, having worked in several jurisdictions and spent 5 years as a Field Doctor and Medical Advisor with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

 Mr Abbas Alibhai has joined Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District as their Director of Finance. Abbas brings a fresh perspective to this role, having spent his earlier career working within the international automotive and energy sectors before moving into aged care, and now his first move into public health.

 Mr Miguel Diaz joined Parkinson’s Queensland as Chief Executive Officer. Miguel has a varied background across the performing arts, professional services, corporate, NFP, and government sectors.

 Ms Sue Channon joined Evolution Healthcare as their new Chief Executive. She has spent more than 20 years in chief executive roles and was Group Chief Executive at Virtus from 2010 until earlier this year. Sue has a reputation as a decisive and impactful leader whose leadership is underpinned by deep clinical knowledge, particularly within fertility, hospitals, diagnostics, and pathology.

 Ms Louise O’Connor became Chief of Health Operations at Cabrini Health in April, taking on the role previously held by Sue Williams prior to her appointment as CEO. Previously she held the role of Executive Director - Epworth Eastern Private Hospital for six years. Louise brings with her a strong track record in innovation, clinical safety, patient outcomes and experience, staff engagement, and leading hospitals in the provision of excellence.

Director of Neonatal Medicine at The Royal Children's Hospital, and Co-Director of Neonatal Research at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute,  Professor Rod Hunt  has accepted a position with Monash University as the Financial Markets Foundation Chair in Neonatal Paediatrics. Simultaneously, he takes up a paediatric consulting role with Monash Newborn at Monash Health. Rod is a senior clinical academic researcher and will be responsible for developing a research program that is fully integrated across the clinical service and the University’s research platforms.

 Dr Philippa Hawkings recently took up a role as Director Medical Services at Alfred Health. She joins the Alfred Health CMO office following nearly two years as Chief Medical Officer at Latrobe Regional Hospital. Philippa’s role focuses upon the Governance portfolio including safety & quality leadership and advice, and the oversight of Legal Support Services.

 Ms Susan Wardle was appointed as Executive Director, Strategy & Partnerships at Western Health in January 2020. She leads the new Directorate of Strategy and Partnerships and is an experienced transformation specialist who fosters creativity and innovation. Prior to this, Susan was Executive General Manager Partnerships at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and spent 10 years at Epworth Healthcare.

Joining Susan Wardle at Western Health,  Ms Charlotte Veldhoen – vd Avoort  became Director of Strategy and Service Planning in June. Previously, Charlotte was an Associate Director at KPMG Australia. Charlotte has extensive healthcare transformation experience derived across the Netherlands, the U.K., and Australia.

 Mr Lindon Le Griffon joined Japara Healthcare in February as their Chief Operations Officer. Lindon has had a long and varied career working in senior operational management roles in both the Australian and U.K. Aged Care sectors. He brings a track record of delivering exceptional business outcomes and has deep experience in understanding consumers, and using that insight to drive best practice outcomes.

Camp Quality has just announced  Ms Sandie Hall  as their new Head of Revenue. Reporting to CEO, Deborah Thomas, from September, Sandie will be responsible for building CQ’s brand awareness, expanding and diversifying their donor and partnership base/pipeline thus enabling greater mission impact. Sandie leaves behind her role as Associate Director, Philanthropy at RMIT.

 Ms Sue McKee took up her role as CEO of Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) in January. Starting her career as a Registered Nurse, Sue progressed to the roles of Nursing Director, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive of several public, NFP, and privately-owned organisations. Most recently, Sue held the roles of Chief Value Officer and Executive Director Value-Based Health Care Implementation at DHSV.

 Mr Steve Symes has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Device Technologies. Steve offers an impressive background with most recent experience as VP Operations & Logistics for Stryker and prior experience with American Express.

 Mr Karl Pechmann has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Oncosil Medical. Karl will work with the organisation through the next stages of its commercialisation. Karl offers a strong finance background in emerging technologies.

 Mr Anthony Chambers has joined Nexus Day Hospitals as Chief Medical Director. Anthony is a senior surgical oncologist specialising in surgery for breast cancer, melanoma, sarcoma, and soft tissue tumours, and endocrine surgery, and works in both the public and private healthcare sectors.

 Mr Colin La Galia has been appointed to the role of CEO at Epichem and Director on the Epichem Board. Formerly the Regional Business Director and Commercial Head of Asia Pacific, China, and Japan for Abbott Rapid Diagnostics in Toxicology, Colin has also held senior leadership roles for Alere Inc, Origin Healthcare, Hollywood Fertility Centre, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck Sharpe & Dohme.

 Mr Ben Howat has joined the private equity backed Smart Clinics business as Chief Operating Officer. Ben offers a strong operational background in multi-site settings including Healius.

 Ms Kim Brooklyn took up her role as the CEO of Parkerville Children and Youth Care (WA), a long established and highly regarded leader of integrated care and advocacy for vulnerable children, youth, and their families. Kim is a clinical psychologist who’s early career working with indigenous clients has led her to a career in operational and executive roles.

 Mr David Sharpham was appointed as the General Manager Technology and Transformation for the Bethanie Group in June 2020. Highly credentialled within the corporate finance sector, including three years as Bankwest’s Executive Manager Strategy, David has returned to Perth for this role after recent positions within disability and community services have ignited his passion for the NFP sector.

 Mr Jason Smith has joined Intelife as the General Manager Commercial Services. Jason brings his considerable business development and senior management experience from time at LafargeHolcim, Vinidex, and Georg Fischer to this key role for Intelife. As a leading disabilities service provider, Intelife’s Commercial Services deliver a wide range of facilities services to Local Authorities, State Government agencies, and private organisations.

 Mr Max Clarke was announced as HIF’s Executive Manager Member Experiences in April 2020. Max has extensive experience in leading large customer focused teams to deliver outstanding results for customers across the finance and insurance sectors. Recent leadership roles have included Chief Operating Officer Retail Bank and GM Contact Centres and Operations for Bankwest.

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Pathway to the Boardroom – Brisbane, October 2026

By Michelle Gardiner • October 26, 2026
A board career is a fantastic one for those who love strategy and working across a range of sectors and settings, but the mental load shouldn’t be underestimated. Senior executives gathered in Brisbane earlier this month for our latest Pathway to the Boardroom event, where we were joined by Craig Manson and Jo Willoughby . We returned to some of the ground covered at our recent events from a different angle, and further explored the risks facing directors, different board settings and the realities of the role. Seven themes stood out. The first few board roles take time The move into the boardroom is situational and can follow a career crossroads. A board opportunity presenting soon after leaving an executive role can be taken as a sign that the timing is right. It can also be driven by realising the demands of executive life no longer suit you and choosing to pivot your career into the boardroom. Getting your first few board roles can take a long time, and your decisions need to be made purposefully. You should be prepared for a long journey and ready to stay open and curious. Caution matters too when considering opportunities: risk profiles need to be aligned, and the unintended consequences of an opportunity need to be thought through. It is important to be in a position to sustain yourself financially while your portfolio builds. Is a not-for-profit a good way to start? One perspective is that not-for-profit boards are a poor starting point given they tend to carry higher risk profiles and can lack the resources to protect their directors. Advisory boards can be a better pathway, and you can contribute expertise without being responsible for big decisions. Another view is that a not-for-profit is the easiest way to begin. It gives you clarity on your own risk appetite, a good grounding in governance, and informs your view on building your portfolio. However, not-for-profit boards will not necessarily help you get your first commercial board role. Understanding your value proposition Be clear about where you can add value from a governance perspective and just as clear about where you cannot add value. Your value proposition changes over time, so revisit it regularly and keep a focused perspective on what you can credibly deliver. The same discipline applies to the board resume, which is different to an executive resume: short, sharp and specific, and not written through an executive leadership lens. Show how your core executive competencies translate into a board governance role and keep updating it as your value proposition evolves. Know the board before you join it Due diligence before joining a board means looking at past board minutes, reports, the organisation’s financials, and using informal networks to reference and gather information on the company. It also means meeting with past directors and the management team, and gathering intelligence from other people in the organisation. A listed environment is intense and subject to high scrutiny. Going through a listing can be taxing on executive teams, and as a director you spend substantial time on compliance. There are continuous disclosure requirements, and the stakeholder gaze is constant. Government boards are also high scrutiny with a lot of reporting, though the personal accountability differs. Your obligations as a director don’t change, it is just a different cadence in a listed environment. In private organisations, you get slightly closer to the organisation with more hands-on involvement than in listed environments. Founder-led organisations are different again. No two founders are the same, and you need to be clear on your own risk appetite, as you are taking on legal risk as well as personal and professional risk. It is important to understand upfront the founders’ motivations and alignment to the business, as once a founder takes money from investors it is no longer solely their business. Go in with your eyes open and be prepared for what comes next. Whatever the organisation, you need to enjoy what you are doing and understand whether you and the organisation can deliver the expected outcomes, and the investment case you will be held accountable for. Being able to ask the right questions is key There is constant change with emerging technology and AI, and boards need to think about how to engage with the different technology skillsets. You are expected to know about AI, data, and how to protect an organisation against cyber threats, so being an educated generalist on these matters who knows enough to ask the right questions is key. That means continuing to upskill for as long as you are on a board. Boards also need transformation and change capability, which comes from directors who have run organisations, can work through ambiguity and change cycles, know their customers and can bring the customer voice to the boardroom. Directors must be able to read and interrogate financial statements to ask the right questions. Behavioural skills are harder to assess. Humility and integrity are important, as is the ability to build connection with other directors: being collegial, open-minded and emotionally intelligent. Good directors have firm opinions but are open to feedback and ultimately changing their opinion. The dynamic and effectiveness of the board are crucial, and the culture around a board table must be right. An effective Chair is crucial to a board’s success The relationship between the Chair and the Chief Executive Officer is critical. A Chair who understands what it is like to be a Chief Executive Officer can make a great mentor. A good Chair is curious, is motivated by wanting to build a great team, and is a unifier and driver who asks the right questions. How a Chair manages differences of opinion and robust conversations is critical to the success of the board. A good Chair is always a step ahead when it comes to succession planning. It should always be top of mind, because thinking about where the next generation of leaders will come from matters for the sustainability of the organisation. The job is always on You are always on call, and you never know what will come up next. You have to be accessible and prepared to be available whenever you are needed, and the mental load is real. You’re not in it for the money; you do it for the love of the work. For those who enjoy strategy and working with organisations to help them make better decisions, it can be very rewarding. _________________________________________________________________________ The conversation on what it means to be board ready continues, and Brisbane added the question of fit: which type of board setting suits the risk a director is willing to carry, and what the role will ask of them once they are on it. Our thanks to Michelle Gardiner , Managing Partner – Board practice at Derwent, for hosting the morning, and to Jo and Craig for sharing their experience with such practicality and honesty. Continue the conversation For further insights or to explore how Derwent can support your organisation's approach to board composition and succession, connect with our team at brisbane@derwentsearch.com.au . To register your interest in future Derwent events, please reach out to us at events@derwentsearch.com.au .

Pathway to the Boardroom – Sydney, September 2026

By Michelle Gardiner • October 12, 2026
Senior executives gathered in Sydney last month for our Pathway to the Boardroom event, a programme now in its second decade of helping executives become board ready. We were privileged to be joined by Jacqueline Chow and Sylvia Wiggins who discussed what the transition from executive life to the boardroom actually involves and what it demands once you're there. Six themes stood out. The path looks different for everyone. The journey to becoming a Non Executive Director is individual and varied. For some, it starts with the realisation that they can create more impact in the boardroom than as an executive leader. Often this comes with a preference for the breadth of a board role, over the narrower focus of life as an executive. For others, it follows an event that prompts a deliberate rethink of their career. Not every board is going to be right for you. One thing some directors wish they had known at the beginning of their journey is that not every board is the right fit for you personally. The pathway involves a lot of rejection, and it takes maturity to reflect on what you have to offer as well as personal interest. Boards appoint based on what the organisation needs, so a rejection reflects a decision made in the board's interest rather than a judgement on the individual. It's also important to do due diligence on boards before joining. Non negotiables for joining a board include hygiene issues such as financials and legal but testing the people and culture of a board is imperative, this includes checking who among your own network has already worked with people on that board. Board culture reflects both an ability to vigorously debate ideas and a commitment to board solidarity to make a collective decision. A successful board is comfortable with both. The skillset is different. Skills that serve well in an executive career don't automatically transfer to the boardroom. Early on, a new director may be eager and want to ask lots of questions, but in a boardroom, what adds the most value is listening and adding a considered perspective. At a board meeting some of the most impactful directors can often sit quietly for most of a board meeting and make one well-judged contribution that makes a pivotal difference to the decisions made. The mindset shift matters too, in the executive world, a role carries responsibility for a function, but board directors are accountable for the whole organisation, which includes identifying contradictions, such as a growth target that conflicts with the risk appetite. Board composition expectations are shifting. The skills matrix is evolving. Finance, legal, governance and industry expertise remain core, but emerging skills such as cyber, work health and safety, and AI, once viewed as a specialty sitting with one expert board member, are now shifting to an expectation that all board members must understand. Directors need to be diligent about upskilling, particularly in AI, which is changing how organisations do business. Behavioural attributes matter just as much as technical capability: relentless curiosity to understand what is happening in the organisation, the confidence to change your mind and be challenged in your thinking, and a collaborative style comfortable with viewing the board as a collective that gains from the diversity of everyone in the room. Succession planning must be continuous. Boards need to discuss succession planning continuously to ensure it is orderly and timely, whether in response to volatility in the world, or externalities that require a transformational pivot. This includes carefully considering the timing of bringing on a new director. Chief Executive Officer succession is a particular challenge, requiring a balance between people feeling safe in their roles and the reality that a CEO who is well regarded today may not continue to be the right person for the organisation in a fast changing environment. The importance of building strong relationships can't be underestimated Trust is the foundation of a well-functioning board. In a crisis, directors rely on colleagues who will commit time and energy to resolving the problem as a team, and who can be counted on to ask the hard questions. That confidence has to be built well before it is needed. Because board members typically meet once a month or less often, relationships need deliberate attention, such as volunteering for a committee together, suggesting a webinar or inviting a fellow director for a coffee. _________________________________________________________________________ Our thanks to Michelle Gardiner , Managing Partner at Derwent, for hosting the morning, and to Jacqueline and Sylvia for such generous, practical insight into the realities of board life. Continue the conversation For further insights or to explore how Derwent can support your organisation's approach to board composition and succession, connect with our team at sydney@derwentsearch.com.au . To register your interest in future Derwent events, please reach out to us at events@derwentsearch.com.au .

AI & The People – Perth, September 2026

By Lindsay Every • September 23, 2026
By most measures, this is the fastest adoption of a transformative technology in human history, and the pace itself, more than the tools, is what's testing leaders right now. The question we explored at our AI & The People event in Perth last week wasn't whether to engage with AI, it was how quickly leaders could learn to work through the ambiguity it creates – adapting their leadership style and their team's dynamics on the move, without the luxury of mastering every technical detail first. A shift which asked a lot more of leaders than most changes they've led before. We were lucky to have both Peter Tonagh , Executive Chair at Quantium, and Jacky Connolly , Chief People Officer at CBH Group, join the conversation. Five key themes stood out. The energy is there. The paradox is what happens next. Most people aren't resistant to AI, they're cautious, and the caution has more to do with job security than the technology itself. Some roles changed materially enough to bring the challenge of redeployment. For most people though, roles simply changed shape, and the job for leaders is to harness that energy rather than manage it down. Underneath that sits a harder problem. The productivity paradox. Individuals are getting faster and better at their jobs with AI, but those personal gains rarely show up as enterprise level returns. Team members without proper support will find their own workaround – bringing in their own unsanctioned tools or leaving for an organisation who gives them a better one – so the case for organisations investing properly is not really a choice. Lead it from the top. Guard it just as fast. This is an organisational problem before it's a technology one. Business models are set by leaders, not technologists, and senior people being visibly comfortable using the tools is what gives everyone else permission to engage with them. The common myth is that graduate roles are most at risk, however the real risk sits with middle management – executives will become more productive and carry more direct reports, resulting in fewer layers in between. Guardrails need to be set fast rather than perfected in advance, particularly around the risk of losing intellectual property. Starting with a small set of approved tools, and expanding as trust builds, is better than waiting for a comprehensive policy before allowing any use at all. Boards need to be brought in early too, so they understand their own obligations from the start rather than being briefed after the fact. AI tools tend to agree too readily. Adjusting the settings to instruct the tool to push back and challenge assumptions, instead of defaulting to agreement, was raised as a small fix that can help improve decision quality. Bring the whole workforce. Not just the office. AI tools in organisations work when technology and people are treated as one problem. Leaders need to understand the tools well enough to drive change through them, rather than leaving it to IT alone. Frontline and operational team members matter just as much as corporate functions: practical wins like rostering and attendance carry real weight, and leaving teams behind undermines the case for AI everywhere else in the business. There is also a real shift reshaping recruitment. Hiring is moving away from purely skills-based selection towards attributes: curiosity, critical thinking, persistence, agility, and optimism. It's a genuine move back toward classical study, backed by heavier investment in structured training to bring people onto the same page. Claim the gain. Then change how you measure people. The strongest examples of AI delivering enterprise value tend to be simple and specific – one tool that is purposefully built and applied across the organisation, is better than everyone building their own individual version of the same thing. But individual productivity gains don’t redirect themselves. Organisations need to actively claim the time being freed up and decide what it's used for, rather than leaving the decision to individuals. That same discipline needs to extend to how performance is measured. Early adopters should be rewarded for bringing others along and sharing what they’ve learned, not just for their own output. A cost-out mentality, or pitting people against each other, will corrode culture quickly. Redesign the work. Don’t just hand out the toolkit. The most common mistake organisations make is retooling an existing process rather than redesigning the work itself. Give someone an AI tool without rethinking their role, and the result is usually chaos, not efficiency. The real gains come from pairing someone who understands the AI tools with someone who deeply understands the work, then letting them rebuild roles and workflows together from first principles. New competitors are already emerging built exactly this way – a key consideration for any organisations still only automating. One example was given of a leader building a personal "digital twin", an AI trained specifically on their tone, feedback style, and decision-making patterns. It was developed over approximately 200 hours, though the benefit was felt within the first couple of hours of use. Six leadership principles had already been documented; the AI was then used to interview and draw out roughly 30 more. The tool is now used for communications, coaching a wider team, and personally – including when weighing a difficult decision while tired. The organisations that get this right won't be the ones with the best AI. They'll be the ones whose leaders go first – closing the gap between individual and enterprise gains, setting guardrails fast, bringing the whole workforce with them, and redesigning the work rather than just the toolkit. _________________________________________________________________________ Our thanks to Lindsay Every , Group Managing Partner at Derwent, for hosting the morning, and to Peter and Jacky for such generous, on-the-ground insight into what AI adoption looks like. A special thanks to Julie Colvin , Managing Partner – Perth, and our Perth team for their support in bringing this event to life. Continue the conversation For further insights or to explore how Derwent can support your organisation's approach to AI and workforce transformation, connect with our team at perth@derwentsearch.com.au To register your interest in future Derwent events, please reach out to us at events@derwentsearch.com.au .
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Pathway to the Boardroom – Brisbane, October 2026

By Michelle Gardiner • October 26, 2026
A board career is a fantastic one for those who love strategy and working across a range of sectors and settings, but the mental load shouldn’t be underestimated. Senior executives gathered in Brisbane earlier this month for our latest Pathway to the Boardroom event, where we were joined by Craig Manson and Jo Willoughby . We returned to some of the ground covered at our recent events from a different angle, and further explored the risks facing directors, different board settings and the realities of the role. Seven themes stood out. The first few board roles take time The move into the boardroom is situational and can follow a career crossroads. A board opportunity presenting soon after leaving an executive role can be taken as a sign that the timing is right. It can also be driven by realising the demands of executive life no longer suit you and choosing to pivot your career into the boardroom. Getting your first few board roles can take a long time, and your decisions need to be made purposefully. You should be prepared for a long journey and ready to stay open and curious. Caution matters too when considering opportunities: risk profiles need to be aligned, and the unintended consequences of an opportunity need to be thought through. It is important to be in a position to sustain yourself financially while your portfolio builds. Is a not-for-profit a good way to start? One perspective is that not-for-profit boards are a poor starting point given they tend to carry higher risk profiles and can lack the resources to protect their directors. Advisory boards can be a better pathway, and you can contribute expertise without being responsible for big decisions. Another view is that a not-for-profit is the easiest way to begin. It gives you clarity on your own risk appetite, a good grounding in governance, and informs your view on building your portfolio. However, not-for-profit boards will not necessarily help you get your first commercial board role. Understanding your value proposition Be clear about where you can add value from a governance perspective and just as clear about where you cannot add value. Your value proposition changes over time, so revisit it regularly and keep a focused perspective on what you can credibly deliver. The same discipline applies to the board resume, which is different to an executive resume: short, sharp and specific, and not written through an executive leadership lens. Show how your core executive competencies translate into a board governance role and keep updating it as your value proposition evolves. Know the board before you join it Due diligence before joining a board means looking at past board minutes, reports, the organisation’s financials, and using informal networks to reference and gather information on the company. It also means meeting with past directors and the management team, and gathering intelligence from other people in the organisation. A listed environment is intense and subject to high scrutiny. Going through a listing can be taxing on executive teams, and as a director you spend substantial time on compliance. There are continuous disclosure requirements, and the stakeholder gaze is constant. Government boards are also high scrutiny with a lot of reporting, though the personal accountability differs. Your obligations as a director don’t change, it is just a different cadence in a listed environment. In private organisations, you get slightly closer to the organisation with more hands-on involvement than in listed environments. Founder-led organisations are different again. No two founders are the same, and you need to be clear on your own risk appetite, as you are taking on legal risk as well as personal and professional risk. It is important to understand upfront the founders’ motivations and alignment to the business, as once a founder takes money from investors it is no longer solely their business. Go in with your eyes open and be prepared for what comes next. Whatever the organisation, you need to enjoy what you are doing and understand whether you and the organisation can deliver the expected outcomes, and the investment case you will be held accountable for. Being able to ask the right questions is key There is constant change with emerging technology and AI, and boards need to think about how to engage with the different technology skillsets. You are expected to know about AI, data, and how to protect an organisation against cyber threats, so being an educated generalist on these matters who knows enough to ask the right questions is key. That means continuing to upskill for as long as you are on a board. Boards also need transformation and change capability, which comes from directors who have run organisations, can work through ambiguity and change cycles, know their customers and can bring the customer voice to the boardroom. Directors must be able to read and interrogate financial statements to ask the right questions. Behavioural skills are harder to assess. Humility and integrity are important, as is the ability to build connection with other directors: being collegial, open-minded and emotionally intelligent. Good directors have firm opinions but are open to feedback and ultimately changing their opinion. The dynamic and effectiveness of the board are crucial, and the culture around a board table must be right. An effective Chair is crucial to a board’s success The relationship between the Chair and the Chief Executive Officer is critical. A Chair who understands what it is like to be a Chief Executive Officer can make a great mentor. A good Chair is curious, is motivated by wanting to build a great team, and is a unifier and driver who asks the right questions. How a Chair manages differences of opinion and robust conversations is critical to the success of the board. A good Chair is always a step ahead when it comes to succession planning. It should always be top of mind, because thinking about where the next generation of leaders will come from matters for the sustainability of the organisation. The job is always on You are always on call, and you never know what will come up next. You have to be accessible and prepared to be available whenever you are needed, and the mental load is real. You’re not in it for the money; you do it for the love of the work. For those who enjoy strategy and working with organisations to help them make better decisions, it can be very rewarding. _________________________________________________________________________ The conversation on what it means to be board ready continues, and Brisbane added the question of fit: which type of board setting suits the risk a director is willing to carry, and what the role will ask of them once they are on it. Our thanks to Michelle Gardiner , Managing Partner – Board practice at Derwent, for hosting the morning, and to Jo and Craig for sharing their experience with such practicality and honesty. Continue the conversation For further insights or to explore how Derwent can support your organisation's approach to board composition and succession, connect with our team at brisbane@derwentsearch.com.au . To register your interest in future Derwent events, please reach out to us at events@derwentsearch.com.au .

Pathway to the Boardroom – Sydney, September 2026

By Michelle Gardiner • October 12, 2026
Senior executives gathered in Sydney last month for our Pathway to the Boardroom event, a programme now in its second decade of helping executives become board ready. We were privileged to be joined by Jacqueline Chow and Sylvia Wiggins who discussed what the transition from executive life to the boardroom actually involves and what it demands once you're there. Six themes stood out. The path looks different for everyone. The journey to becoming a Non Executive Director is individual and varied. For some, it starts with the realisation that they can create more impact in the boardroom than as an executive leader. Often this comes with a preference for the breadth of a board role, over the narrower focus of life as an executive. For others, it follows an event that prompts a deliberate rethink of their career. Not every board is going to be right for you. One thing some directors wish they had known at the beginning of their journey is that not every board is the right fit for you personally. The pathway involves a lot of rejection, and it takes maturity to reflect on what you have to offer as well as personal interest. Boards appoint based on what the organisation needs, so a rejection reflects a decision made in the board's interest rather than a judgement on the individual. It's also important to do due diligence on boards before joining. Non negotiables for joining a board include hygiene issues such as financials and legal but testing the people and culture of a board is imperative, this includes checking who among your own network has already worked with people on that board. Board culture reflects both an ability to vigorously debate ideas and a commitment to board solidarity to make a collective decision. A successful board is comfortable with both. The skillset is different. Skills that serve well in an executive career don't automatically transfer to the boardroom. Early on, a new director may be eager and want to ask lots of questions, but in a boardroom, what adds the most value is listening and adding a considered perspective. At a board meeting some of the most impactful directors can often sit quietly for most of a board meeting and make one well-judged contribution that makes a pivotal difference to the decisions made. The mindset shift matters too, in the executive world, a role carries responsibility for a function, but board directors are accountable for the whole organisation, which includes identifying contradictions, such as a growth target that conflicts with the risk appetite. Board composition expectations are shifting. The skills matrix is evolving. Finance, legal, governance and industry expertise remain core, but emerging skills such as cyber, work health and safety, and AI, once viewed as a specialty sitting with one expert board member, are now shifting to an expectation that all board members must understand. Directors need to be diligent about upskilling, particularly in AI, which is changing how organisations do business. Behavioural attributes matter just as much as technical capability: relentless curiosity to understand what is happening in the organisation, the confidence to change your mind and be challenged in your thinking, and a collaborative style comfortable with viewing the board as a collective that gains from the diversity of everyone in the room. Succession planning must be continuous. Boards need to discuss succession planning continuously to ensure it is orderly and timely, whether in response to volatility in the world, or externalities that require a transformational pivot. This includes carefully considering the timing of bringing on a new director. Chief Executive Officer succession is a particular challenge, requiring a balance between people feeling safe in their roles and the reality that a CEO who is well regarded today may not continue to be the right person for the organisation in a fast changing environment. The importance of building strong relationships can't be underestimated Trust is the foundation of a well-functioning board. In a crisis, directors rely on colleagues who will commit time and energy to resolving the problem as a team, and who can be counted on to ask the hard questions. That confidence has to be built well before it is needed. Because board members typically meet once a month or less often, relationships need deliberate attention, such as volunteering for a committee together, suggesting a webinar or inviting a fellow director for a coffee. _________________________________________________________________________ Our thanks to Michelle Gardiner , Managing Partner at Derwent, for hosting the morning, and to Jacqueline and Sylvia for such generous, practical insight into the realities of board life. Continue the conversation For further insights or to explore how Derwent can support your organisation's approach to board composition and succession, connect with our team at sydney@derwentsearch.com.au . To register your interest in future Derwent events, please reach out to us at events@derwentsearch.com.au .
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