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Leadership Unfiltered – Sydney & Canberra, March 2026

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:54:11 GMT

Advancing women in technology has been a priority for most organisations for years. The gap between intention and outcome has barely moved. At our recent Leadership Unfiltered breakfast in Sydney, senior tech executives gathered to move beyond awareness into the kind of candid, practical conversation that rarely happens in public.

We heard from Brendon Riley , Former Chief Executive at Telstra Infraco, and Duncan Hewett , Former Senior Vice President and General Manager Asia Pacific and Japan at VMware – two of Australia's most respected technology leaders – who drew on their careers to share the specific actions, missteps, and sponsorship moments that helped women on their teams break through to senior roles. Sheryl Carroll , Integrative Health Practitioner and Women's Health Coach, brought a complementary and often overlooked perspective: how women's health and wellbeing intersects with career advancement at every stage – and what organisations are missing by not accounting for it.

The dimension organisations aren't accounting for

Sheryl opened a conversation that is largely absent from leadership forums: the physical and hormonal arc of a woman's working life. From significant health challenges that can affect energy, focus, and confidence at any career stage, to pregnancy and parental leave, to the cumulative weight of the invisible load – the domestic and emotional labour that disproportionately falls on women – the biological reality of the working experience is rarely factored into how organisations are designed or how leaders are prepared.

The response doesn't require a complex program. It starts with genuine awareness and leaders who ask how someone is really doing – and mean it.

From directing to unlocking

Both Brendon and Duncan were candid about getting it wrong first. Early in their careers, both led through instruction — pushing harder, assuming effort and direction from the top was what drove performance.

The shift that changed how they led was moving from directing to removing the barriers that prevented people from performing at their best. The insight, when it came, was the same: the potential was already there. The role of the leader was to surface it, not manufacture it. For both, that realisation didn't come from a leadership program – it came from paying closer attention to what was actually happening around them.

The relationship gap that costs you talent

One of the harder themes of the morning: the cost of leader relationships that don't go deep enough. When leaders don't know what's really happening in someone's life – their ambitions, their constraints, the pressures they're managing alongside their role – they can't support them effectively.

Women, both speakers observed, tend to manage the whole picture. They are often highly capable of compartmentalising and getting on with it, even when significant things are happening beneath the surface. That places a real responsibility on leaders to ask the second question – and to build enough trust that the real answer feels safe to give.

Confidence is the barrier – and it's addressable

What most often holds women back isn't capability. The women in these conversations weren't lacking skills – they were navigating environments where visibility was inconsistent, sponsorship was patchy, and the path forward was unclear.

The response that works isn't more training. It's active, deliberate sponsorship – advocating in rooms where the person isn't present, creating visibility, and building the conditions for women to see themselves in the role ahead rather than just knowing it exists in theory.

This isn't theoretical. Leaders in the room had tested it at scale – running programs designed to address the skills gap in women returning to technology, only to find the skills gap wasn't the issue. Confidence was, every time.

The double burden of emotional intelligence

A question that surfaced in discussion: if the qualities that make women effective leaders – holding the whole picture, asking the deeper question, attending to the wellbeing of the team – are also the qualities that can quietly add to their load, how do women embrace them without being typecast by them?

The answer that emerged wasn't to dial those qualities back. It was for organisations and leaders to recognise them for what they are – a strategic asset – and to stop treating them as an informal tax. When emotional intelligence is expected but unacknowledged, it becomes invisible labour. When it's recognised and valued in how people are assessed, promoted, and supported, it becomes a genuine differentiator.

The responsibility sits with the organisation as much as the individual

Design it in – don't bolt it on

Brendon spoke to the difference between retrofitting diversity into an existing culture and designing it in from the start. When the opportunity exists to build something new, the early decisions about who is in the room and what behaviours are rewarded shape everything that follows.

Brendon referenced research on representation suggesting that when a minority group reaches around 25% – a tipping point – the dynamic in the room shifts. The culture changes. Interactions change. Getting there requires deliberate choices made early, not after the habits have already formed.

The role male leaders play

What made this conversation distinctive was its framing. This wasn't a discussion about what women need to do differently. It was two senior male leaders reflecting honestly on the specific decisions – and the specific failures – that shaped the women on their teams.

The consistent thread: they weren't giving women an advantage. They were removing disadvantages that had always been there. Sponsoring people into rooms they weren't in. Creating space for contribution before it felt warranted. Backing someone before they felt ready, because the leader could see what the person couldn't yet see in themselves.

For male leaders in technology, the ask is clear: the question isn't whether to be involved in this work. It's whether the decisions being made every day are advancing it – or quietly undermining it.

The conversation didn't stop in Sydney. The following week in Canberra, Claudine Beltrami , Former ANZ Head of Public Sector at Verizon Business, and Lucy Poole , Deputy Chief Executive Officer – Digital Strategy, Policy and Performance at the Digital Transformation Agency, brought their own experience of senior leadership in technology to a roundtable of women in the industry.

Our thanks to Katharine Whittaker for facilitating both conversations with the honesty and depth they deserved, and to Brendon, Duncan, Sheryl, Claudine, and Lucy for their honesty and generosity.

Continue the conversation

For further insights or to explore how Derwent can support your organisation's approach to women in technology leadership, connect with our Digital & Technology Practice team at sydney@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 – Perth, March 2026

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:34:33 GMT

Moving from a senior executive career to a Non-Executive Director role is a transition many aspire to, but fewer approach with the deliberate strategy it requires. At our recent Pathway to the Boardroom event in Perth, senior executives heard directly from two experienced directors on what it actually takes to make that shift a success.

We were joined by Amber Banfield , Non-Executive Chair of SRG Global and Non-Executive Director of Perseus Mining and Cyprium Metals, who brings over 25 years of experience across resources, energy, sustainability and new energy markets, including a senior career with Worley Limited. And Lui Pangiarella , Co-founder and Co-Managing Director of WayFinder Capital, an Independent Non-Executive Director and Board Chair with a career spanning SaaS, fast-moving consumer goods, disability services, manufacturing, and construction – including Chair positions with iconic Australian brands and high-growth software businesses.

Their conversation covered the practical realities of the pathway, and what separates those who navigate it successfully from those who stall. Four themes stood out.

Know your value before you knock on the door

Before pursuing board roles, the most important question to answer is: what do I actually bring? Look at your current skill set honestly and identify where the gaps are. If your experience is narrow, use the time you still have in an executive role to broaden it deliberately. Boards are looking for directors who can contribute across multiple dimensions, not just deep expertise in one lane.

Beyond functional skills, boards assess how you show up. Curiosity, the ability to hold your view lightly, and a genuine commitment to collective decision-making matter as much as your resume.

Your network is your pipeline – treat it that way

Almost every board role both speakers had held came through a relationship, not a formal process. Lui's first board appointment came from an organisation he'd approached simply out of interest. Amber's subsequent roles grew from recommendations by fellow board members who'd seen her work.

The practical takeaway: tell people you're interested in board roles and let those conversations develop. Perth in particular is a tightly networked market, and reputations travel fast. Be specific about the kinds of organisations you want to serve and make sure the conversations you're having are equally specific.

Choose your boards as carefully as they choose you

Both speakers were emphatic: joining a board requires more rigour than accepting an executive role, not less. The starting point is the executive team – are they people you can trust, with the capability to take the organisation where it wants to go? If that answer is uncertain, the conversation should end there.

From there, the other key considerations should include the Chair's reputation and how they run the room, the culture of the board itself, and in private settings, the dynamics of the shareholder group. Lui recommended observing at least one board meeting before committing. Amber recommended speaking to the person you're replacing to find out why they left. Don't be afraid of a challenging organisation either; some of the most formative board experiences come from companies navigating difficulty.

The director mindset takes time – give it that time

The shift from executive to director is real, and both speakers were honest about how long it takes to fully internalise. Amber's rule for the first six months is to listen. Understand the board, the dynamics, the executive team. Resist the urge to add value before you understand the context. Creating unnecessary work for management – such as emails that don't need to be sent, questions that serve curiosity rather than governance – gets executives offside quickly.

Lui described his own evolution: the instincts that make an executive effective – drive, accountability, pushing hard – can actively damage board relationships if brought in unchecked. The consulting mindset transfers better; ask good questions, synthesise well, and help the group make the best possible decision rather than advocating for your own.

The conversation was a reminder that the pathway to the boardroom is neither quick nor accidental. It rewards those who prepare deliberately, build relationships with intention, and approach the director role on its own terms.

Our thanks to Michelle Gardiner and Julie Colvin , Managing Partners at Derwent, for hosting the morning, and to Amber and Lui for sharing their experience with such practicality and honesty.

Continue the conversation

For further insights or to explore how Derwent can support your transition to board directorship, 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 .

Pathway to the Boardroom Recap: Key Insights from Our Recent Event in Brisbane

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:53:11 GMT

Senior executives navigating the transition from executive to Non-Executive Director roles face a pathway that's less organic and more deliberate than many expect. Derwent delved into this important topic with 50 senior executives in Brisbane last week at our Pathway to the Boardroom event.

Despite different journeys throughout their executive careers and into a Board portfolio, our speakers, Susan Forrester AM and Teresa Dyson , shared their wisdom across the decisions that support your transition to Director, the importance of leveraging networks across your career, value addition and the shift from an operating mindset, and the importance of thorough due diligence.

Key Themes & Takeaways

Pathway from executive to non-executive

The pathway is not easy during transition from an executive career.
You need to be “eyes wide open and have a thick skin” – there will be individual and market circumstances that will test your resolve and motivations.
A deliberate and formal transition to a Board career can make the path clearer – especially for the networks that are trying to advocate for your Board candidacy.
Many individuals expect that they will organically end up on boards after their executive career; however, in reality it’s a long process that requires patience, intent, and effort.

The power of your network

Leverage your network of experience and draw on different periods of your career journey for introductions and conversations that might lead to Board opportunities.
Map out a plan of who you should be talking to, including existing Board members, other well-networked senior executives, Board communities (such as AICD), and relevant experts such as Board search partners.
By letting broad networks know of your intention and desire to join Boards, it can provide opportunities to get a foot in the door.
Get out there and plant a lot of different seeds!

The importance of your value-add proposition

Many aspiring Board Directors can tick a lot of the boxes when it comes to the criteria for Board candidacy, but the difference can be the fit to specific organisations.
Your value addition can be identified across various facets, including your functional or industry expertise, your broader career achievement or success (such as major transactions, industry changes, working in different settings or ownership structures, etc), and personal or ethical alignment.
Part of developing your individual proposition is sharing the unique elements of your profile with your networks, including the personal experiences and drivers that can be as important as your professional experience.

Director mindset versus executive mindset

New Directors often try to prove their executive and sometimes technical expertise, and need to make the shift to a mindset of governing over managing – “noses in and fingers out”.
There’s a style of thinking from an executive career that allows you to draw on your experience and add real value to a Board setting.
A change in mindset is required in order to add value in the critical areas for a Board member, such as setting and agreeing strategy alongside management, managing risk, and selecting the CEO.

Conducting due diligence as you explore Board opportunities

Due diligence is mutual – both for companies bringing on a Board member, and Board members looking to join an organisation.
Exploration may include reading previous annual reports, talking to brokers or customers, and most importantly meeting the Chair, committee members, and other Directors if possible.
Each Board has its own risk appetite, so it’s important to understand the values and risk alignment.
Building relationships with other Board members to have open and honest conversations can take time and trust. “Boards are like a team – they don’t train together often, but they come together to play”.

Our thanks to Michelle Gardiner , Managing Partner from our Board practice, for hosting this event, and to our guest speakers and attendees for their valuable contributions.

Continue the conversation

We'd love to hear your perspective on this topic! For further insights or to explore how Derwent can help you or your organisation, connect with our team at brisbane@derwentsearch.com.au .

To express your interest for future Derwent events, please reach out to us at events@derwentsearch.com.au .

The Evolving Australian Boardroom Landscape: Navigating Complexity in 2025

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 02:32:06 GMT

Australian boardrooms are confronting an unprecedented convergence of regulatory complexity, technological disruption, and stakeholder scrutiny. With mandatory climate reporting, rising cybersecurity threats, and AI disruption accelerating across industries, boards are making decisive talent moves to reposition their organisations. The focus is shifting from traditional oversight to strategic, innovative leadership in an increasingly complex environment. Moving from shareholder-only management to multi-stakeholder governance has become central to these strategies.

Critical Talent Trends

Artificial Intelligence: The New Governance Frontier – AI has emerged as perhaps the most significant governance challenge facing Australian boards with immediate implications. Board members need to ask two fundamental questions: What can AI do for our organisation? What risks does AI bring? Yet many Australian boards remain unprepared for voluntary AI reporting recommendations, opting to wait for potential mandatory frameworks in the future. This represents a fundamental shift from traditional technology oversight, now requiring directors capable of navigating complex AI implementation, risk assessment, and strategic deployment across business operations.
Cybersecurity: Critical Board Responsibility – the cybersecurity landscape presents stark challenges that demand board-level attention, with Australian data revealing the magnitude of this threat: cybercrime reports reached over 87,400 in FY24, with incidents logged every six minutes. We're witnessing emerging directors with strong commercial experience and contemporary cyber skills securing board positions ahead of more experienced candidates who lack these specialised capabilities. This pattern suggests a growing recognition of cyber expertise as increasingly valuable in boardroom composition, reflecting the evolving threat environment and the rising importance placed on directors who possess relevant digital risk management capabilities .
Climate Governance: From Aspiration to Action – climate governance has fundamentally shifted with the AICD's analysis showing that Australian boards are moving from aspiration and ambition to action, but progress is uneven. The regulatory framework is now concrete, with the introduction of mandatory climate reporting under globally-aligned standards representing a major milestone and requiring boards to increase oversight of climate risk, transition strategy, and scenario analysis. This transition demands directors who understand both the technical aspects of climate reporting and the strategic implications of sustainability transformation across business models.
Board Diversity: Progress and Challenges – substantial progress has been made in gender diversity, with women representing nearly half of board appointments to ASX 300 boards over the last two years and holding 35% of ASX board positions overall. However, broader diversity challenges remain significant. There is still work to be done with 91% of ASX 300 Directors having an Anglo-Celtic background and only six openly LGBQTIA+ ASX directors. Consensus is forming around the AICD's and 30% Club's objective of securing 40/40/20 (40% men/40% women/20% of any gender) representation, but investors are applying pressure to see broader ethnic diversity that will better reflect businesses' customer bases and operational footprint.
Shareholder Pressure – the shareholder activism landscape has intensified significantly, with Qantas’ shareholders rejecting the company's remuneration plan with a near-record 82.9% opposition following corporate scandals, demonstrating how reputation directly impacts board accountability. This escalating scrutiny requires directors who can navigate complex stakeholder relationships while maintaining strategic focus and delivering sustainable performance outcomes.
Corporate Culture Accountability – corporate culture accountability has transformed from aspiration to a regulatory requirement. The events at Qantas, Mineral Resources, WiseTech and Nine Entertainment demonstrate that investors will hold boards accountable for cultural failures. Industry Super Funds have pioneered this change, with Aware Super requiring its fifty largest investments to answer eleven questions focusing specifically on conduct risk. This reflects broader stakeholder scrutiny, with over 10% of ASX 300 businesses receiving votes against their remuneration reports last year – the largest proportion since legislation was introduced.

What This Means For…

Aspiring Directors: the pathway to the boardroom now requires contemporary technical competencies in AI, digital transformation, data analytics and cybersecurity oversight, supported by broader commercial skillsets and growth strategy experience. Traditional industry expertise alone is no longer sufficient – directors must demonstrate they can translate technical knowledge into boardroom value and strategic decision-making.
Current Board Members: existing directors face pressure to upskill in emerging technologies and stakeholder engagement while maintaining their core governance responsibilities. The evidence from the most recent AGM season clearly indicates that successful Australian boardrooms have evolved beyond traditional shareholder management to recognise that engagement across diverse groups – investors, employees, customers, regulators, and communities – drives superior long-term corporate performance.
Board Chairs and Nomination Committees: director recruitment strategies must balance immediate technical needs with longer-term strategic capabilities. Success is measured not by avoiding dissent, but by demonstrating authentic responsiveness to legitimate investor concerns whilst delivering sustainable organisational performance, requiring new assessment frameworks for director evaluation and selection.

The New Director Reality: Mindset, Skill Set and Tool Kit

Our Board practice specialises in two critical areas of the evolving governance landscape: creating pathways for executives to participate on boards alongside their executive careers, and appointing proven NEDs with the new and different capabilities today's organisations demand.

We focus on three key attributes:

Mindset: strategic agility, customer-centricity, and the ability to challenge management constructively while supporting bold decision-making.
Skill Set: contemporary technical competencies in AI, digital transformation, data analytics and cybersecurity oversight must be supported by a broader commercial skillset and growth strategy in order to translate into boardroom value.
Tool Kit: practical frameworks for technology oversight, digital risk management, and driving innovation at the governance level.

How Our Board Practice Can Help

We look forward to partnering with you to ensure your board composition is positioned for future success. Whether you're looking to create pathways for executives to enter the boardroom, appoint directors with the new skill sets and mindsets needed for modern challenges, or develop governance strategies positioned for regulatory compliance and stakeholder expectations.

AI & The People Recap: Key Insights from Our Recent Event in Sydney

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 03:35:04 GMT

With AI transformation being a key focus for organisations, maximising the opportunities lies in understanding the leadership requirements and the approach to people engagement.

Derwent explored this critical topic with senior executives in Sydney last week at our AI and The People breakfast event, examining three areas shaping the future:

How people functions can support AI transformation.
How AI is reshaping people management and operations.
How leadership and team recruitment criteria are evolving in an AI world.

The panel discussion delivered practical insights on how leading organisations are navigating AI workforce transformation, including the real changes, challenges, and opportunities they're experiencing.

We heard from Peter Tonagh , Chairman at Quantium, and Catherine Walsh , Group Chief People Officer at Qantas, who shared their perspectives on leading AI transformation we’re still learning to understand ourselves. Highlighting that as leaders we cannot wait for certainty, or we will remain behind. We must adapt to lead through more ambiguity than we have faced before.

Key Themes & Takeaways

The Leadership Imperative : AI represents a fundamental leadership moment defining competitive advantage, with success being 80% about people and 20% about technology. Discussion emphasised leaders must reimagine value creation, shift from the "department of no" to AI-enablers, and take a holistic approach addressing mindset, skillset, and toolset together. Leaders must become 'Chief Excitement Officers' providing permission with guardrails while managing cognitive load impacts within their organisations, recognising that employees will use AI regardless of policy and that organisations not offering AI tools will lose talent.
Strategic Implementation and Human-AI Partnership : The conversation outlined starting everything with AI as the default approach, focusing on capability over tools and customer benefit through clear use cases as competitive necessity. Successful implementation augments human judgement with AI enhancing HR practices including performance management and coaching with examples of enhanced performance reviews and recruitment outcomes. Leaders must become conductors of human-AI teams through effective engagement, setting direction and making judgement calls while ensuring AI amplifies capabilities, maintaining oversight while AI tools help leaders become better coaches, and addressing bias as a user problem requiring active correction.
Future Talent Strategy and Trust Evolution : Critical attributes for AI-ready talent emerged as curiosity, critical thinking, persistence, agility, and optimism, challenging myths about graduates who are actually more AI-attuned than before. The conversation addressed balancing innovation with care, building trust through transparency, and ensuring continuous evolution while maintaining human connection as irreplaceable. Discussion emphasised continuous tool evolution requiring adaptable capabilities, documenting and sharing learnings, and ensuring people develop judgment to question AI appropriately.

These insights underscore the critical need for Australian business leaders to embrace AI strategically while overcoming conservative risk tolerance. The conversation provided a comprehensive roadmap for organisations navigating AI transformation, from immediate implementation challenges to longer-term competitive advantages that will define future success.

Our thanks to Lindsay Every , Group Managing Partner at Derwent for hosting this panel discussion, and to our guest speakers and attendees for their valuable contributions.

Continue the conversation

We'd love to hear your perspective on this topic! For further insights or to explore how Derwent can help you or your organisation, connect with our team at sydney@derwentsearch.com.au .

To express your interest for future Derwent events, please reach out to us at events@derwentsearch.com.au

Building Resilience for Organisational Excellence Recap: Key Insights from Our Recent Event in Perth

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 23:38:52 GMT

On Wednesday 25 June, Derwent was delighted to host a breakfast event in Perth to discuss "Building Resilience for Organisational Excellence” .

The event bought together over 50 senior HR leaders, offering a unique opportunity for professional development and networking.

The session explored the question: How do we help leaders and organisations build resilience to deliver sustainable success?

Today's business environments are more complex, and conventional notions of leadership are no longer fit for purpose. The challenges for leaders in 2025 are not just about making the right moves, but the ability to make them under extreme uncertainty – political and international tensions, market volatility, the ongoing evolution of AI, technological advancements, and shifting customer expectations.

Layered into this are greater expectations and focus on regulatory changes, sustainability, transition to net zero and psychosocial safety – all while remaining focused on strategy, budgets and creating long-term value for shareholders, customers, teams and other stakeholders.

We were joined by Ben Pronk , co-author of The Resilience Shield and a specialist in Risk, Resilience and Leadership in high pressure situations, and Megan McCracken , experienced Executive, Board Member and Leadership Coach. Ben and Megan shared their perspectives on:

What makes a resilient leader?
What are the signs of organisational resilience – green flags, red flags?
How can we improve resilience in organisations to achieve better outcomes?
What are the key considerations for talent – current and future?

Some key themes and takeaways included:

High functioning organisations are characterised by “agreeable disagreement”, where healthy conflict is fostered and a culture of “ritual dissent” is the norm.
The relationships between Chair, Board and CEO play an important role in cultivating a resilient culture. They “set the tone to do the things they are here to do”. Decisions should have a strong link to the purpose and vision of the organisation.
The adoption of personal mindfulness practices offers a huge opportunity to enhance performance through some relatively simple changes in approach. This is supported by scientific data and an important practice to share with leaders.
Psychosocial safety has a significant impact on organisational resilience. Organisations that prioritise psychosocial safety are better equipped to navigate challenges, adapt to change and maintain high performance levels.
Personal traits for resilience include internal calm, curiosity, self-efficacy, and courage to respectfully challenge – importantly, these traits can be cultivated and taught.
Businesses that continue to invest in personal and organisational resilience and leadership through the cycles are the most likely to have sustainable success.

We extend our thanks to Eliza Alford , Principal HR & Legal, and Mike O’Sullivan , Managing Partner, for hosting the event. A special thank you to our guest speakers, Ben and Megan, and to all attendees for contributing to such a valuable and engaging discussion.

If you’re interested in learning more or attending a future event, get in touch with us at events@derwentsearch.com.au

PE Portfolio Talent Strategy: What's Driving Executive Moves in 2025

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 22:03:00 GMT

Private Equity (PE) is orchestrating a fundamental shift in portfolio company leadership, with the implications reshaping organisations and C-suites across industries. As PE firms continue to adjust to a rapidly changing business landscape, their leadership strategies are evolving to meet new challenges and opportunities.

The Strategic Imperative

With uncertain exit timelines and valuations under increasing scrutiny, private equity owners are making decisive talent moves to position their assets for the next phase of growth.

Many portfolio companies have been held for longer periods, and the need to be “investor-ready” requires an executive team that is future-focused, energised, and able to deliver tangible impact. The shift from traditional leadership to growth-driven teams has become a central component of these strategies.

Critical Talent Trends

What This Means For…

How Our PE Team Can Help

At Derwent, our expert team of consultants and researchers are dedicated to helping you navigate these shifts. Whether you’re looking to discover growth-driven leaders, integrate technology experts, or realign your leadership strategy, we can partner with you to ensure your leadership team is positioned for future success.

If you're ready to understand how these trends will shape your leadership strategies or want to explore how we can help your portfolio company succeed, Contact Us or connect directly with Ben Derwent , Simon Holloway , or Rebecca Harper today.

Women in Tech Recap: Key Insights from Our Recent Event in Sydney

Thu, 22 May 2025 03:37:00 GMT

On Wednesday 21 May, Derwent was delighted to host our "Women in Tech" event in Sydney, bringing together female Chief Information Officers, Chief Technology Officers, GM Tech leaders in the Digital and Technology industry.

This session explored navigating the path to the boardroom, offering insight into why it matters to be Board ready in an evolving landscape – where digital transformation, emerging technologies, and strategic innovation are reshaping the expectations of board directors. Recently, there's been a notable shift in boardroom mandates emphasising digital transformation and a deep lense on people and culture background to bring boardroom table.

We were joined by Claudine Ogilvie , former CTO at Jetstar Airways ¤nt Non-Executive Director of Scyne Advisory and Cuscal Limited , and Michelle Gardiner , Managing Partner of Derwent's Board practice who shared their perspectives, drawing from their experience across multiple board roles throughout the Digital and Technology industry.

Key Themes & Takeaways:

Importance of Being T-shaped

Transitioning to Board Roles

AI & Governance

Why Work on a Board Role?

Advice for Aspiring Board Members

The discussion generated active engagement, with questions and conversation focusing on strategic entry into Board roles, balancing Executive and Board commitments and passion. Our speakers emphasised the value of the T-shaped concept – highlighting that while technical expertise as a CIO or CTO is crucial, combining it with commercial and business strategy is essential to stand out and add value at the Board level.

We extend our thanks to Katharine Whittaker , Principal in Derwent’s Digital, Technology & Services practice, for hosting the event, and to Claudine Ogilvie , Michelle Gardiner and attendees for contributing to a valuable discussion.

If you’re interested in learning more, get in touch at events@derwentsearch.com.au

"The Value of a Great Mining CFO" - Derwent & FTI Consulting

Thu, 15 May 2025 02:17:00 GMT

Derwent are delighted to have co-hosted an event in Perth this week in partnership with FTI Consulting on “The Value of a Great Mining CFO”.

With more than 50 Executives and Board Members in attendance, event facilitator Andrew Bantock (Head of Mining Advisory at FTI Consulting) was joined by guest speakers Morgan Ball , Sandy Sibenaler , and Derwent's Julie Colvin .

The discussion was anchored around FTI Consulting's White Paper “High Grade Financial Leadership of Mining Businesses” . The focus of the discussion was on what defines a ‘great’ CFO in the modern context - exploring this topic from many perspectives, extending to leadership and influence, strategic and capital planning, through to delivering impact in external markets.

Key takeaways from the discussion included:

It was a pleasure to be involved in the launch of this insightful piece, informed by many years of analysis and financial practice.

Partnering with the Partners

Thu, 08 May 2025 04:36:00 GMT

Last week, Derwent had the pleasure of hosting 20 Chief People Officers and senior HR executives from across the professional services industry, at our Partnering with the Partners boardroom breakfast in Sydney.

The event featured valuable insights from our two panel speakers: Alissa Anderson, COO (and former CPO) of MinterEllison, and Kath Nell, CPO of Findex. As well as some additional thought-provoking commentary from others around the table, including Jenelle McMaster, Deputy CEO and CPO of EY.

Hosted by Warwick Bowd , Managing Partner of Derwent's Digital, Technology and Services practice, the discussion covered a range of interesting topics – from the challenges of influencing inside partnership environments, to dealing with geo-political, economic and marketplace uncertainty, to the future of hybrid working in professional services firms, and of course the profound impact AI will increasingly have on professional services workplaces and client service experiences.

Pathway to the Boardroom with Inese Kingsmill and Robyn Stubbs

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:04:00 GMT

Derwent are delighted to have hosted over 100 attendees at our Pathway to the Boardroom event in Sydney this week, with guest speakers Inese Kingsmill and Robyn Stubbs .

This ongoing series is designed to provide tips and perspectives to aspiring board members as they explore opportunities beyond their executive careers.

Inese and Robyn shared their insights on how to plan for a board career; how to effectively develop and position your personal brand and expertise; and tips for identifying and assessing different board opportunities.

Highlights of the discussion included:

Derwent Welcomes Graeme Young

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 05:45:00 GMT

Derwent is pleased to announce that Graeme Young has joined the firm as a Partner in the Financial Services Practice.

Graeme brings over 15 years’ experience in executive search and recruitment, with a focus on the Insurance market. He leverages his vast experience in global Insurance, with deep technical knowledge and networks to deliver impactful leadership and C-suite appointments.

Graeme was most recently a Director at Eliot Partnership, a leading global firm in Insurance Executive Search, where he led the Australian business.

Prior to his Executive Search career, Graeme spent over 20 years working across global Insurance and Reinsurance markets, commencing in London and moving to Sydney in 1998.

Derwent is proud to be one of Australia’s largest Executive and Board Search firms. Our leading team of 90+ drives our growth, success and scale in delivering to the clients who entrust us to advise on critical hiring needs.

Women in Tech Breakfast with Kavita Mistry and Marigold Duncan

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 05:56:00 GMT

In the 1940’s, women dominated the early days of computing when ENIAC was built. ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was the first programmable, electronic, general-purpose computer. Then the personal computer was released in 1984, and it led to the rise of white male computing, so the number of women in technology rapidly declined.

According to the Tech Council of Australia, women are twice as likely to enter the tech industry at the age of 25-30, as they are before age 25. This means tech is not the first step for many women – they are coming through alternate pathways.

Last week, Derwent hosted a ´Women in Tech” breakfast to create a safe space for female leaders to share their challenges and discuss solutions that both executive search firms, like Derwent, and the community can implement to continue to promote and deliver diversity in executive hiring.

Our conversation was led by guest speakers Kavita Mistry and Marigold Duncan , who shared their unique and diverse careers in tech. For Marigold, it was the allure of rapid growth, impactful work, and a collaborative culture, a stark contrast to her previous life in banking. Kavita, with a blend of artistic and mathematical influences, found her passion ignited by the logic and creativity inherent in technology. Their journeys, though diverse, highlight a common thread – tech offers a space for innovation and impact.

However, the path to leadership isn't without its challenges. Both Marigold and Kavita spoke candidly about the hurdles women face, particularly in finding their voice and navigating leadership dynamics. Kavita emphasised the importance of speaking up, identifying and encouraging quieter voices, and leveraging female role models. Marigold shared her experiences leading international teams, learning to communicate assertively, and overcoming the unconscious biases that often shape decision-making.

Mentorship and sponsorship emerged as crucial elements of their journeys. Both leaders emphasised the need for clarity in mentorship goals, the value of diverse perspectives, and the importance of nurturing long-term relationships. Kavita highlighted the distinction between mentorship (guidance) and sponsorship (advocacy), while Marigold stressed the value of seeking out mentors who understand your ambitions.

So, how can women support other women in tech? Both leaders advocated for challenging unconscious biases in hiring, building strong networks, and providing coaching, particularly for interview preparation. They emphasised the importance of "watering and feeding" relationships, ensuring they are mutually beneficial and sustainable.

Balancing work and family was another key topic. Marigold, a mother of three, acknowledged the constant effort required, emphasising the importance of self-awareness and adapting to changing needs. Kavita echoed this, highlighting the importance of prioritising energy, self-care, and aligning work commitments with life stages.

Ultimately, the discussion offered valuable insights for women navigating the tech industry. It's a journey of continuous learning, resilience, and building strong networks. By embracing their unique perspectives, challenging biases, and supporting each other, women can not only thrive in tech but also shape its future.

At Derwent, we are committed to long-term diversity through both assisting clients with inclusive hiring processes and attraction strategies, and fostering the next generation of female leaders.

Launch of Derwent Interim Solutions

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 01:04:00 GMT

We are delighted to announce the launch of our Interim Solutions business, led by John O’Leary.

Demand for interim talent is evolving rapidly given changing market conditions and the way employers are structuring the capability and flexibility of their workforces.

Interim talent delivers immediate impact, bringing capacity and capability to deliver outcomes across a range of initiatives and settings. This offering provides flexibility and scalability during peak talent needs, with an available bench of specialist capability and expertise.

Derwent Welcomes New Consultants

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 01:03:00 GMT

In our 28th year of connecting high impact talent with Australia’s leading organisations, Derwent is proud to be one of Australia’s largest Executive and Board Search firms. Our leading team of 90+ drives our growth, success and scale in delivering to the clients who entrust us to advise on critical hiring needs.

As a challenger brand, we seek out the new and different. We continue to welcome new consultants, and are pleased to announce the following appointments.

“Digital Growth – It’s a People Thing” with Jenny Bryant & Colin Nexhip

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 04:08:00 GMT

Derwent recently rounded out its National executive forum series “Digital Growth – It’s a People Thing” in Perth with guest speakers Jenny Bryant and Colin Nexhip , following the success of the series in Melbourne and Sydney earlier this year.

Organisations that succeed in driving growth and transformation are the ones that get the people strategies right. There are critical people elements to consider when leading growth and a more sustainable digital future – these include developing the right operating model, organisational structure, aligning the right capability to the structure, and establishing optimal ways of working.

Facilitated by Lindsay Every , Derwent’s Group Managing Partner and Digital Practice Lead, Jenny and Colin shared their perspectives and insights on the strategic imperatives for digital growth and transformation, and the role that talent plays in driving this change.

Key takeaways from the discussion included:

Balancing technology investments

Security versus speed

Talent and value exchange

Sustainability concerns:

Women in Tech Breakfast with Heather Cook & Memo Hayek

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 23:57:00 GMT

While women in tech may face unique challenges, such as feelings of imposter syndrome, they are increasingly making significant contributions to the industry.

Last week, Derwent hosted a “Women in Tech” breakfast to create a safe space for female leaders to share their challenges and discuss solutions that both executive search firms, like Derwent, and the community can implement to continuously promote diversity in the executive leadership team (ELT).

The AFR recently shared staggering figures regarding the decline of women’s paths to the CEO seat, highlighting how much work is still needed.

The conversation was led by guest speakers Heather Cook and Memo Hayek , both tech leaders in some of the country’s largest organisations. We heard anecdotes of senior female leaders often feeling the need to continuously prove themselves to be in a position of authority, despite being the technical experts in the room, leading to self-doubt.

So what advice is there for women in tech to overcome imposter syndrome?

Heather shared her journey into the tech space, highlighting her fortunate experience of having a successful, strong-willed mother as a role model in tech. Similarly, Memo was inspired by her older sister, who studied computer science and paved the way for her own journey.

These stories underscore the importance of representation of women in senior leadership roles to create pathways and enable the next generation for success.

The Australian Government's Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review , published in February 2024, aims to increase representation of underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The review states, “Australia must accelerate its efforts not just to address skill needs. Getting STEM-skilled people into these jobs is not enough. Diverse STEM-literate people on Boards and in leadership positions across all sectors is critical to ensure good decision-making in an increasingly technologically advanced economy. Retaining these people in these positions is also critical for ensuring that improved decision-making capability builds over the long-term.”

Organisation's need to do more to promote senior female tech talent, but also to encourage younger female generations to enter into the STEM workforce.

Support from both women and men for the female community is of utmost importance, especially where this representation is lacking.

At Derwent, we are helping our clients navigate these conversations and meet diversity targets, while advocating and proactively building a future pipeline of female leaders to ensure that representation remains a priority.

“Digital Growth – It’s a People Thing” with Emma Hogan & Richard Joffe.

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 01:24:00 GMT

Derwent had the pleasure of hosting an executive forum “Digital Growth – It’s a People Thing” in Sydney with guest speakers Emma Hogan & Richard Joffe .

Facilitated by Lindsay Every , Derwent’s Group Managing Partner and Digital Practice Lead, Emma and Richard shared their perspectives on some of the key success factors for teams and organisations to consider when developing and enabling digital capability.

Key takeaways from the discussion included:

Assessing the digital health of an organisation

Prioritising areas for digitisation

Creating a culture of digital innovation

The people elements for success in digital transformation

Pathway To The Boardroom with Nick Cernotta and Jenn Morris

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 05:12:00 GMT

Derwent are pleased to have hosted more than 50 aspiring Board Directors in Perth to our ongoing Pathway to the Boardroom series.

Our guest speakers Nick Cernotta and Jenn Morris shared their perspectives on how to approach the search for a board career and some of the key considerations; the attributes that are currently in demand for boards; and establishing your personal brand and differentiation.

Tips for commencing the search for a board role

Attributes that are in demand for board members

Establishing your personal brand and proposition

Derwent is delighted to continue to support the next generation of Board talent across both our events programs and directly through our expert team of Executive Search and Board specialists.

“Digital Growth – It’s a People Thing” with Simone Carroll and Rod van Onselen

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 04:42:00 GMT

Derwent had the pleasure of hosting an executive forum “Digital Growth – It’s a People Thing” with guest speakers Simone Carroll and Rod van Onselen .

Facilitated by Lindsay Every , Derwent’s Group Managing Partner and Digital Practice Lead, Simone and Rod provided excellent insight into the importance of leadership and talent in achieving digital growth objectives.

Key takeaways from the discussion included:

The state of digital and opportunities for growth

Optimisation vs transformation

Critical factors for digital growth

The people elements for success in digital transformation

Pathway To The Boardroom with Jennifer Douglas & Richard Dammery

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 05:57:00 GMT

Derwent are delighted to have hosted another Pathway to the Boardroom event in Melbourne with over 100 attendees.

This ongoing series is designed to provide tips and perspectives to aspiring board members as they explore opportunities beyond their executive careers.

Guest speakers Jennifer Douglas and Richard Dammery provided firsthand reflection and advice around the considerations and learnings when transitioning to a board setting. Key takeaways from the discussion included how to manage the transition to non-executive roles, and how to assess the right board opportunity and skills required to add value.

Managing the transition from executive life to the board setting:

Due Diligence when considering joining a board:

The board setting and thinking for new members:

Director Roundtable with Google’s John Ball

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 23:56:00 GMT

Last week Derwent hosted a Director’s Roundtable discussion on ‘How AI is changing the game’ with John Ball , Managing Director Customer Solutions at Google.

John highlighted the fact that Australia is asleep, with a global AI arms race well and truly underway. A shift in sentiment, awareness, and digital transformation skills (strategy, technology, ways of working, culture and people capabilities) are required to maximise the commercial opportunity that AI presents.

AI adoption is a complex process that requires a business-wide approach to learn, question and collaborate. This is no longer just the problem for the IT department to solve on their own; success requires leadership and strategies to bring entire organisations on the journey.

The board can start to address AI by implementing responsible AI principles which both the Australian Government and Google have recently released.

Once the foundations are in place then it is important that Directors are armed with the right questions to ask. The framing of these questions are centred around understanding potential risks, appreciating the expectations of your customers, and how are you going to evolve the culture to bring the entire organisation on the journey.

Embedding the right leadership skills and decision making at both the board and executive level are critical to ensure that the strategic opportunity of AI is driven effectively.

This event was hosted by Michelle Gardiner, Managing Partner , Board Practice at Derwent.

Director Roundtable with BlackRock's Iris Davila

Tue, 28 May 2024 04:57:00 GMT

Last week Derwent’s Board Practice was delighted to host a group of 24 Board Members for a roundtable event with Iris Davila , Managing Director, Investment Stewardship at BlackRock.

Iris’ insights covered the five mega forces that BlackRock views as key investment themes, and it elicited a fascinating discussion across various Board perspectives. The immense structural changes monitored by BlackRock incorporate five themes that will create both opportunities and risks for investors over the next 10-20 years. These five mega forces include:

Iris also outlined the importance of diversity to BlackRock, including a focus on the next generation – bringing them to the table and getting their voices heard. Human Capital Management will be amongst the most important tasks of management in the coming years.

This event was hosted by Michelle Gardiner , Managing Partner, Board Practice at Derwent.

Derwent welcomes advisory board members Megan McCracken and Jenn Morris

Thu, 23 May 2024 04:45:00 GMT

Derwent is pleased to announce the addition of Megan McCracken and Jenn Morris OAM to its advisory board.

Derwent’s advisory board combines diverse experience, expertise and networks to support strategy development and commercial leadership.

Megan and Jenn join existing advisory board members David Jones AM and Peter Tonagh in delivering ongoing strategic advice and impact.

Megan McCracken

Megan spent over thirty years’ in the mining, automotive, energy, and rail industries in WA, Victoria, and NSW. Across her extensive executive experience with Rio Tinto, Dalkia, and Arc Infrastructure, Megan led teams across people and culture, operational safety, and corporate affairs teams.

She is an advisor and qualified leadership coach, supporting executives and businesses through significant organisational change, to transform individuals, cultures and workplaces to thrive today, and into the future.

In addition to coaching, consulting, and mentoring, Megan is a non-executive director of Pacific Energy, Chair of the Freight and Logistics Council of WA, and formerly Chair of the National Association of Women in Operations.

Megan holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Industrial Relations, and further postgraduate qualifications in Business and Applied Linguistics. She is a credentialled coach with the International Coaching Federation and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Jenn Morris OAM

Jenn brings more than twenty years’ experience in executive and non-executive roles, advising government entities and corporations on strategy development, governance controls, business transformation, ESG, leadership development, and high-performance environments.

She is a former Partner at Deloitte, working for over ten years across the mining, government and transport sectors. Following her time in consulting, Jenn joined Walk Free as CEO, leading the Minderoo Foundation’s global initiative against slavery.

Her current Non-Executive Director portfolio includes Sandfire Resources, Argonaut, Liontown Resources, and several private company boards. She is previously a Non-Executive Director of Fortescue Metals Group and the Fremantle Dockers and has sat on the boards of the Western Australian Institute of Sport and the Australian Sports Commission as a Commissioner.

Jenn is an Olympian, winning gold medals as part of the Australian women’s hockey teams at the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Olympics. In 1997, she was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Journalism) from Curtin University, and has completed Finance for Executives at INSEAD. Jenn is also a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Green Shoots of Change in the Boardroom with Genevieve Overell and Tony Johnson

Tue, 14 May 2024 00:25:00 GMT

Derwent recently hosted 22 Directors to discuss and amplify the important work that the AICD 30% Club and Deloitte have undertaken in broadening the composition of non-traditional non-executive director profiles.

The discussion actively explored whether these advocated changes highlighted in the Bold Moves in the Boardroom report have indeed been implemented and taken root. Such discussions are invaluable for fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and driving meaningful change in corporate governance.

Michelle Gardiner was joined by AICD’s 30% Club Education Working Group Members Genevieve Overell and Tony Johnson .

Customer at the Core forum with Fiona Notley, Kevin Brown, Louise Gibson & Lindsay Every

Fri, 03 May 2024 04:59:00 GMT

Derwent had the pleasure of hosting an event ‘Customer at the Core’, facilitated by Jemma Buckner and a fantastic panel consisting of Fiona Notley , Kevin Brown , Louise Gibson and Lindsay Every .

All organisations are needing to adapt and transform as the needs of their customers and communities’ shift. Addressing these changes requires strategic decision making around leadership skillsets, learning and development, and the role of technology to support these agendas.

Executives from various sectors, including healthcare, aged care, disability services, financial services, and non-profit organisations, joined us to engage in an interactive discussion on these critical themes and topics.

One important lesson learned is that every organisation faces change, emphasising the need for a well-defined strategy in technology evolution and prioritising specific objectives. It's crucial to ensure that any decisions concerning diversification and revenue expansion resonate with the core values and mission of the business.

Pathway To The Boardroom with Joe Pollard & Debra Singh

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 05:24:00 GMT

Derwent welcomed more than 100 aspiring board members and guests to our Pathway to the Boardroom series with experienced Directors Joe Pollard and Debra Singh .

Despite taking different pathways to secure their first board roles, both speakers emphasised the importance of building out executive experience and breadth before marking the transition to non-executive positions. There was also an emphasis on staying connected to the people who will keep you across the right board opportunities, which can be vastly different to executive networks.

In exploring the journey to the boardroom, Joe and Debra uncovered some key tips and tricks including: understanding your passions and value add; a board career is not a part-time role; getting comfortable with rejection; and learning the art of the good question.

Understanding your passions and value add:

Being a Board Director is not a part-time role:

Be comfortable with rejection:

The art of asking a good question:

Pathway to the Boardroom Forum with Ben Derwent

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:34:00 GMT

Navigating a career towards the boardroom can be challenging, and each executives’ journey is different. Transitioning from an executive role to building a board portfolio is exciting but can feel daunting at first. At our recent Pathway to the Boardroom Forum, our Managing Director, Ben Derwent, and Managing Partner, Julie Colvin shared valuable insights with aspiring board members.

Many wonder when and why to first consider a board role. It's a good idea to think about board roles early in your executive career as part of your professional development. These roles can help you learn new skills, expand your professional network, and provide great insight on how to best work with current and future boards as an executive.

Choosing the right directorship that matches your skills is important. “What will compliment your executive career?” and “what board setting is most appropriate?” are important questions to reflect on. Ben also noted that looking outside the ASX200 may present interesting opportunities that are well suited to someone looking to gain experience in board settings. In the early stages of a board career you may want to consider For-Purpose or non ASX200 companies initially, and it is important to bring diverse thinking and prepare yourself for successful and fruitful meetings.

When it comes to securing a board position, there are three key factors to consider:

#1 Considering Your ‘Value Add’ Proposition:

#2 Crafting Your Personal Brand and Networking in the correct settings:

#3 Consider Due Diligence:

We look forward to our next opportunity to work with the next generation of fantastic board talent.

Pathway to the Boardroom Forum with Ben Derwent

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 05:01:00 GMT

Derwent’s latest Pathway to the Boardroom event was hosted in Perth by our Managing Director Ben Derwent .

The event shared valuable insights to a crowd of aspiring Non-Executive Directors to help them take their first steps towards building a fulfilling career in the boardroom.

Board roles are a fantastic way of contributing expertise in different settings, and can provide opportunities to further your skillset, gain visibility across multiple business functions, extend your professional network, and to learn the dynamics of boardroom decision making.

Taking the first step can be difficult, and there are often different pathways to take. On this journey, it is important to assess what type of directorship is best suited to you and your skillset. “What will complement your executive career?” and “what board setting is most appropriate?” are important questions to reflect on.

There were three key themes shared for those looking to secure a board position:

#1 Considering your ‘Value Add’ proposition, and how to articulate it

#2 Defining your personal brand and engaging the right networks

#3 The importance of due diligence

Derwent is delighted to continue to support the next generation of Board talent across both our events programs and directly through our expert team of Executive Search and Board specialists.

Partnering with the Partners: Surviving to Thriving in Professional Services

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 01:20:00 GMT

Derwent , in partnership with Lighthouse Group , were proud to host a panel event this week which focused on how Business Services (Corporate Function) leaders can be better business partners in professional services firms.

The session was facilitated by Warwick Bowd who leads Derwent’s Professional Services executive search practice. Our panel of experts included Peter Nankervis , CEO of leadership and transformation consultancy Lighthouse Group, and Brad McBean , currently a Partner with ESG Partners and formerly Global MD Advisory for Aurecon and a Partner with PwC/Strategy&.

Insights were shared around the challenges and opportunities of being a leader and trusted advisor when you’re not necessarily client-facing or an owner of the firm.

According to the panel, in a climate of economic headwinds, increasing competition, rapid innovation and a war for talent, the bar has been raised for Business Services leaders who now need to focus on the following in order to retain their rightful seat at the table:

HR Leaders Forum: Playing a central role in company ESG initiatives

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 03:52:00 GMT

Derwent had the pleasure of hosting an informative panel discussion this week attended by HR leaders to discuss their role in company ESG initiatives and the rise of the Chief Sustainability Officer.

HR leaders are increasingly expected to play a central role in company ESG initiatives and understanding the core concepts and how to embed them within talent processes is key. Topics discussed included how to embed ESG initiatives and bring the company on the journey as well as steps you can take to upskill yourself and become a better advisor to Boards and CEOs on ESG matters.

Thank you to our expert panel:

Sandra and Megan were generous with their time and provided valuable insights and experiences from their career journey.

Key takeaway : Talent in this space is growing and will continue to become highly sought after.

Hosted by our Perth office, Eliza Alford, Principal HR & Legal & Mike O’Sullivan, Managing Partner

Pathway To The Boardroom 1st June 2023: Peter Tonagh, Adelle Howse

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 06:47:00 GMT

The path to a board career is different for each person, as illustrated by our speakers Peter and Adelle. Adelle’s pathway was not a planned process with Adelle’s initial Non-executive Board roles arising from several interim roles undertaken after her full-time executive career. In contrast, Peter took a deliberate path of initially adding a NFP Board appointment and subsequently adding Board roles at a range of industries that appealed to him.

What Advice would you give to people beginning on a pathway to a Board career?

What are key skills required by Boards in the current environment?

What type of Due Diligence do you recommend before joining a Board?

CFO Leadership Series: Leading Through Change and Transformation

Fri, 26 May 2023 06:54:00 GMT

Navigating Change: How CFOs can effectively drive transformation whilst delivering maximum impact.

Derwent were proud to host an informative panel event this week, which focused on effective CFO leadership.

Our panel of experts included:

CFOs are increasingly required to drive transformation within organisations. Finance leaders must now go beyond the numbers and effectively drive organisation-wide change that improves future company performance.

The CFO Leadership Series provided valuable insights in delivering high impact and being an effective catalyst for change. The esteemed panel shared observations and learnings on this topic, along with the CFO role in all its breadth, including its critical involvement in ESG strategy.

Thank you to our wonderful guest speakers Adele Stratton (CFO Iluka Resources) and Donna Carrington (CFO HBF) who shared valuable insights on a wide variety of topics which included stepping out of your profession comfort zone and taking on new areas of responsibility, the importance of succession planning, effective business partnering with the CEO and the CFOs role in leading the sustainability charge.

Pathway to the Boardroom 2022

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 01:04:00 GMT

Derwent is delighted to have hosted three in person ‘Pathway to the Boardroom’ forums in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Over 200 attendees welcomed the opportunity to network with other aspiring Non Executive Directors and hear candid first hand insights from our guest speakers, these included Nicki Anderson, Stephen Health, Sandra Dodds, Bruce Rosengarten, Sharon Warburton and Jim Walker.

Key takeaways included:

Celebrating 25 Years of Derwent "Growth, Success & Scale"

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 04:56:00 GMT

Last week, the Derwent team gathered in Sydney to proudly celebrate 25 years of Derwent. Our more than 90 colleagues from across Australia reflected on our achievements to date, and more importantly, looked favourably to a bright future. As a team, we collaborated on how to be smarter and stronger together.

At Derwent we are navigators of possibility, constantly seeking out the new and the different. Derwent has many distinguishing features, including its outstanding team and expansive track record, which has positioned the firm as the challenger brand in Australian Executive and Board search.

Few firms endure through the years. To our many clients, extended network and friends of the firm, we thank you for your support over the last 25 years.

I would also like to acknowledge the many talented members of the past and current team at Derwent, for creating success and delivering impact with people. We have assisted many stakeholders in our ecosystem deliver on their promise, benefiting a diverse range of organisations and the community.

Thank you,
Ben Derwent

The pace of change is accelerating so now is the time to be BOLD!

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:10:00 GMT

The Derwent Board practice hosted another successful roundtable event with guest speakers Dr Juliet Bourke and Christine Holman discussing the recent research project by the 30% Club Australia and Deloitte Australia, please click HERE to view the report. Boards will need to meet a multitude of challenges and opportunities arising from an increasingly complex environment – this is demonstrated by the recent pandemic, geo political issues and a range of economic shocks. The pace of change is accelerating, so now is the time to be BOLD:

Some key takeaways were:

Pathway to the Boardroom Brisbane

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 04:38:00 GMT

Today we hosted a Pathway to the Boardroom breakfast in Brisbane with guest speakers Annabelle Chaplain and Jeremy Samuel.
Annabelle and Jeremy shared their real-life examples, highlighting the importance of due diligence when approaching a Board opportunity – speaking with external advisors, such as an organisation’s Auditor, other Directors, the CEO, and importantly the Chair, were all noted as key touch points.
Annabelle discussed the value in considering Board opportunities outside the ASX commenting they can be equally challenging and rewarding. She also suggested considering Advisory Boards as a good starting point. Jeremy shared his experiences of building a Board and emphasised the importance of diversity of thought around the Boardroom table. Avoiding the ‘Group Think’ mentality by ensuring you consider not only gender, but also age, experience, skills set and culture was a theme for the day
The morning session was a great platform for strong post event discussion with our consultants where our guests were joined by Derwents, Partner and Retail Practice Lead Damon Barlow, Partner and Professional Services Lead Warwick Bowd and Industrial Practice Lead Helen Hall.

Service NSW - Insights From A World Class Customer Service Transformation

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 08:59:00 GMT

Derwent and My Career Lab recently co-hosted an event on digital transformation, with Derwent Managing Partner Andrew McEnroe and My Career Lab Managing Director, Sharon Collins facilitating an engaging discussion on how Service NSW and the NSW Public Service Commission are achieving amazing results at scale.

Service NSW has been on a six-year journey to help create a one stop shop for their customers which included a change in the operating model. Damon Rees , CEO of Service NSW, talked about how focusing on customer centricity and embracing agile under the then ‘start-up’ culture of Service NSW has enabled them to shed their legacy of cumbersome processes and poor customer service, to becoming an agency known for exceptional customer experience and one of Australia’s best places to work. For organisations looking to tackle their own digital or service transformation he offered this advice; “when you talk of big numbers like transforming a whole workforce it looks impossible, but instead you should stop focusing on the end game and getting there as quickly as possible and instead consider the small/high customer impact projects, pick your place to start and be obsessive with momentum.”

Scott Johnston , Acting Commissioner NSW Public Service Commission discussed how cultivating a culture of learning and customer focus has enabled them to undertake their own significant transformation for the 400,000 public servants in NSW and placing emphasis on the customer or citizen when implementing initiatives. Damon is now collaborating with Scott and the NSW Public Service Commission to try and replicate their success across the NSW Government as well as sharing and learning with the broader levels of Government and private sector organisations via forums such as this.

At the core of the discussion was making sure the culture is ripe for transformation, understanding the skills and capabilities of your employees and ensuring that your employees are your first consideration when developing any digital strategy, and understanding the importance of digital capability at all levels, not just in pockets.
Here is a summary of the insights shared:

Design your customer service experience with your customers, not with your leadership team

Genuinely follow your customer – start every conversation with empathy

Create lean, agile, customer-centric product teams

Foster a culture of learning and don’t be complacent, inertia can set in quickly

Ensure all leaders are aligned in the high stakes game of digital transformation, from your HR leader to your Head of IT

Think about reskilling relevant roles, I.e. frontline customer-facing staff into the digital team

Focus on the physical and wellbeing of your employees

Digital acumen needs to be part of every leader’s toolkit like financial acumen

Be obsessed with momentum and velocity and pick your place to start

Think of timeframes as to what can be done this week, next week and the end of the month - get stuff done!

Some reflective questions:

What experience do you want your workforce to have?

Ask your clients directly what they need from your service?

How do we build a digital skillset in every one of our people?

What is the learning program we can start piloting?

Which roles in your organisation are being impacted by technology?

The Public Sector - Recruiters say selection processes need an urgent overhaul

Mon, 30 May 2022 08:21:00 GMT

Job seekers have a golden opportunity in 2022 to land a role that matches their professional skills and personal values. For this, they can thank low unemployment rates and a global skills shortage.

Job seekers have a golden opportunity in 2022 to land a role that matches their professional skills and personal values. For this, they can thank low unemployment rates and a global skills shortage.
Surveys also suggest the pandemic experience is driving many people to seek positions where they can truly "make a difference".
What does this mean for the public sector? Can it attract more of Australia’s best and brightest looking for a greater sense of purpose? Can it compete with the private sector – here and overseas – to fill essential technical and professional roles? Just as importantly, can it keep hold of the talent it has already nurtured?
The Mandarin spoke to a number of top private and public sector recruiters, including Derwent's very own Andrew McEncroe , Managing Partner and industry lead for the Public Sector, to discover what the APS must do to attract (and retain) high performers.
For the full article featuring Andrew McEnroe and his thoughts on the topic - read on HERE .

Diverse Thinking in the Boardroom

Fri, 20 May 2022 08:21:00 GMT

Derwent Board practice was thrilled to host a roundtable event with Dr Juliet Bourke, Cheryl Hayman and Tim King on Future Fit Boards and skills and capabilities for the future. Great insights were shared by a diverse group of Directors around rethinking board composition in an increasingly complex landscape. To review a recent research project by the 30% Club Australia and Deloitte Australia, please click HERE .

Some takeaways include:

Technology Talent Squeeze

Tue, 10 May 2022 08:21:00 GMT

The key shortage of technology talent has been described as the ‘handbrake on growth’ in the local technology sector, as well as affecting organisations across all industries as they seek to deliver on digital transformation. To help address this issue, Derwent recently hosted an event for senior executives in technology businesses, to share insights on how to win the war for talent in a competitive market.
Warwick Bowd who leads Derwent’s Digital, Technology and Services practice chaired the forum, which was headlined by contributions from panelists Suzy Nicoletti, the former Google and Twitter executive who now leads eCommerce platform Yotpo, and Martin Herbst, former eBay executive who currently leads cloud-based recruitment platform JobAdder.
Some great insights shared by the panel included the following:

The importance of focusing on nurturing and retaining good people, who are likely being approached by other firms

The key responsibility of leaders to deliver a great employee experience, which will mean different things to different people

The importance of having a clear Employee Value Proposition (EVP) which you not only communicate, but actually deliver on

Understanding what’s really unique about your business when attracting talent, and seeking to differentiate as you do with customers

Thinking about recruitment as an investment centre not a cost centre, and utilising data to understand effective sourcing channels

Appreciating that high-growth business can be attractive destinations for talent, given they offer greater autonomy and breadth of opportunity

How to lead when your team is exhausted, and you are too

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 06:54:00 GMT

Derwent recently ran its first HR forum for 2022. The topic – How to lead when your team is exhausted, and you are too.

Deva Grant Leader, People Function Asia, McKinsey & Company and Jenny Bryant Chief Human Resources and Advanced Analytics Officer, Wesfarmers , joined over 100 HR executives across Australia from a diverse range of industries including health, technology and digital, for purpose, government, mining, retail, consumer and industrial to discuss this topic.

The panel shared:

In 2022, Derwent will continue to show case people & culture thought leadership and connect HR leaders across industry sectors.

‘Path to net zero’ driving boards 2022

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 07:01:00 GMT

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/charting-a-pathway-to-net-zero-2050-driving-boardrooms/news-story

Charting the best path to net zero emissions by 2050 and balancing the short-term demands of investors, suppliers and staff for “quick wins” on climate change policies is one of the most pressing issues for boards in 2022, according to a leading local boutique recruitment firm.

Derwent, which is run by Lindsay Every – the son of former Wesfarmers and Boral chairman Bob Every – believes that where managing digital transformation was the predominant theme for boards in 2021, the “pathway to net zero 2050” came to the fore in January this year.

“The questions firms are asking are around how they manage short-term stakeholder tension – shareholders, suppliers, staff and community – to be seen to be delivering quick wins with understanding how ultimately technology will serve to offset carbon or related ESG (environmental, social and governance) goals,” said Derwent founder Ben Derwent.

“Boards are asking what lens to look through: considering this theme in isolation may ultimately unwind investment endeavours in emerging markets or the equivalent.

“That said, green washing and/or doing nothing is equally harmful.” Mr Derwent said listed companies were setting up special purpose investment functions to identify and invest in technology to address decarbonisation and climate objectives.

“Additionally we are seeing the emergence of environmental and governance executives and specialist communications/IR professionals,” he said.

The powerful Australian Council of Superannuation Investors has warned that its members – with combined assets of more than $1 trillion – will vote against the re-election of directors they believe have failed to manage climate risk appropriately. Investors are also increasingly expecting companies to address material climate-related risks in their reporting.

At the same time, the corporate and prudential regulators in Australia have highlighted the need to address climate risk.

Derwent competes against the global executive recruiters, which include the likes of Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, Egon Zehnder, Korn Ferry and Russell Reynolds, for “mandates” to recruit executives.

The Sydney-based firm, which will turn over more than $25m this year and boasts former News Corporation and Foxtel chief executive Peter Tonagh on its advisory board, handles more than 500 executive and board appointments a year.

Last year one of Derwent’s top appointments was assisting former Australia Post executive Nicole Sheffield become head of digital at Perth conglomerate Wesfarmers.

The firm also helped Australian Jane Huxley return home from the UK where she was a top global executive at streaming giant Spotify to take over the CEO role at Are Media, the magazine company formerly known as Bauer Media.

A year earlier it helped former Bank of Queensland and Bankwest chief executive Jon Sutton take the role of chief executive of working capital finance provider Scottish Pacific.

Mr Derwent said the current “noise” in global financial markets and among international central Banks about inflation was real, based on surging demand and supply constraints caused by closed borders and other caps on mobility during the Covid pandemic.

This, he said, was being fuelled by soaring wages growth in some sectors. “Particular spikes will continue well beyond the borders opening (although this will free up supply in some sectors), as demand for new and different skills will be hotly contested well ahead of adequate talent pipelines meeting demand – for example digital, data/tech, cyber, etc,’’ he said.

“Also absent from the wage inflation debate is the increase in the compulsory superannuation levy. This is another elephant in the room: as this will likely increase cost to firms, thus increasing firms’ wage bills,” Mr Derwent said.

He said boards were now providing “the 3 Cs for CEOs to get the strategy and structure set for an agenda of growth”.

“These are capital: good earnings and cash flow, tidy balance sheets and access to capital markets. Conviction: commitment to seeing this though and not flip- flopping. And culture: an organisation that is match fit to advance the firm beyond its core.” Mr Derwent added that the most progressive listed companies were now establishing so-called “corporate venture units”, discrete investment functions looking at emerging technologies and talent.

He said his firm’s point of difference against the global giants of the sector was its connections to the best local directors and executives.

“There’s no doubt that there is the rise of the super boutique. That doesn’t mean that it’s this default to the Aussie battler.

“But I think organisations are looking for something new and different. They’re looking for people that have got a greater connection to the domestic talent pool,” he said.

“That they are looking for the challenger brand which can bring forward some more courageous ideas, because things are moving quickly.

“And just putting Bob or Betty or the usual suspects in a predictable way into jobs is just gone. Derwent, from its heritage, has always been a challenger brand representing the new and different. So therefore that translates to putting different people into board roles than may have been there in the past. “It absolutely speaks to thinking about the X factor that drives private equity success and how can we take that secret sauce to other settings and sectors.

Virtual Pathway to the Boardroom

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 07:08:00 GMT

Thank you to our two guest speakers Margie Seale and Clive Stiff for making our first virtual ‘Pathway to the Boardroom’ such a success, speaking to over 130 attendees via Zoom Webinar. Our audience made up of aspiring Non Executive Directors found their insights, experiences and wisdom very valuable, commenting on what a great choice of speakers.
Key takeaways included:

Joining a board is a very different career to being in a corporate. Your reasons for doing so should be because you’re aligned to that organisation's values, believe you can contribute and ultimately be “addicted to business”.
A short term panic can sometimes prevail in the immediate lull following a 25 hour a day executive routine.
It is important to align yourself with great mentor(s) versus obsessive networking.
If you think being a NED means you can sit back and relax… then let’s hope your board isn’t involved in a takeover which can be a daily whirlwind! You need to be available daily on a board, so flexibility is key.
You need to work harder on a board to stay on top of what is current because “in the swim of change, the trends and what is happening in the world” this information does not get given to you. You need to access and source this yourself as a NED.
You live or die by those around your boardroom table. You need to have confidence of your fellow board member's values, know how hard they work, understand their individual contribution and how they help make the board and organisation successful.

Vision Australia

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 04:35:00 GMT

Derwent was privileged to participated in the LEAP Mock Interviews program at Vision Australia.

The LEAP program provides participants a safe and professional opportunity to develop job interviewing skills. Under the guidance of volunteer interviewers, participants will move from theoretical learning into experiential learning. For many participants, their LEAP Mock Interview will be the first job interview they have completed. Coupled with this practical element, participants receive tailored recommendations to improve their interviewing skills.

Seven Traps That Could Kill Your Executive Career

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 07:13:00 GMT

Seven traps that could kill your executive career

You can’t control the market and you can’t control who your boss is or what your customers are doing.

But you can control your team.

Sally Patten, BOSS editor at the Australian Financial Review interviewed Margot Faraci , Managing Partner for Financial Services at Derwent Oct 7, 2021

Senior executive roles are invariably well paid, interesting, challenging and come with a variety of perks and privileges.

But they are hard and there is no end of traps that can trip executives up. At worst, they could be career ending or lead to severe reputational damage and profit losses or fines. At best, falling in to such traps may frustrate executives’ rise further up the corporate ladder and hinder team performance.

BOSS has identified seven traps executives would do well to avoid.

1. Getting your team wrong

The one thing you control as a leader is the composition of your team, notes Margot Faraci, managing partner in financial services at executive search firm Derwent. You can’t control the market, you can’t control who your boss is or what your customers are doing. But you can control your team, and you must be accountable for that.

That means ensuring your team is not housing toxic outperformers and friendly, likeable underperformers. Both will frustrate the performance of your business.

In the case of the former, you will no doubt think they are brilliant, high in energy, great revenue generators, loved by clients – and not causing any harm. But, warns Faraci, the chances are that the people who operate underneath toxic outperformers will feel suppressed and be reluctant to demonstrate their talents. “You will never know their true potential,” Faraci says.

“If you remove the toxic high performer, you’ll lose the revenue, and there will be disruption to your clients. But you as a leader have to back yourself to find someone good to replace them, and back yourself that you’ve chosen the right team, and without that [toxic high performer], it will flourish.”

Then there is the likeable underperformer, who is cordial, agreeable and co-operative. However, other team members will constantly have to rescue and cover for them, and could become resentful as a result. They will also assume that you are condoning underperformance by not addressing the issue. The upshot is that the cordial underperformer should also be moved on. The blow can be cushioned with the offer of financial compensation.

“Sometimes the most compassionate, respectful thing you can do is have the direct conversation quickly and generously,” Faraci says. “If they’ve been there a long time, be generous.” You may, in fact, be doing them a huge favour.

2. Not knowing your team

The chances are that your direct reports are going to be on their best behaviour when they talk to you. They are likely to be congenial and respectful. But, warns Faraci, they could be “entirely toxic when they face back into their peers [and] their own team”.

If there is destructive toxic behaviour in your business or your team, it won’t necessarily find you. Often you have to find it.

What executives need to know about making the right decision

To know your team, Faraci recommends having a program of meetings that enable you to meet the direct reports of your direct reports. It is rare that someone will come forward with accusations or complaints, but if you ask the right questions, you should be able to tease out information. Being open about your experiences will help create an environment in which a junior team member will feel safe to be honest with you.

And remember, the chances are that if you have hundreds or thousands of people in your division, toxic behaviour will be occurring somewhere. Executives of large teams should ensure their direct reports are also on the lookout for poor behaviour, such as bullying and aggression.

3. Not understanding the limits of technology

Technology is not a proxy for strategy, says Louise McElvogue, a technology adviser and director of Cluey Learning and Healthdirect.

“Choosing the right technology is important, but it won’t solve your business problems,” McElvogue says.

The experienced director points to a tendency for executives to invest in data collection and analytics before defining what questions the data is expected to answer and how it will be used.

“In the past year, I have worked with two companies using the same expensive data platforms. One had fantastic insight while the other struggled to get the answers they need,” McElvogue says.

“The first company had a clear strategy and knew what they needed to measure and the data points that would deliver value and insight, while the second company plugged everyone into the platform and expected it to deliver value.”

4. Not knowing your capabilities

A few years ago Stephenson Mansell Group, an executive development firm, conducted a survey at one of the big four banks. It gave 500 leaders a set of 16 competencies and asked the executives to rank their traits in descending order. The firm gave the executives’ team members the same list and asked them to rank their bosses.

Most leaders ranked their top attribute as the ability to influence others. From their team’s point of view, influencing was their boss’ worst capability.

“People judge themselves and their capability based on their intent, rather than what is actually showing up,” says Stephenson Mansell senior partner Mehul Joshi.

5. Not knowing your audience

You need to change your communication style to suit your audience, says Joshi. Think about who is in the audience and what message you want them to receive.

Joshi points to the presidential debates between former US president Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held before the 2016 election as a case in point.

On every single measure, Clinton won those debates – except for the measure that really mattered, says Joshi.

“What did the voters who were going to decide the election take away? What did they think?” he says. “You actually have to take a different style and approach, according to the context,” Joshi adds.

6. Being complicit

There is a litany of companies – and executives – that have failed their customers, employees and shareholders because no one spoke out about a poor decision or poor behaviour. As a senior executive, you need to ensure you have team members who will challenge you, says Derwent’s Faraci, who is a former executive at National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank and Macquarie Group.

One of the best things bosses can do is invite opinions.

“I start every meeting by saying: ‘I’m going to tell you what I think. And then I want you to tell me what I’m not seeing.’ You must argue. You must debate respectfully and compassionately. As a leader you must seek it.”

It is not acceptable, Faraci adds, for executives to nod and do what their boss tells them. What are they getting paid for?

That said, realistically, social conditioning will mean that many people won’t speak up in meetings. It is a point worth considering when assembling your team.

If you’ve got 10 people on your leadership team, you should be able to get two or three people who will “thump the table” all the time, Faraci argues. “That then will mean it becomes normal to thump the table. That will encourage [people who are conditioned to want to fit in and be liked] to speak up, too. That’s when we’re humming, because that’s when we’re getting the true capability and the true potential of everyone at the table realised.”

7. Setting and forgetting

Stephen Mansell managing partner Christopher Patterson warns that executives can’t afford to set a policy or a course of action and apply it forever more.

“Things are in motion,” Patterson tells BOSS. “Unless you’re constantly adapting and constantly updating what you’re doing, you are going to be wrong-footed pretty quickly.” Leaders should always be asking their teams for advice on how tasks can be done differently and more efficiently. As a result, constant adjustments can be made – and large, painful overhauls avoided.

https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/management/seven-traps-that-could-kill-your-executive-career-20211004-p58x6l

The Evolution of the Chief Financial Officer

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 07:22:00 GMT

How has the role of the Chief Financial Officer evolved in the modern era? This was the topic discussed at our most recent event in Perth.
Derwent in partnership with RSM hosted an informative speaker panel event for current and aspiring Chief Financial Officer’s discussing the ‘Evolution of the CFO’.
The guests thoroughly enjoyed the discussions that were facilitated by our Managing Partner, Julie Colvin and our impressive group of panel speakers:

Andrew Walsh, Chief Financial Officer from NRW Holdings
Morgan Ball, Chief Financial Officer from Northern Star Resources
Sherry Duhe, Chief Financial Officer from, Woodside Energy

We would like to extend a big thank you to our panel speakers and everyone who attended this event.

The Pathway to the Boardroom is Not a Linear Journey

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 08:44:00 GMT

This week Derwent was delighted to welcome over 90 guests to our first ‘ Pathway to the Boardroom’ breakfast since November 2019. Our guests commented:
‘ The journeys the two Directors went through, their learnings and thoughts were fantastic. Both presenters gave the audience a deep insight into the planning you need to do in transitioning into Board life .’
` Great energy in the room, partly driven by the opportunity to network face to face again after such a long period of time.’

With the Covid crisis stifling risk appetite, it is refreshing to see a shift towards growth and innovation across the mandates we have been working on. As we heard from our speakers, Sue Klose and Peter Everingham, Covid has meant that boards have had to shift their mindset.

Boards are now more comfortable with a faster decision-making process than they have in the past. Digital transformations that had been part of the 2-to-5-year strategic plan pushed to the forefront and executed in a matter of weeks/months.

Significant focus on data strategy and cyber security.

Key themes in relation to navigating through these times include agility, cross collaboration, and the ability to drive customer centric innovation.

Sharper focus on customer engagement and simplification in the business was also strongly aligned with digital agenda.

Importance of leadership, capability and the right structures. There are new challenges in building a collaborative and positive culture, hiring and onboarding staff.

The wellbeing and mental health of staff is now a very important part of the boardroom discussion.

Our speakers’ insights were informative and authentic when discussing how their journeys to the boardroom had not necessarily followed a straight line. Some of the highlights from the discussion included:

Know WHY you are doing this, reflect on your key drivers.

Set realistic expectations and realise it is going to take time, this is a highly competitive space.

Understand your END goal, it is important to know what to say NO to.

Understand what your own Individual expertise are (‘Value Add’ to a board) i.e., customer focus / digital etc.

You cannot be everything for everybody!

Important to build out your network. Find NEDs that look like you, that have more experience, and can recommend you into opportunities.

Be open to a range of opportunities, look outside just the ASX200.

Always take the ‘CALL’, the journey to the boardroom is not linear you never know where your next role may come from.

The Fred Hollows Foundation

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 04:42:00 GMT

Derwent was honoured to work with The Fred Hollows Foundation to appoint a new Chair to their Board.

The below is an extract from a statement from The Fred Hollows Foundation.

"The Fred Hollows Foundation has welcomed senior executive Jane Madden as its new Board Chair after paying tribute to former Victorian Premier John Brumby, who retired as Chair yesterday during The Foundation’s Annual General Meeting.

Jane has a passion for international development and more than 25 years’ experience across the public and private sectors including positions at the most senior levels of the Australian Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Austrade and Prime Minister and Cabinet. Jane has been a Board Member of the Black Dog Institute, the President of the National Foundation for Australian Women and a Member of the Lirrwi Arnhem Land Indigenous Advisory Panel, among a range of other experiences.

“I was extremely excited to join The Fred Hollows Foundation’s Board earlier this year, and I’m now doubly honoured to be entrusted with the role of Chair,” Jane said.

“Recently, I saw The Foundation’s work firsthand at the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory in Alice Springs, and had in-depth conversations with staff about the challenges and social determinants of eye health outcomes. There is so much we need to do to close the gap in blindness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

“The Foundation is an organisation I’ve long admired. I believe its determination to deliver on Fred Hollows’ vision of a world where no person is needlessly blind is an important goal, especially as the world grapples with the difficult consequences of the pandemic.”

John Brumby had been Chair of The Foundation since 2016 and recalled Fred Hollows as someone who worked tirelessly to end avoidable blindness and restore sight.

“Like so many Australians, I remember Fred as a dedicated campaigner for justice in Australia and overseas. He was forthright, he was direct, and he got results,” Mr Brumby said.

“I first became involved with The Foundation about 20 years ago, and it has been a true privilege to witness its growth over time.

“There is nothing more special than seeing the notes from older people with their cheque for $25, apologising that they can’t give more because of their love for the work The Foundation does and the trust they have in us to use that money well.

“I want to thank the people of Australia for their wonderful support of The Foundation and to thank our staff and partners around the world for their life-changing work, especially over the past year, which has been especially difficult. It has been a real honour to serve such a worthwhile cause alongside some of the social sector’s best people.”

Disruption and Digitisation

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 06:11:00 GMT

Where Strategy and Capability Meet for Success in Financial Services
Digital and data-led disruption isn’t coming to financial services: it’s already here due to international arrivals and digital-born Australian start-ups.
How to adapt an existing organisation so that your customers will continue to be with you? Lisa Frazier has done exactly that, both in Australia and internationally. Derwent hosted a breakfast with Lisa, where she articulated the recipe for banks and other providers on how they can evolve as they need to for their customers. Overall, Lisa has “faith in human creativity”, which has always led to the right problems being solved in her work. Lisa is an inspiring expert in the field and is about to start as COO at Judo Bank – welcome back to Australia Lisa and thank you everyone for attending.

Bear Cottage - Superhero Week

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 04:47:00 GMT

Bear Cottage is the only children’s hospice in NSW - a very special place that’s dedicated to caring for children with life-limiting conditions. They are set up to provide excellence in paediatric palliative care 24 hours a day, and their affiliation to The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network means they have access to some of the best medical resources in the world.

Derwent was delighted to raise funds in Superhero Week 2020 by hosting Teddy Bear Tuesday. Our team members were sponsored to bring their teddy bear to our weekly team video call. The event was a great success and we salute all of the special heroes at Bear Cottage.

Derwent Movers and Shakers In Healthcare

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 06:41:00 GMT

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.

Does Crisis Experience Make Better Leaders?

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 06:31:00 GMT

In May this year Derwent initiated a self-reflection exercise with a group of Australia’s Industrial sector CEOs to explore the topic Does Crisis Experience Make Better Leaders? Based on our findings, we can tell you, it does!

We’ve created a podcast in which we discuss and explore the specific leadership skills leaders have developed and honed during the current Coronavirus pandemic, and we explore how executives used their previous experience and personal attributes to ensure high-impact leadership during this current COVID-19 crisis.

Click here for the summary of our findings

Digital Acceleration - With Peter Tonagh

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 06:45:00 GMT

Read about Digital Acceleration from Derwent Search

The Tension Between Profit & Purpose

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 06:51:00 GMT

Mettle Global’s Founder & Managing Director (and former Commander of the SAS ), Ben Pronk, joined Derwent for a boardroom briefing in Perth, facilitating an enlightening discussion on the tension between Profit & Purpose within the modern organisational context.
This was a thought-provoking and highly participative discussion attended by many prominent Perth Directors.

Ben identified three key themes;

The Board’s role in “setting the tone” and culture for an organisation has become increasingly prominent post Hayne Royal Commission; it is no longer the sole domain of Management.

The “Clarity of Purpose” of an organisation is paramount, and this must be consistently understood at all levels of an organisation to drive the right outcomes. “Purpose” must also increasingly consider a broader range of stakeholder outcomes, not solely profit.

Individual and organisational “resilience”, is a highly sought-after attribute within Management Executives and Board Members alike, it is gaining increasing prominence as a determinant of company success and a differentiator in selecting talent.

Boardroom culture, the link between reward and behaviours, the increasing prominence of ESG and having a ‘social license to operate” were all discussed at length, highlighting the natural tension between profit and purpose within contemporary Boardrooms.

headspace

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 04:55:00 GMT

Headspace is the largest provider of youth mental health care across Australia. Since 2006 headspace has provided nearly 3 million services and supported more than 520,000 young Australians to strengthen their wellbeing and manage their mental health. Derwent was privileged to assist the board of headspace with the appointment of Robbie Sefton in the capacity as Non Executive Director to the board.

Robbie for over 28 years has been a leader in rural and regional strategic communications, media and advocacy, running a company with blue chip clients. Robbie is a strategic advisor and Non Executive Director with experience in government, corporate, not for profit and education sectors, with achievements in financial management and cultural change. Robbie is a passionate non-political communicator on rural, agribusiness and media topics and a farmer of wool, meat and grains.

Robbie’s appointment demonstrates headspaces commitment to serving the broader community and ensuring rural Australia is front of mind at such a critical time. The current drought has meant mental health has become a significant issues for rural Australia.

Click here for Headspace appointment article.

Partnering With The Partners

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 08:52:00 GMT

Partnering with the Partners

Recent research suggests that a new and different way of business partnering from HR leaders is now required to keep pace with the changing demands faced by partners in professional services firms. As the broader business community undergoes massive transformation in the wake of challenges like digital disruption and increasing business risk, partners in professional services firms are grappling with the issue of how best to evolve their practices and continue adding value for their clients. Human Resources leaders play a key role in this journey, as designated ‘business partners to the partners.’

On Tuesday 29th October, Derwent’s National Professional Services Lead Partner Warwick Bowd facilitated a conversation with Alissa Anderson, Human Resources Director, Business Services (Global) from Herbert Smith Freehills and the CEO of leadership and transformation consultancy Lighthouse Group, Peter Nankervis.

The discussion covered topics including the skills and mindset required to be an effective HR business Partner to Partners in professional services firms. Some of the takeaways included:

Learn When To Lean In And Lean Out

Sat, 16 Nov 2019 06:56:00 GMT

When on a Board 'learn when to lean in and lean out ' – the best Board members are great listeners and ask the right questions. Derwent held its Pathway to the Boardroom Forum in Sydney this week. Two seasoned Non-Executive Directors Cliff Rosenberg and Fiona Robertson with experienced backgrounds in technology, mining, energy, and finance shared their respective journeys from Executive to Non-Executive Director life, to a room of over 90 Executives from a wide range of industry sectors.
Derwent’s Board Practice lead Michelle Gardiner facilitated the conversation with topics including the importance of establishing a value-add proposition, exploring different board opportunities, cultural imperatives and what it really means to be Board ready.
To describe her journey to a Non-Executive career, Fiona recollected how she had always enjoyed getting involved in activities being in leadership roles at her swimming club, university and children’s school, which helped her prepare for a career on Boards. Cliff’s journey began when approached by a recruiter to join a Board whilst the Managing Director of LinkedIn for South East Asia and ANZ.
Some key takeaways from our two speakers:

Once you’re on one ASX Board it’s easier to get onto another. Three tips to help you get onto a Board:

Join the advisory Board of a public company or a sub committee in an area of your expertise
Invest in the company early on and look for an opportunity to join the Board
Choose a micro-cap and get some experience there before trying to get on an ASX 100 Board

Focus on your network and be known out there for what you’re great at, reflect on your value add proposition.

When on a Board, learn when to lean in and lean out – the best Board members are great listeners and ask the right questions.

Don’t leave your executive career too soon, especially for females, it’s important to understand the whole Board conversation although you won’t be an expert in every area. Taking a C-Suite role in a smaller organisation can be a great stepping stone to joining a Board.

Over four-five NED roles on public companies can become too many, you need to keep some time available for if things go wrong. The surprises are usually 'people surprises'.

Do your due diligence before joining a Board, lots of information is available for public companies including annual reports. Also, reflect on can you trust and respect the other Board members?

Your most important role as a Board is to appoint the right CEO and leadership team, as they set the tone for the culture. The relationship between the CEO and Chair is critical.

Learn from sites like Glassdoor and understand what people are really saying about the culture of the organisation and be prepared to question it. Request unfiltered employee engagement survey results with comments to really get a grip on the culture.

A good Board induction process can include individual meetings with the other Board Members and the Management Team, meetings with the company’s auditors and lawyers, site visits to get out into the field and regular check-ins with the Chair.

The Australian Pro Bono Centre

Sun, 10 Nov 2019 05:01:00 GMT

Derwent was privileged to provide pro-bono services and advice in assisting The Australian Pro Bono Centre with an executive search process resulting in the appointment of Gabriela Christian-Hare as its new Chief Executive Officer.

The Australian Pro Bono Centre is an independent, non-profit organisation that supports and promotes pro bono legal services. They are dedicated to growing the Australian legal profession’s capacity to provide pro bono legal services that increase access to justice for socially disadvantaged or marginalised people and further what is in the best interest of the public.

Gabriela was formerly Head of Policy and Strategy at the Centre for two years. She practiced law for over a decade with Clayton Utz in Sydney, Linklaters in London and Tokyo and as in-house counsel for leading investment bank, Nomura International, in London. She gained not-for-profit sector leadership and on-the-ground policy development experience as Special Advisor to Head of Mission of Mr Tony Blair’s Office of the Quartet Representative (OQR) in Jerusalem. Gabriela also worked for UNHCR Damascus on the Iraqi refugee crisis. Her time in the Middle East saw her working at the nexus of human rights and economic/social development in complex political environments.

Cyber Readiness And Resilience

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 09:46:00 GMT

Reduces risk, improves productivity, builds trust

Derwent and My Career Lab co-hosted a forum on the topical subject of Cyber Readiness and Resilience. My Career Lab Co-Founder and Managing Director Sharon Collins moderated an insightful panel discussion with Michelle Price, CEO of Aust Cyber, Anthony Robinson, Partner – Cyber Security at EY and Bastien Treptel, Founder of CTRL Group.

Some of the key themes discussed included:

Increasing our cyber resilience enhances Australia’s global reputation as a trusted and secure place to do business.

‘Cyber literacy’ or knowing how to effectively protect digital assets, is not only relevant for professionals working in the cyber security sector, but it is also becoming a must-have skill for every Australian worker in the digital age, regardless of occupation.

There’s no silver bullet to being cyber resilient, but there are many strategies we can embark on today to better protect our teams, organisations and personal data.

It can happen to us all, cyber is a big problem for small businesses as well as for large enterprises.

At its heart, being cyber resilient involves problem-solving, there is some great work being done to weave cyber into the curriculum at pre-school, primary and high school.

Practical tips:

Take a log of your assets and their importance. Then work out which ones to protect. Do we know what our key assets are and where they are? Are any operated by third parties?

With Australia having a talent shortage in Cyber Security, university partnerships are key, reskilling current employees through micro credentialing, targeting those returning to the workforce and thinking laterally about talent with curiosity, a key trait.

With phishing emails still one of the most common forms of attacks, reward employees with incentives to watch out and be proactive about such attacks, setting an incentivised company goal to reduce phishing emails is a great initiative that can be highly rewarding for an organisations risk rate.

Further contact:

My Career Lab collaborates with organisations to reskill and upskill their current workforce to meet the talent demand in cyber. If this is of interest please connect with Ben Dixon, Head of Customer Success. Derwent are helping organisations search for and engage senior talent in this area through their Cyber Security and Data and Analytics “Centre of Excellence” led by Dani Matthews , Principal.

What And How For Remuneration - The Post Hayne Cultural Imperative

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 09:39:00 GMT

Derwent Perth hosted a successful discussion over lunch on The Post Hayne Cultural Imperative ‘What’ and ‘How’ for Remuneration (if you’re not a bank). Key takeaways were:

The increased significance of non-financial performance measures in executive remuneration structures into the future – Boards must be attuned to this in order to navigate the complexities of stakeholder expectations

Responses to this challenge will be different for different companies and will often depend on the shareholder register of individual companies

Thank you to our panel Bronwyn Barnes, Derek La Ferla and Warren Land for your insights and learnings.

Western Health Foundation

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 05:06:00 GMT

Derwent were privileged to have been asked to assist in the appointment of Karen Bolinger as the new Board Chair of the Western Health Foundation – the Foundation supports the important work of Western Health; a major healthcare provider in Melbourne's west.

Karen was most recently the Chief Executive of the Melbourne Convention Bureau from 2011 until earlier this year. At the Melbourne Convention Bureau, Ms Bolinger increased the Bureau’s economic impact by 65% over five years, delivering growth in economic contribution from $180mil to $500mil over 6 years. Prior to that, she held a number of senior executive roles in various organisations across not for profit and commercial entities along with board positions at local and international level.

Western Health’s Board Chair, the Hon Bronwyn Pike “Karen is a visionary thinker with extensive networks, high level strategic planning capacity and a track record of strengthening brands and increasing economic impact,”.

Bravery Around Culture

Thu, 19 Sep 2019 09:52:00 GMT

As part of our Pathway to the Boardroom series, Derwent was joined by esteemed Directors Georgina Williams and Janette Kendall to speak with Melbourne based executives about the transition to a Non Executive career.

Culture is something we spend a great deal of time trying to comprehend and implement successfully, yet despite there being no ' one size fits all approach', there are key components that seem to be the grounding of any organisation that is deemed to have a great culture. Georgina shared ‘ Culture is amorphous and difficult to quantify however it is important to continuously test and attempt to influence’. Janette believes it can be easier to influence culture as a Non Executive Director than it is when you are an executive sitting inside the organisation. Often an executives tenure is shorter than that of a NED, therefor may be more inclined to compromise and accommodate competing views. ‘As a Non Executive Director you need to be brave and call out bad behaviour’ stated Janette. ‘ It is how you deal with bad behaviour that is really the question’.

Both Georgina and Janette gave some valuable examples on the contentious issue of managing, measuring and quantifying culture.

“Corporate culture is the only sustainable competitive advantage that is completely within the control of the entrepreneur.” – David Cummings, Co-Founder, Pardot

Can You Reach Your Potential If You Play It Safe?

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 09:59:00 GMT

HRD'S - Can you really reach your potential if you play it safe (and just stay in Collins Street!)?

Derwent recently continued its successful HR forums in Sydney and Melbourne which addressed the matter of “Elevating HR Executives in the Boardroom”.
Courtney Blood, Principal Derwent was joined by Athalie Williams, Chief People Officer, BHP and Davina Stanley, MD Clarity College and Clarity Thought.
The key themes that were discussed centred around HR having the courage and necessary commerciality to influence the executive team and the board in a way that the people and culture agenda is not considered an add on. Playing it safe doesn’t get results.

Be Brave and Courageous!

It is vital to consider and understand the direction of the conversation you want to have with the board. You need to be a truth teller and help them make sense of a cluttered landscape.
Have conversations with the directors as and when needed and be open with the executive team about your interaction with the board.
Use data, be commercial, be purposeful . Have a clear point of view and utilise data and commercial information to illustrate and prosecute your case. Davina shared with the group her thoughts on articulating your message, if you can’t concisely put your message onto one page, then do you really know your topic?
Be structured and very clear about the purpose.
Frame your presentation based on the following question:
“As a result of the communication, I want my audience to….” E.g. agree with the proposal. It will shift the emphasis of your communication to action focused rather than just passive information sharing.

The Hayne report is having a significant and far reaching impact.

Make sure you have read it! Boards are spending an increasing amount of time understanding and assessing cultural risk and remuneration alignment. What does a good governing board look for and what are the signs of a healthy and constructive culture?

Although there are many cultural measures available, there is a need to ensure the right mechanisms are in place to measure cultural risk. This is an area of uncertainty for many organisations and it’s crucial to identify leading indicators rather than lag indicators e.g. starting to see cultural dashboard developments.
Executive remuneration is continuing to be an area of internal and external scrutiny. Financial versus nonfinancial measures. HR’s role in this debate is to ensure that effective KPIs are in place that appropriately flow down to company, team and individual targets. The structure of executive remuneration needs to be reflected in the values and priorities of the organisation from a cultural and commercial perspective. Typical measures such as employee satisfaction surveys are inadequate. Available data is not being utilised effectively and with boards taking more a “show me, not tell me", HRD’s need to be truth tellers to the board – utilising available information and articulating the issue clearly with an action plan ready.

You can’t build your career if you stay in the same lane.

Dean Barr – Principal Industrial and Courtney Blood – Principal Consumer shared their recent experience in conducting senior HRD searches. The terms ‘commercial, transformation and business partner’ have become overused in the industry. The language is used, however, the examples and the capability that underpins these terms is not readily evident.
They suggested the need for HR to ensure that they understand the financial impact of any initiatives - if it's cost out, then, how much? If it’s business integration, then what was the saving? If it’s talent strategies, then can you show the difference the talent made to the business performance?
Pay attention to this information, and then use it to describe your contribution – LinkedIn, your resume, in interview.
To grow your career, playing it safe isn’t going to be enough of a differentiator – you need a willingness to change job location, a desire to move onto broader business-based roles (e.g. organisational transformation roles) and the ability to build strong collaborative relationships outside of the function.
Traditional career paths in HR are changing. Skills required will include strong project or program experience with lean and agile environments. Larger business partnering functions are making way for much smaller executive business consulting capability, underpinned by strong shared service functions.
We discussed what makes best in class HR.

Highly curious – burning interest in how things work.

They take the approach that it’s business first. Often, they have been in consulting or broader business roles. They avoid advocating solely on behalf of the employees without understanding the demands and priorities of all stakeholders.

Take the time to deeply learn the business.

Stay connected to the workforce – spend meaningful time with employees and follow the processes, not just the odd site visit.

Critical that time has been spent in programme/project management – understand how different levers are used in the business e.g. time, spread and scope; everyone is competing for capital within the business.

They take risks in their career, location, role. They have a bigger plan for themselves. It's not about the need to tick all the boxes, e.g. I would like to only work in the CBD.

A Jungle Gym Not A Ladder

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 10:06:00 GMT

Yesterday morning, Derwent held our Pathway to the Boardroom Forum in Brisbane.
To describe the journey to a Non Executive career, Jane Andrews referred to Sheryl Sandberg’s saying ' see your career as more of a Jungle Gym than a Ladder ' - the path is not a straight line and your portfolio of board roles may reflect different board settings and sectors. Jane encourages aspiring Directors to remember the importance of authenticity when exploring board opportunities. Her own experience was heavily shaped by her passion for the start-up space as a founder and investor of numerous innovative early-stage companies.
Dawson Petie is a seasoned Chairman and Non Executive Director with over 30 years of success at the boardroom table. Dawson shared his wealth of experience across different board settings, discussing the variety of opportunities outside of the ASX space. It was clear from the candid manner in which Dawson shared his insights that he has valued the variety of different boards he has been involved with throughout his career, and he indicated that you may be surprised where the next opportunity may appear from. This reiterates the importance of keeping an open mind to the variety of board opportunities out there and to ensure it aligns with your passion and values.
Some key takeaways from our two speakers

There is a high level of persistence and patience that is required to ensure you are meeting with the right people and keeping your networks up to date. Dawson commented that it is an extensive 'branding and marketing' exercise of your own personal brand.

The importance of understanding the challenges that exist in different board settings and ensuring your style and skill set suits the board. Dawson said it often comes down to personal relationships on a board of family owned companies. When it comes to government boards, it is important to remember this is a completely different landscape altogether as the board reports to the Minister and hence it is not for everyone. Finally, don't be led to believe that the for purpose sector is less complex than the commercial space. These are often multifaceted businesses that have other layers of accountability that you don't see every day in the commercial world, for example, overlaying religious beliefs. They also face their own unique challenges around capital raising.

Ensure you have done your due diligence not only around the financials of the company but the reputation of the directors you will be sitting on the board with and the culture they are driving through the organisation.

Understanding the style of the Chair is essential and ensuring you are going to be able to have a good working relationship.

Supporting The Next Generation Of Female Board Talent

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 10:10:00 GMT

Derwent recently collaborated with the AICD in Sydney and Brisbane. Over 100 women attended the breakfasts, hearing first hand from experienced directors Helen Wiseman, Steve Boulton, and Derwent Partner, Michelle Gardiner.

Helen and Steve shared their personal experiences and journey to the boardroom discussing their motivators, how they have each developed their own 'Value Add' propositions, and the due diligence they undertake when assessing the appropriateness of a board role. Michelle shared insights on how to prepare a board CV that sets you apart, the importance of building out networks to assist in facilitating your journey to the boardroom and helped demystify the process around board appointments.

The key takeaways from the forums included:

Boardroom Dynamics Post Royal Commission

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 10:16:00 GMT

BlackRock’s Head of Investment Stewardship Team Australia, Iris Davila, joined Derwent for a series of Director forums, providing the ideal environment for a robust discussion on the fallout, post royal commission.

Thought provoking and highly engaging, the forums created a setting that enabled an in-depth discussion between directors. Iris provided opening commentary on the impact that she foresees influencing boards in their approach to governance.

Iris identified three key themes;

Boardroom dynamic, diversity of skillset and the deliberation of yearly re-elections were all heavily up for debate, only reaffirming the question, does out governance model need to be disrupted?

People Partner Or Commercial Partner?

Fri, 29 Mar 2019 10:25:00 GMT

Derwent recently held a series of successful HR forums in Sydney and Melbourne which addressed the matter of “Elevating HR Executives in the Boardroom” . Given the timing, post Hayne Report and the Banking Royal Commission, the discussion was centred around the broader implications for Boards, Management and HR. The key insighths were :

Expect to see an increased focus on demonstration of “evidence” from Boards. Trust won’t just be granted between Boards and Management, it will need to be justified.

For HR and Management, there will be questions such as:
- Do you really understand your risks and have appropriate controls in place?
- What is that ticking timebomb inside the organisation?
- If 80% of people are engaged, what’s happening with the other 20% and what risks does this pose?
- Do you understand what impact the new risk process / risk policy will have on your workforce? If you don’t, you should.

Evidence of behaviour comes from getting amongst employees right the way down the chain, such as factory and site visits. Be out there don’t get lost in the day to day, lift your head and take opportunities to interact with the business at all levels. This is a balancing act for HR between what the board need and what the executives require.
Expect to see more complexity and requirements in remuneration. What will the Board and Shareholders accept? More modeling, more scenario planning, understanding the commercial imperatives of the organisation, being connected within the industry. Become entirely schooled up and ensure that you have the right expertise around you. You can’t wing this!
The AICD directors course is a great way to understand the Boards’ perspective and what they are looking for. How do you write a Board paper that is going to cut through? Before undertaking the course, make sure that you complete your own commercial bootcamp, e.g. ensure you can read a P&L. Think carefully about why you want a board role – it’s endlessly hard work and NFP boards are really, really tough. You need a broad executive skill set, let your network know that you are looking for board roles, find your advocates. What do you want to be famous for? This is the material you need to be able to talk about in a heartbeat. It’s your brand – be crisp, be clear.

The key takeaways continue to be:

HR needs to equip itself to fully understand the internal and external commercials of the organisation.
HR need to take risk and have courage. Get involved in a project, a topic that’s not just about HR, broaden your skill set.
Boards aren’t for everyone. Really do your research before you invest time.

Movers & Shakers In Healthcare

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 07:48:00 GMT

New South Wales

Christine Morgan has recently been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the National Mental Health Commission, effective March 2019. Christine is the former CEO of The Butterfly Foundation. She is also the National Director of the National Eating Disorders Collaboration. In the not for profit sector, Christine was General Manager at Wesley Mission, over the areas of Corporate Services; and Community and Family Development.

Leo Lee has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Regeneus. Leo has been a member of the Regeneus Board since 2017 and has over 20 years of experience in Pharmaceutical innovation, commercialisation, regulatory and policy. John Martin who has served as Chief Executive Officer until this time will continue serving on the Board.

Michael Bassett has recently been appointed to the Board of Oncosil. Michael has over 25 years’ experience in capital markets and has held senior management roles at Australia’s leading fund management and investment banking firms.

Dr Nitin Jain has recently moved from Liverpool Hospital to take up the role of Director, Emergency Medicine at Concord Repatriation General Hospital. Nitin brings wide surgical and trauma experience from his roles in Australia and, prior to this, in the UK.

Stephen Doley recently joined Life Without Barriers as the Director, Disability and Aged Care – NSW & ACT. Stephen brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise from the community services sector and has dedicated his career to having a positive impact on people with disability and shaping the sector through the provision of innovative solutions.

Tony Gulliver has joined Western Sydney Local Health District as Director, Redevelopment and Infrastructure. Tony joins at a pivotal time in the evolution of this complex health service and the development of the broader region and brings a wealth of technical and project leadership experience.

Victoria

Adrian Oates recently joined Bionic Vision Technologies as Chief Operating Officer. Adrian has more than 20 years of senior executive experience in the medical device, in-vitro diagnostic, biological and pharmaceutical health care industries at major companies including Cochlear and CSL.

Helen Douglas joined Life Without Barriers this month as State Director Disability Services, Victoria. Helen brings a powerful blend of community health experience developed over many years, having most recently led Calvary’s national community care operations.

Joshua Gladstone recently moved from Better Care Victoria to Potential(x) / Health Roundtable. Joshua joined the organisation as a Client Relationship Manager and brings with him a wealth of experience in project and program management, particularly in the areas of innovation and improvement.

Julia Oxley recently joined Monash Health as their new General Manager Community at a pivotal time as Monash reimagines their Community Strategy. Julia is an experienced C-suite public sector executive with impressive experience in emergency services, water and local government.

Dr Lance Emerson has been appointed to the Board of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. Lance has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Agency for Health Information since January 2018 and has 26 years’ experience in the health sector, including 21 in CEO and executive management roles.

Rob Lutter has recently been appointed as Chief Executive Officer for HeartKids Limited. Rob was previously the Chief Executive Officer for HeartKids New Zealand, a role which he held since 2014. Rob brings a deep passion about providing support and services for kids and their families along with extensive experience in business and the not-for-profit sector, including delivery of programs and services, fundraising and advocacy.

Queensland

Rebecca Reynolds has recently joined the Queensland Aids Council as Chief Executive Officer. Rebecca joined QuAC from the National LGBTI Health Alliance, the peak body in Australia for organisations and individuals working to improve health outcomes for LGBTI people and their communities. Working across the full lifespan, Rebecca’s career in the community health sector includes international work on HIV and maternal health, extensive experience in youth and disability services, mental health, suicide prevention, ageing and aged care.

South Australia

Professor Dorothy Keefe has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Cancer Australia, effective from July 2019. Dorothy is Professor of Cancer Medicine at the University of Adelaide and a Senior Medical Oncologist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. She is also the Interim Medical Director of the SA Cancer Service. Her experience is not only as a medical oncologist but also in the toxicity of cancer treatment, cancer patient advocacy and in healthcare reform.

Dispelling The Myths Of Private Equity

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 10:37:00 GMT

An impressive room of senior executives turned out this morning for Derwent’s Dispelling the Myths of Private Equity panel discussion. Over the past 21 years Derwent has built an extensive track record of successful appointments for Private Equity Investee companies across all sectors from industrials, health, retail & consumer to energy and renewables and this morning we were joined by Mal McHutchison and David Haslett for an open and robust discussion on the challenges and benefits of leading PE backed assets.

Our panel discussed the important differences between the traditional corporate setting and that of private equity, emphasising the focus on cashflow and the shorter window to create value, which in turn led to a discussion about the pace at which private equity move and the benefits of working with decisive and agile owners who look to accelerate the businesses plan’s and drive corporate development.

As with all businesses, it is important for senior executives to nurture meaningful and relevant relationships inside and outside of the boardroom. Both Mal & David provided great tips to navigating the often-challenging path where JV partners or owner/founders remain in the business and around the Boardroom table; advising the audience to align and maintain focus on the creation of sustainable long-term value and opportunity.

The panel put to bed some of the die-hard myths that PE strips value and runs lean or that it is difficult to attract and retain top talent. Both our speakers stressed the overarching focus of private equity is to create enterprise value and that when it came to attracting talent, PE isn’t necessarily less certain than other markets; ownership changes happen in all markets and whilst there is risk involved, participation in equity can prove very attractive. They highlighted the benefits of working with highly intelligent people who have access to both expertise and capital but punctuated this saying it is not for everyone and executives need to be comfortable with a step up in pace.

We wrapped up our session with some advice on how executives and industry leaders can get involved with PE assets and firms, suggesting our audience:

Utilise their knowledge as experts in given fields.

PE like to know experts who can add value either as consultants or business partners.

Some PE companies have preferred search partners. Build a relationship with these firms.

The One Word To NEVER Use When Looking For Board Roles

Thu, 14 Feb 2019 11:31:00 GMT

When transitioning from executive life to a non executive director career, the word ‘re tire ment’ should not be part of your vocabulary. Steve Boulton, a seasoned Director expressed the importance of avoiding being perceived as obsolete, “You’re in transition will suffice”, it is all part of a mindset shift when making the decision to transition out of your executive career.

With executives eager to drive their transition to a non executive career, Leeanne Bond, encourages pursuing an executive career in its entirety before transitioning to a non executive career. It is all too often that the valuable learnings gained from an executive career fall short by being too quick to transition. It is these valuable learnings that shape your value-add proposition to a board, increasing unique capability and skill set.

When planning your transition from executive life into a portfolio career it is important to keep in mind a board portfolio is a marathon not a sprint, often taking a couple years, building your experience on different boards as you go.

Our speakers spoke to the following insights:

Taking A Lead In The Digital World

Thu, 14 Feb 2019 10:41:00 GMT

With professional services firms of all kinds having to evolve with their clients’ and employees’ needs in the new digital world; technology investments alone are not enough. There must also be a big focus on building the right capability and culture, with courageous leadership and high performance at the centre.

Organisations place great importance on ‘changing their business’ but often neglect to ‘change their people’ in the process. There must be a shift in thinking to really enable change, optimise new technologies and fully utilise the boundless insights and value that data can provide.

Derwent Announces Key Appointment - Stuart Burns

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 07:54:00 GMT

Sydney
Derwent has announced the appointment of Stuart Burns as Lead Partner for the Consumer and Retail Industry.

Stuart joins Derwent from global executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates and has a strong track record as a leadership advisor to CEOs, Board Directors and C-suite executives in major Australian and global organisations. Prior to executive search, Stuart’s career has spanned strategy consulting with Bain & Company, founding and leading a global sports apparel brand and senior leadership roles in Woolworths and Diageo.

Ben Derwent, the Managing Director of Derwent commented, ‘Stuart will add considerable capability and expertise to advance our clients’ success. A refreshing change to many ‘global search firm alumni’, Stuart brings a unique offering of a founder’s mindset, deep industry insights and a vast track record, spanning private equity, complex corporate and high growth settings. Stuart is sought out by Boards, CEOs and asset owners as an advisor that delivers impact.’

Stuart commented, ‘I am excited by the opportunity to work with such an entrepreneurial and successful Australian business. The impact of the search and advisory work that Derwent is doing in partnership with Australian and international businesses is truly world class and this is a fantastic opportunity to assist in continuing to grow that impact alongside Ben and the team’.

At Derwent we are navigators of possibility. We help businesses thrive by identifying and connecting with high impact talent. Our challenger mindset finds us looking for the new and different – a champion of diversity and courageous to alternate outcomes. Derwent is fast-tracking the debate around changing workplaces and workforces and how talent ‘makes a difference’.

As a trusted talent search partner with over 20 years of success, Derwent advises on; board, CEO and leadership appointments - across a range of industry sectors and settings from public, private, government and for purpose.

Our past success in identifying and connecting high impact talent with thriving organisations has enabled us to build the network, insight, and technology to support our clients’ strategies of the future.

For further information please contact:

Ben Derwent ( bderwent@derwentsearch.com.au / 02 9091 3222)

Stuart Burns ( sburns@derwentsearch.com.au / 02 9091 3205)

Derwent

Movers & Shakers In Healthcare - QTR 2

Wed, 19 Dec 2018 08:01:00 GMT

New South Wales

David Bergman recently joined Catholic Healthcare in Sydney as their CFO. David brings extensive executive level leadership credentials to this role, most recently from his 11 years with Calvary Health (LCM). David joins Catholic Healthcare at a time of exciting growth and development of the business, infrastructure and the team.

Professor Elizabeth Sullivan joins the University of Newcastle, NSW in February 2019 as the new Deputy Head of Faculty, for the Faculty of Health and Medicine. Professor Sullivan is an internationally renowned scholar and distinguished Professor of Public Health, and most recently held the role of Assistant Deputy Vice Chancellor Research (ADVCR) at the University of Technology, Sydney. Prior to this, she held senior academic appointments at UNSW.

John Gibbs stepped down as CEO of Pacific Smiles Group in October 2018, after 14 years at Pacific Smiles and 11 years in the role. He has been succeeded by Philip McKenzie , who was previously CEO of Audiology Management Group, a leading audiology services business, as well as Widex, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of hearing aids.

John Slaven joined Mid North Coast Local Health District as their new Director of Finance. John is a highly experienced Health Services CFO and most recently led Finance, Business and Operational Services at Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, Queensland.

Josh Keech recently joined The Benevolent Society in Sydney as their Executive Director of People, Culture and Engagement. Josh’s track record of leading innovation and sustainable organisational growth within the human services sectors is one of the many attributes he brings to the role.

Kelly Doran joined Ochre recruitment as General Manager in November 2018. Kelly is a highly motivated executive with 20 plus years of combined health care, sales operations and medical recruitment experience.

Professor Maralyn Foureur joins the University of Newcastle, NSW in February 2019 as the new Professor of Nursing and Midwifery Research, working closely with the Hunter New England Local Heath District and other key stakeholders. Professor Foureur brings world class research credentials and contemporary academic leadership, developed from her previous roles with University of Technology, Sydney and other international appointments.

Pete Lomas recently joined Potential (x) as Client Relationship Manager, one of several recently created roles within this growing organisation focused on healthcare data, analytics and consulting. Pete brings extensive client relationship and technical skills honed from his previous roles in medical devices, diagnostics and pharmaceuticals.

Queensland

Alison Deans joined Ramsay Health Board as Non Executive Director in November 2018. Alison has more than 25 years’ experience in senior management – founding and launching eBay in Australia in late 1999 and establishing clear market leadership and profitability within 18 months.

Ben Deverson joined the AEIOU Board of Directors as Non Executive Director in August 2018. Ben is an experienced senior executive with 21 years’ experience across numerous industry sectors including professional services, infrastructure, defence, resources and the public sector.

Dr Claudia Sussmuth Dyckerhoff joined Ramsay Health Board as Non Executive Director in October 2018. Claudia has expertise in market growth strategies, business development, and operational performance improvement in hospitals, and extensive global experience in hospitals and health care across Europe, Asia, and the USA.

Lincoln Hopper joined St Vincent’s Health Services as CEO – Aged Care Services in August 2018. Prior to this role, Lincoln was working in the disability sector as CEO and Company Secretary for MS Queensland. Lincoln has worked in the health and community services sector for the last 28 years.

Richard Boys joined the Endeavour Foundation Board as Non Executive Director in September 2018. Richard is a highly experienced and qualified CFO with over 30 years of exposure in the energy, mining and resources sectors.

Richard Haire joined the Endeavour Foundation Board as Non Executive Director in October 2018. Richard’s career has spanned accountancy, merchant banking, finance, chief executive and global executive roles, in primary production, agricultural marketing and commodity companies.

Victoria

Alistair Barkhouse , a 25-year veteran of global pharmaceutical and healthcare organisations, was appointed General Manager Sales & Marketing at Medical Developments International in October. Al brings with him a track record of strong commercial results and success in world leading product launches across a variety of therapeutic areas.

Brian Gordon will be joining Bionic Vision Technologies as Chief Scientific Officer in January 2019. After an extensive career at Cochlear, Brian will be leading the research, development and manufacturing process for a ‘bionic eye’ to help restore vision to the blind.

Chris Forbes joined Kidney Health Australia as their new CEO in October of this year. Chris’s leadership experience in the commercial and For Purpose sectors as Chief Executive Officer at Ticketek Australia and Chief Commercial Officer at Swimming Australia will be invaluable in driving growth through new revenue pathways and breaking new ground in the area of early detection and prevention.

Dale Fisher has recently commenced her new role as CEO of Silver Chain Group, responsible for leading this national organisation on its next phase of growth and development. Dale previously led Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre as CEO, steered the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) redevelopment project, oversaw the transition to Peter Mac’s new home in Parkville, and built the service and research capacity of the enterprise.

Damian Gibney , recent Divisional Director - Emergency, Medicine & Cancer Services and General Manager Sunshine Hospital – Western Health, has been appointed to the role of Executive Director, Clinical Excellence and Systems Improvement at The Royal Women's Hospital. This role will provide executive and strategic leadership to the quality and safety function at the Women's as well as oversight of service improvement initiatives.

Lisa Lynch, Chief Operating Officer at Women’s and Children’s Health Network SA, is returning from Adelaide to Melbourne to take up the role of Executive Director Clinical Operations at The Royal Women’s Hospital in 2019.

In October, former General Manager Service Development - Calvary Healthcare, Tim Watts , was appointed to the position of Chief Operating Officer at Stile Education.

Western Australia

Anthony Smith has recently been appointed as MercyCare’s new Chief Executive after an extensive career with St John Ambulance including 6 years as Deputy Chief Executive Officer. Anthony has a track record in delivering commercial success and societal impact in roles across community services and member-based organisations. Anthony will continue to drive the strategic growth of the organisation.

Elizabeth Barnes has joined 360 Health + Community as their new Chief Executive after a successful career as Chief Executive Officer with Directions Disability Support Services. With extensive corporate and clinical governance experience Elizabeth is tasked with driving real, long term change to 360 Health + Community’s customers.

Ian Carter, after 25-years has announced his resignation as Chief Executive of Anglicare WA, to be succeeded by Mark Glasson, the Group’s Director of Services. Prior to joining Anglicare WA in 2013, Mark spent many years in a range of human services organisations, as well as holding senior executive positions for the Government of Western Australia.

Jacqui Thomson has recently been announced as the new Chief Executive of the Ability Centre. Jacqui previously held the position of General Manager Lottery Operations at Lotterywest together with various strategic roles expanding 16-years.

John Atkins, Western Australia’s former Agent General to the UK and Europe, has taken on the role as the new Chair of Anglicare WA. Mr Atkins replaces John Barrington and will play a crucial part in the successful transition in CEO leadership.

Rebecca Brown , former Deputy Director of Health has been appointed as the new Director General of Western Australia’s industry and tourism department, the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation. Rebecca has extensive experience across the public sector, holding senior positions in a range of departments. Most recently Rebecca successfully oversaw transformational change within Health to deliver better outcomes for the community.

Board Directors Of Tomorrow

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 10:45:00 GMT

Two very experienced and respected directors, Sally Pitkin and Philip Christensen shared their wealth of knowledge with the upcoming board directors of tomorrow, providing food for thought on the topical theme of directorships.

The importance of being realistic when approaching opportunities was a key theme of the morning. Advice from our speakers including:

Be realistic about how long it will take to become a NED, very competitive space;

Have a ‘narrative’ prepared (your contributions to a board) when you get the opportunity to network with people who may be able to assist you on your journey;

Dismiss the Lifestyle myth - NOT A PART TIME ROLE- once you have signed up you are committed and can’t just walk away if you find you have a dysfunctional board – ensure you have done your due diligence;

Be practical - think carefully about your NED portfolio – you need the right number of roles in order to balance your time accordingly e.g. the average board meets about 10 times per annum for around 3 to 4 hours each time.

Diversify – don’t be afraid to become a NED while still in your executive role as you can cross-pollinate your learnings.

The need to carry out due diligence was also an important part of the mornings' discussion with our speakers sharing some of their key considerations when contemplating a board opportunity;

Am I passionate and or interested in the organisation/sector?

Are these people I would choose to work with? (You need to have a good working relationship as you are not working day-to-day together, only meeting once or twice a month.)

Who are the senior executive team?

Who is the Chair, as they will set the tone and culture of the board?

Is this a disciplined board – what is the composition?

What are the culture/values of the business?

What is the companies risk profile?

Heed any warnings you are given – seek further information and test assumptions.

How clear is the company's strategy and where is it on its strategic path?

Is there a controlling shareholder? What are the dynamics of the relationship between the directors nominated by the controlling shareholder and the other directors?

What value does the company think it is getting from your appointment?

Importance of Indemnity Insurance;

Reflect on what ‘conflicts of interest’ may arise from taking this board role.

Finally, the importance of being able to say ‘no’ if the opportunity is not ticking all your boxes.

Hawaiian Ride For Youth

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 05:17:00 GMT

Julie Colvin, a founding Partner in our Perth office is embarking on her third year riding Hawaiian Ride for Youth.

This is an annual event held over 4.5 days where participants ride from either Geraldton or Albany to Perth raising funds and awareness for Youth Focus. Each route is approximately 700kms and riders visit high schools along the way to engage and inform students on issues of youth suicide, depression, anxiety and self-harm, as well as the services that Youth Focus provide.

The ride has three main goals:

Preparation for the ride starts in October and goes through until ride week in March. During this time participants ride three to four times a week, covering approximately 7,000kms . The goal during this time is to get fitter and faster whilst supporting each other to ensure riders of all abilities are able to complete ride week safely.

The ride supports Youth Focus:

Youth Focus is an independent Western Australian not-for-profit working to stop youth suicide . Youth Focus works with young people aged 12-25 to help them overcome issues associated with depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal thoughts through the provision of free, unlimited and professional face-to-face individual counselling and other mental health services. The demand for their services is ever-increasing and with only a small percentage of the operating funding sourced from the Government, they rely heavily on the goodwill and support of the corporate and community sectors. Each year, about 2,500 young people aged 12-25 will visit one of the Youth Focus eight offices or 40 school locations statewide to get help. The average length of counselling engagement is about six months

If you would like to support it would be very gratefully accepted and welcomed

https://www.rideforyouth.com.au/2019/riders/julie-colvin/

Juggling A Non Executive Role While Still In An Executive Career

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 10:50:00 GMT

Your Pathway to the Boardroom, is a recurring debate of whether to take on a Board role whilst still in your Executive role. Our experienced Directors dismantled the myth that board roles are only ‘part time’, Christy emphasised the conflict of time and requirements, with the juggle of an Executive role still in play. Karen spoke of the need for greater consideration to be given to different board settings that exist outside the ASX200. Private companies, smaller ASX companies and not for profits can be a great pathway to a Non Executive career.
A common mistake often made by first time directors is to jump at the first board role that comes your way. Both panellists emphasised how important it is to do your due diligence properly, something that is often learnt through experience. Areas for consideration include understanding who the Chair is and their style. Will they support open and robust discussion in the board room? The importance of having the right CEO. What are the challenges facing the company? Who are the other board members?

The Value of The Right Person In The Right Role

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 11:02:00 GMT

Sally Langer, Partner of Derwent Perth chaired a fantastic panel session at EY along with event partner’s Red Emu Advisory . Richard Goyder , Chairman of Woodside Energy, the AFL and ex Wesfarmers CEO; and the aspiring Zoe Yujnovich , Chairman of Shell Australia, shared their valuable insights and experiences around successful staff recruitment, assessment and retention. Keith Gordon , Director of Red Emu Advisory, introduced the event and incorporated an interactive polling exercise which asked the 100 plus attendees the question,
“At my organisation, we have the right people in all our critical roles?” Andrew Madams, also a Director at Red Emu Advisory, joined the panel alongside Richard and Zoe and highlighted the emerging trends he is seeing in relation to the ‘diversity’ of candidates and also how high performers and their ambitions are being managed.
When asked by Sally, “How do you make a call that someone isn’t right for the business”, Richard answered that it’s important to do your due diligence and assess an individual’s track record and performance but from time to time you do get it wrong. And if someone is acting inappropriately within the business, Zoe believes action needs to be taken as “By ignoring bad behaviour you are silently endorsing it.”

The panel agreed that the traits they look for in CEO candidates included; commerciality, resilience, capacity to communicate, curiosity to develop and strong values when it comes to ethics and compliance.

Dispelling The Myths Of Private Equity - Pitcher Partners

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 10:55:00 GMT

Derwent and Pitcher Partners hosted a breakfast event "Dispelling the Myths of Private Equity" that was attended by over 100 senior executives and Non-Executive Directors. The panel was made up of the Chief Executive’s and Chief Financial Officers of two of the most successful Private Equity investments in recent times. The Panel Members shared their experience and the unique challenges they faced in each of these investee companies, along with how they achieved success in driving performance in preparation for sale / IPO. Mathew Newman facilitated the panel discussion, posing a number of questions to the panel before taking questions from the floor. Michael Sonego, Partner Corporate Finance at Pitcher Partners and Global Corporate Finance Lead Baker Tilly International, welcomed the attendees and introduced the event. He provided valuable data on the size and activity of the Australian Private Equity funds compared to the global market. In response to questions from Mathew Newman and those from the floor, the panel were highly effective in sharing their experience – focusing on acquiring the best talent; the relationship with the board; how they set clear strategy; focus on dramatic change that rapidly impacts on the business; continually measuring performance and holding each other accountable. They highlighted that whilst the fundamentals for growth don’t differ greatly from a privately owned, listed or subsidiary companies, the fact that the private equity fund only own the investment for a short period supercharges the focus on growth in the bottom line and enterprise value. Whist the two investments were very different in terms of scale and business model, the themes that underpinned success were highly consistent. A key point was that Private Equity Funds position businesses for future growth and ensure that they leave value on the table for the next owner.
The overriding feedback from the attendees was that the event was highly informative and that there were a number of ‘take-aways’ that could be applied to the businesses they are associated with.

The Modern Day Director - Leadership In Challenging Times

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 11:42:00 GMT

In a time that continues to be incredibly complex for boards, Jane McAloon and Greg Ridder emphasise that defining success is never black and white. Success as a Director is often directly aligned to being appointed to an ASX200 Board. However, whilst seeking such an appointment is not to be discouraged, it is important to align personal interest and value to an organisation in order for the role to be both professionally and personally rewarding. Greg Ridder knows this too well and has highlighted the increasing responsibility that Directors face, dismantling the myth that Board roles are merely “part-time”. Highly functioning boards operate in a zone of alignment and collaboration with senior management around ethics and values. With the rise of social media and deteriorating public trust, CEOs and Directors are being held to even higher levels of ethical accountability, Jane spoke to the importance of the chair setting the tone and culture, creating a greater need for board alignment and transparency.

Directors Briefing Breakfast

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 11:38:00 GMT

Derwent Executive’s Managing Director, Ben Derwent, joined Derwent Executive Brisbane’s foundation Partner, Liz Crawford and her team to host an intimate Directors Briefing Breakfast.

This roundtable included Chairs and Non-Executive Directors from a range of industries and was the perfect arena for participants to connect and discuss the current issues surrounding boards, and how to navigate such complex challenges.

Continuing The ‘Press for Progress’ – In The Boardroom

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 11:36:00 GMT

Australian Institute of Company Directors collaborated with Derwent and Allens yesterday, to show their commitment to supporting women on their journeys to the boardroom.

Liz Crawford, Derwent Brisbane Managing Partner interviewed Kathryn Foster, Non-Executive Director and Michelle Gardiner, Partner Derwent Board Practice with an audience of over 70 guests.

In the highly competitive and sought-after world of directorships, a key takeaway was making sure you understand your value-add proposition to a board and aligning yourself with opportunities that you are passionate about.

Bowls 4 Dreams

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 05:21:00 GMT

Derwent participated in Bowls4Dreams, supporting the charity Dreams2Live4, an Australian charity making dreams come true for patients who are living with metastatic cancer. A great evening and a big well done to our champion bowlers - Katelyn and Tara!

Patient Centricity

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 12:37:00 GMT

With the empowering digital movement, Cochlear Limited, the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, have shifted their focus to provide an even richer experience for their patients.

Stuart Sayers, President of Services for Cochlear shared his understandings on how technology has shifted from doctor to patient-centred care. Thirty years’ experience within B2B and B2C sales saw Stuart place great emphasis on the recent shift to a patient centred model, “it’s what they want, not what’s prescribed”. Stuart further highlighted Cochlear’s introduction and focus on building their service division, utilising technology to provide an experience to the customer that is not only life changing, but one that continues for, on average, up to 80 years.

Continuous technological progress has seen smartphones provide greater control, customisation and monitoring of a patient’s hearing. Service support through SMS chat platforms and constant readable data has led to “a richer conversation and experience”, a vision for patients to “hear more, work less”.

Stuart’s insights from a career which previously included Amazon, Yahoo7, E-trade and McKinsey made for a fascinating discussion.

Accelerating Diversity; Spurring Growth For Australian Industrials

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 08:06:00 GMT

Just over half of the Australian population (50.7 per cent) is female; just under half of the employee population1 is female (47 per cent).

Yet in Australia’s industrial sector women currently hold just 10 per cent of the line roles and 30 per cent of the functional roles in executive leadership.

Analysis of the financial impact of more gender diverse and inclusive teams has shown time and again that gender balanced business teams outperform gender-skewed teams in terms of sales and profits2.

A landmark study of more than 2,000 global companies conducted by Credit Suisse has also shown that firms with one or more women on the board have delivered higher average returns on equity, lower gearing, better average growth and higher price/book value multiples over the course of a six-year period3.

For many Australian industrials, improving their record on gender diversity is a clear business goal. There are frustrations that the pipeline of female employees is still slender – women are less well represented in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) tertiary education than men – but there are still opportunities to lift the gender diversity of Australian enterprise.

As the industrial practice lead with Derwent Executive I work with Boards and CEOs seeking to fill senior executive roles. I’m always keen to field as many strong women candidates as possible. To work out how it might be possible to accelerate diversity in the sector I approached a number of women who have risen through the ranks to the top of their profession to ask them to share their insights.

Adelle Howse for example is the ex CFO for Lattice Energy and Deputy Chairman Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute. She acknowledges that the issue isn’t confined to the industrial sector – though she says it does face additional challenges.

“Males have traditionally been very dominant in the industrial sector – especially engineering, construction, energy, resources. This is historic but also relates to availability of skills. Statistically about 14-16 per cent of engineering graduates are female and this hasn’t changed much in the last ten years.”

As a result, there simply isn’t a large representation of experienced women rising through the ranks in the sector, she says, and for some managers that can dissuade them from looking for women candidates that may come through a less traditional career route.

As Mariela Millington, CIO of Brightstar APAC notes; “Natural bias occurs in that usually you hire in the image you think the role needs to have. Almost always that image is a reflection of yourself,” she says. Since men are often the ones doing the hiring, that can lead to men being hired rather than women.

Andrea Pidcock, Executive General Manager of CSR Lightweight Systems, says that the hiring bias is compounded because male leaders’ role models have been overwhelmingly male in the past. “It leads

1 https://www.humanrights.gov.au/education/face-facts/face-facts-gender-equality-2018

2 http://gap.hks.harvard.edu/impact-gender-diversity-performance-business-teams-evidence-field-experiment

3 https://www.calstrs.com/sites/main/files/file-

attachments/csri_gender_diversity_and_corporate_performance.pdf

them to an innate belief that women are less capable, less ambitious, not as tough and not suited to the industrial environment that they themselves thrive in.”

The successful careers that each of these women has carved out gives lie to that belief.

Adelle Howse in any case believes the attitude is changing, especially as a new generation of industrials leaders “recognise the benefits of a diversity of experience and provide coaching and development for particular skills sets needed in the leadership roles in the industry sector,” she says.

That approach accelerates the march toward more diverse workplaces and sets up enterprise and individuals for greater success.

“Start by recruiting and promoting females into leadership positions – immediately. These females already exist. It shows other females that there is the potential to get to the leadership position,” says Howse.

While there is a way to go, Lee De Winton, CEO of Sydney Metro Airports (Bankstown & Camden) says that it’s important to recognise that although it is taking longer than expected to achieve equal opportunity, there has been progress.

“We have come from environments where as recently as 30 years ago in some work streams women had to leave if they were getting married or when pregnant. We are transforming decades of traditional reasonably quickly.

“Is it good enough yet? No. Now it’s time to consider how we accelerate this into a more equitable balance or representation.”

No one that I spoke to liked the idea of imposing quotas on the sector – but aspirational targets are seen as a way to accelerate diversity action.

Jayne Whitney, Chief Strategy Officer, John Holland, Director and Deputy Chairman, ISCA (Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia) neatly sums up the group’s feelings. “Targets are a useful tool when the benchmark is so low – but quotas have a negative connotation.”

Many senior women leaders in the sector believe that aspirational targets will prove critically important for industrials which want to really shift the dial on diversity.

Adelle Howse says that company boards should set targets and hold executive leaders to account as to why those targets cannot be met.

Given the mounting evidence of the financial impact that gender diverse teams deliver – it is increasingly hard to argue against the move toward greater equality.

But while targets are useful, ultimately it will be cultures that win out says Shona Fitzgerald, Managing Director of CRC Industries. “Operate an organisation based on good values as this attracts the right people and then diversity isn’t something that needs to be focused on, because it’s a given from the integrity of the people that you attract,” she says.

The advice and insight from these women leaders who are already at the top of their game is invaluable for forward looking, growth focused organisations.

The rewards of gender diversity are clear. Yes, the pipeline of female candidates in the industrial sector may be slender, but the opportunity to identify talented women across the enterprise and offer them the training and mentorship that would benefit them and the business is one that should never be overlooked during the recruitment and promotion process.

Finally, thanks to all women who engaged with me and whose views I’ll share more broadly in this series, in particular thanks to;

• Adelle Howse – Principal, Structuring for Performance; Deputy Chairman Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute

• Andrea Pidcock - Executive General Manager, CSR Lightweight Systems

• Gabrielle Martinovich – Director, Definitude Consulting

• Jayne Whitney - Chief Strategy Officer, John Holland; Director & Deputy Chairman, ISCA (The Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia)

• Jennifer Purdie - Chief Executive Officer, Adani Australia Renewables

• Lee de Winton – CEO, Sydney Metro Airports (Bankstown & Camden)

• Mariela Millington - Chief Information Officer, Brightstar APAC

• Shona Fitzgerald - Managing Director, CRC Industries

I’m hoping to add more insights over the course of this series – so please do feel free to share your insights with me at HHall@derwentexecutive.com.au

Helen Hall is a Partner at Derwent Executive

About Derwent

Derwent (www.derwentsearch) is an established leader in Executive Search, Board Appointments and Talent Advisory. We specialise in senior executive appointments in private and listed mid-market organisations and the public sector.

With over twenty years of expertise across a range of industries and a strong regional presence, we are ideally positioned to provide high calibre talent and effective strategic guidance to help our clients build strong, dynamic and sustainable organisations.

Helen Hall, Partner - Sydney

Helen is the Partner lead in the Industrial Practice at Derwent where she has a wide breadth of exposure to executive role types from Boards, CEOs and the C-Suite. She is a passionate advocate for driving diversity, in all its complexity, into the Australian industrial sector and a strong proponent of harnessing the power of digital leadership through the sector. Prior to joining Derwent Helen spent more than 20 years in businesses working across Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific.

She holds a Master of Marketing from Macquarie Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Business from Charles Sturt University.

For more information please contact:

Helen Hall + 61 2 90913283

Katelyn Ranpaia + 61 2 90913206

Stitches Family BBQ

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 05:26:00 GMT

Last week, the Derwent Perth team volunteered at the Stitches’ Family BBQ at Princess Margaret Hospital . A great success with the children, families and hospital staff.

Access Arts - Celebrating Fantastic Artists And Their Works - Derwent Search

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 05:32:00 GMT

Liz Crawford , our Brisbane Managing Partner had the honour of being the Master of Ceremony at the annual Access Arts art exhibition at KPMG on Tuesday night.

It was an evening filled with live music, performances by the Access Arts performing arts group, and a display of 30 divine works from artists and photographers alike. Guest and Access Arts Life Member, Peter Vance also declared The Access Arts Achievement Award open for entries.

Access Arts is an arts organisation that pioneers opportunities for people living with disability and disadvantage to excel in the arts.

Please read more about Access Arts at: http://accessarts.org.au/ and join in celebrating these fantastic artists and their works.

Non Executive Director Forum Sydney - Hugh Bradlow

Sat, 01 Sep 2018 12:43:00 GMT

Hugh Bradlow the former Chief Technology Officer of Telstra, and the current President of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering led an engaging discussion yesterday at a Derwent event attended by 40 of Australia's leading Non-Executive Directors and Chairs.

Hugh discussed the expanding scale and scope of digital platforms and how this constant change is creating new opportunities for enhanced customer experience. Hugh also emphasised that large corporates will be challenged to take advantage of these opportunities due to their established cultures and lack of agility.

Numerous directors commented that the presentation was ‘thought-provoking and raised very topical issues for their boards as well as helping to clarify some of the key issues that directors are grappling with’.

Other comments included that ‘his insights were big-picture and, future focused but at the same time very practical’.

Hugh shared his ' Golden Rules ' for individuals on cyber security. These include 2-Factor Authentication, Strong passwords (Password manager), Patch, patch, patch, Anti-virus software.

There is no doubt that we are at a tipping point when it comes to the importance of ‘digital’ in our business and personal lives.

We invite you to sign up to Hugh’s newsletter that will provide you with regular updates on technology signals. Should you wish to receive the newsletter, email techomens@bradlows.com with the subject line “ TechOmens ”.

Driving Diversity In The Industrial Sector

Tue, 14 Aug 2018 08:10:00 GMT

There is an enormous opportunity for industrial companies in Australia that invest in diversity initiatives.

McKinsey & Co research has revealed already that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15 per cent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.

It would be a rare company that did not seek out that sort of impact.

At present though there is a way to go in our industrial sector where women currently hold just 10 per cent of the line roles and 30 per cent of the functional roles in executive leadership.

Chief Executive Women, which analysed the gender makeup of the ASX200, also found that 41 of the 200 have no women in executive roles, and 126 companies (or 63%) have no women in line roles.

I believe this is an opportunity gap that savvy business leaders now want to address.

As the industrial practice lead with Derwent Executive I work with Boards and CEOs seeking to fill senior executive roles. I’m always keen to field as many strong women candidates as possible. The challenge is when only one in ten line roles is held by a woman today, the pipeline is slender.

There is however a number of highly effective and very successful women in senior roles in the industrial sector already – and these are the beacons for future generations of women executives now rising through the ranks

I asked these female leaders to share with me their journeys and experiences. I wanted to understand how they got to their current level, what obstacles they had to navigate, how they think we can tackle the challenge, and what insights they could share with other women coming up through the ranks.

Their insights are also really useful to senior executive men and industrial sector leaders who might simply never have thought of these issues because they’ve never experienced them personally.

Understanding the often-unconscious bias that can exist in organisations is an important first step toward redressing the gender imbalance.

Take the experience of one now senior executive who was once told by a male colleague to change the way she walked if she wanted to be taken seriously; another had to navigate around a CEO who didn’t believe anyone should progress through the business unless they had started out on the shop floor of the business.

Jennifer Purdie noted that “even as a talented, capable and experienced person, you can be in a context and culture where you are not able to make a contribution and be successful. The factors that determine this are hard to assess from outside a role. If you take a risk of this nature and it doesn’t come off, you need to get out before it destroys your confidence and self-esteem.”

The women who have progressed their careers to become industrial sector leaders are fiercely pragmatic, and prepared to share great practical insights with their peers and other women entering the sector. They all acknowledge that there’s hard work involved to create a successful career – but also that there are great personal and professional rewards to be reaped.

And that’s an important message because this group understands keenly that we need to encourage more women to undertake engineering degrees, which has proved a hard sell over the years. But if you can’t see it you can’t be it – by giving these women more of a profile I’m hoping young women will see that there are fantastic, stimulating and important careers to be carved out in the industrial sector.

I’m also keen for the industrial sector leaders of today to get a deeper understanding of the clear benefit of greater diversity and work with us to create programs that will bring that to reality.

As a group, the women I engaged with don’t like the idea of quotas, largely because of the negative connotations that attend a quota system – but most are in favour of aspirational targets and holding business to account when it doesn’t meet them.

It is challenging to try to shift the dial on gender balance in industrials, but I believe it is important and that there are great careers to be had by both men and women. And as for business itself – it’s hard to ignore the McKinsey research on diversity – after all, who doesn’t want a competitive advantage?

Finally, thanks to all women who engaged with me and whose views I’ll share more broadly in this series, in particular thanks to;

I’m hoping to add more insights over the course of this series.

Helen Hall is a Partner at Derwent

How To Set Challenging Goals And Achieve Them

Wed, 01 Aug 2018 12:46:00 GMT

On Thursday 3rd August, Derwent Perth partnered with Red Emu and hosted a successful event on "How to set challenging goals and achieve them".

Thank you to our speaker panel Brant Garvey, Alan Cransberg and Sharon Warburton for their inspiration and exceptional insight into their journeys. Well done to the Red Emu team for an excellent event.

Brisbane Office Launch

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 12:55:00 GMT

Hugh Bradlow former Chief Scientist of Telstra, along with our Brisbane office joined 30 Brisbane based professional NED’S, where he led an engaging and interesting forum on emerging technologies. A networking lunch followed where over 50 C-Suite Executives heard from two distinguished NED’S, Liz Savage and Chris Freeman, who shared their journey's to the Boardroom.
Derwent’s dedicated board practice is sought out by clients who are seeking new and diverse talent. Our Brisbane partner Liz Crawford looks forward to broadening our Executive and Board search.

Aspiring CFO Forum with Brendan Harris CFO of South 32

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 12:58:00 GMT

Brendan Harris, CFO of South 32, along with our Perth office lead an Aspiring CFO forum on Monday 11th June. Brendan's distinguished career provided valuable insights to attendees whilst equipping them with "practical takeaways" about the Pathway to Chief Financial Officer. Guests described the forum as "a great event, leaving a positive impression".

Thank you Brendan for sharing your perspective on topical issues facing the resource sector and shedding light into the world of a CFO.

‘What You Want To Be Famous For’ – Your Journey To The Boardroom

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 12:51:00 GMT

Launa Inman and Jodie Leonard shared their journeys to the Boardroom this month, with over 100 aspiring Non Executive Directors in Melbourne. Launa discussed the importance of being able to clearly articulate ‘What you want to be famous for’ or in other words what your ‘Value Add’ is to a board.

When considering a board opportunity Launa reiterated a number of times, the importance of being passionate and genuinely interested in the organisation. Launa shared some first hand case studies that highlighted the enormous responsibility that you take on when signing up to be a Non Executive Director.

Jodie shared a number of her personal experiences that dismissed the lifestyle myth that being a Non Executive Director is a part time job. Jodie’s diversified portfolio of board appointments highlights the number of interesting and rewarding opportunities that lay outside the ASX200, ‘it is very important to keep an open mind to opportunities’.

The role of the Chair was also extensively discussed with both Launa and Jodie agreeing the Chair ‘sets the tone of the board’ and having a ‘good Chair’ is key when appointing a new director to the board.

Directorship in Modern Times

Fri, 18 May 2018 04:01:00 GMT

Pru Bennet, Head of BlackRock Investment Stewardship APAC recently shared her pragmatic and frank insights at a Derwent Directors forum in Sydney. Pru highlighted an interesting case study on ‘Netflix approach to Board Governance’, which explores their innovative board practices. In essence ‘Netflix takes a radically different approach to information sharing with the goal of significantly and efficiently increasing transparency among the CEO, executive team, and board of directors’.

“https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2018/05/10/netflix-approach-to-governance-genuine-transparency-with-the-board/”

New Leadership in Suicide Prevention

Thu, 10 May 2018 05:35:00 GMT

Derwent were privileged to have been asked to assist in the appointment of Nieves Murray as Chief Executive Officer of Suicide Prevention Australia. Nieves brings over 30 years’ experience in social sciences and held the position of CEO of aged care provider IRT Group. Nieves has also held Non Executive leadership roles in sectors including financial services, tertiary education, property development and retail.

Nieves was named one of Australia’s 100 Most Influential Women by the Australian Financial Review in 2013. Suicide Prevention Australia provides national leadership for the suicide prevention sector and is passionate about building and facilitating partnerships to change behaviours and attitudes towards suicide prevention.

A Successful Pathway To The Boardroom In Sydney

Wed, 02 May 2018 04:06:00 GMT

On the morning of Friday 26 May, Derwent hosted a successful ‘Pathway to the Boardroom’ event at the Establishment, Sydney. Jeremy Samuel and Anne Templeman-Jones shared an honest recount of their journeys and insights to the Boardroom, a pathway that is often not well understood or navigated.

We received extremely positive feedback and look forward to our next event scheduled for later in the year - date to be advised soon. ‘Thank you for today’s session, which I thought was very down to earth, practical & insightful – It was a very interesting conversation and extremely well presented by Michelle Gardiner, Jeremy and Anne - very pertinent for me.’

Derwent announces key appointment - Liz Crawford

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 04:17:00 GMT

Brisbane
Derwent has announced the appointment of Ms Liz Crawford as Lead Partner for their Queensland office.
Ms Crawford is well recognised as an expert in leadership advisory and executive search with strong credentials in appointing Board Directors, CEOs and functional leaders across Private Equity, Public and Government enterprise. Prior to joining Derwent, Ms Crawford led the National Executive Search practice of KPMG Australia.
Ben Derwent, the Managing Director of Derwent commented, ‘We are delighted to have Liz join the firm and spear head our growth in the key growth markets of Qld, NT and PNG. Liz brings significant expertise in executive talent matched with an impressive track record and client following.’
Ms Crawford commented ‘Derwent is an exciting business with an outstanding team, with a clear mandate to grow. This is an opportunity to leverage my experience in a more entrepreneurial setting and make a fundamental difference to the success of organisations and individuals we advise.’
Derwent is Australia’s largest independent Board and Executive search firm. Established in 1997, the firm focuses on identifying high impact talent at Board, CEO and functional leadership levels across ASX, Private Equity and Government enterprises.

Derwent Partner Tom Mutch on AICD Panel On Board Challenges

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 04:21:00 GMT

One of our partners, Tom Mutch, PhD, was privileged to be on an AICD panel last week to discuss some of the challenges facing the Boards of tomorrow, with Peter Nash MAICD, The Honourable Nicola Roxon GAICD, Sylvia Falzon GAICD and David Thodey AO FAICD.

Hugh Bradlow – Retail & Technology Forums

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 04:12:00 GMT

After 22 years at Telstra as Chief Technology Officer, followed by Head of Innovation and most recently as Chief Scientist, Hugh’s wealth of knowledge has enabled him to embark on a consulting and public speaking career. Derwent held Retail and Health forums in both Sydney and Melbourne in recent weeks, where Hugh shared his thoughts on the future technologies that will not only shape both industries but set the tone for the way consumers interact and respond to technological innovations, challenging the current processes in play.
Our ‘ Shaping the future of Health Care ’ forum sparked great discussion and challenged the generalised perceptions around technological innovation and how healthcare providers must prepare for the inevitable adaptations to health care processes. Hugh talked about the rise of consumer-centricity in healthcare (or consumer directed healthcare) and explored the notions of:

A figure of merit or scorecard approach to physician selection in the future;

Private health insurers contracting their own healthcare providers – using healthcare performance data to determine best / worst in class.

Hugh’s extensive career at Telstra has empowered great insight around the retail sector and how it will adapt and evolve with the technologies available not only to consumers but retailers as well. At our ‘ Future of Consumer Interaction ’ forums, Hugh shared his insight on;

How Smart Home Devices will disrupt the way consumers shop and perform day to day activities.

Retailers and emerging ‘etailers’ will incorporate such devices into the experience that they offer to customers, enhancing the proficiency of the entire shopping process.

Attendees enjoyed " the relevance and practical nature of the subject, as well as the intimacy of the group ". They described Hugh as “ a fascinating speaker ” and " an engaging and very experienced presenter ", further highlighting the strength of Hugh’s position to provide strategic advice to Boards and Executive teams.

Derwent collaborates with AICD

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 04:31:00 GMT

Derwent, in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Company Directors, recently held successful women's forums in both Sydney and Melbourne attended by over 100 women.

The panel, lead by Michelle Gardiner from Derwent, included Jeremy Samuel, Founder and Managing Director of Anacacia Capital and Vicky Papachristos, experienced marketing and communications executive and Non Executive Director. The format included a case study and the sharing of insightful and inspirational tips on the importance of positioning, story-telling and risk-taking in the highly-competitive and sought-after world of directorships.

International Womens Day – Pathway to the Boardroom Sydney

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 04:28:00 GMT

Derwent celebrated International Women's Day in Sydney by hosting our 'Pathway to the Boardroom' forum with guest speakers Melanie Willis and Ian Elliot.

Both Melanie and Ian provoked audience thinking by sharing diverse points of view. Ian spoke to the importance of understanding your personal brand and your ‘value add’ to a board. He also shared his thoughts on diversity and the need to embrace not just gender but diversity of skill set, experience, age, and cultural background. Melanie emphasised the important role the Chair plays in setting the tone of the board. Melanie further shared insights around her experiences on boards with only one woman compared with boards with multiple women, commenting ‘the thinking is greater and deeper conversations tend to take place on boards that have multiple females’.

At the forum we shared a video, launched that morning by the AICD in celebration of International Women's Day. It is tongue-in-cheek footage designed to shine a light on the preposterous attitudes towards hiring female directors. Its key aim is to call on directors to press for progress, stop the bias and achieve true gender diversity on boards.

3 strikes and you’re out – the proxy vote – Activists or Collaborators?

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 04:25:00 GMT

Pru Bennet, Head of BlackRock Investment Stewardship APAC, and Warren Land, Director at The Reward Practice, recently presented at Derwent forums in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. These forums were attended by 77 Directors. The key themes discussed included:

Diversity on boards was raised, ‘Diverse boards make better decisions’. Pru led the discussion on the importance of addressing all aspects of diversity. Pru is an advocate of introducing ‘Fresh blood’ onto Boards in order to avoid ‘Sticking to the status quo’. She also believes succession planning is important, ‘Thinking ahead and being aware of the future prevents a stagnant collaborative mindset’.

Elevating HR Executives in the Boardroom with speakers Joanne Taylor and Ian Cornell

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 05:44:00 GMT

Yesterday we held our Elevating HR Executives in the Boardroom forum, giving HR Executives access to a guided discussion with our guest speakers Joanne Taylor - Executive General Manager Human Resources at Caltex and Ian Cornell - Non-Executive Director at Myer , Baby Bunting and Inglis Bloodstock .
Joanne and Ian shared with the audience their insights on how HR Executives can effectively engage with the Board and position their professional skills and experience to take a valued seat at the table.
Both speakers commented on the importance of ensuring you have the trust of the Board members, in particular the Chair of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee. Joanne reinforced all conversations whether inside or outside the Boardroom should be transparent as they are never just between two individuals.
Ian spoke to the professional development benefits of taking on operational roles within the business that are outside the HR function. Joanne went on to discuss the valuable experience she gained from having to run a P&L.

Elevating HR Executives in the Boardroom

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 04:40:00 GMT

Derwent Melbourne kicked off its first “HR Executives in the Boardroom” Forum on Friday. 50 of Australia's leading HR leaders were joined by:

Lorraine Murphy - Chief People Officer at National Australia Bank - who has more than 20 years of global Human Resources (HR) experience working in banking, aviation, consumer goods, chemical, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing industries. She has held various publicly listed CHRO roles across in the US, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. In the past she has also served as a board member of a non-profit organisation, The Womens’ Alliance.

Graeme Liebelt - Chairman of Amcor Limited, and a Director of The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, the Australian Foundation Investment Company (Rem Committee), DuluxGroup Limited and Carey Baptist Grammar School. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Graeme spent 22 years with the ICI Australia/Orica group including Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Orica Limited.

Lorraine and Graeme guided us through an insightful discussion around how the HR Executive can effectively engage with the Board and position their professional skills and experience to take a valued seat at the table.

Both speakers spoke of the need for HR to view things from the business and not the functional perspective – the need to look at the outcomes that are driving the Board and to then map back to these areas when addressing the Board. Effective Board interactions aren’t about demonstrating HR models and systems, it’s the ‘so what’ that matters.

Both speakers challenged the audience to expand the conversation with the Board, beyond executive remuneration, to include solutions to business problems. We didn’t find the answers to this on Friday, however, we did start the conversation. We will continue to focus on this theme at our next forum.

Fintech Advisory Board event with Stone & Chalk

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 04:34:00 GMT

Last night Derwent co-hosted a panel discussion with Stone & Chalk on FinTech advisory boards, with guest speakers Andrew Chick , John Chauvel and Luke Henningsen at Stone & Chalk’s Sydney office.

As experienced advisory board members, Andrew and John were able to share their experiences in relation to the challenges of being an advisory board member, how to determine whether you’re the right fit for a given advisory board role and the level of commitment you should expect when joining an advisory board.

Luke offered some great insights on what entrepreneurs should consider when putting together an advisory board, when is the right time to establish one and how prospective board members should go about building their advisory board portfolio.

There was a lot of discussion around how to incentivise advisory board members, given that start ups have limited cash and giving away equity is expensive. John noted that he’d come in as an investor in a number of startups and then later on taken an advisory board role where he felt he could add value to the business. Clearly this provides alignment, but care needs to be taken in making sure you have the right investors and the right advisory board members – the two are not necessarily the same. As Luke noted, you need to be bringing advisory board members on for the skills and knowledge they bring to the table, not because they’re going to invest in the business.

Andrew shared some great insights about how founders can get the most out of their advisory boards. Whilst an advisory board shouldn’t have the formality of a statutory board, a disciplined approach to regular meetings where the founders have a clear agenda for what they want to discuss and what areas they want advice from board members on, results in much better outcomes for the business. Founder engagement is critical, Andrew and John were strongly of the view that more communication with founders rather than less is the best strategy.

Non Executive Director Forum Melbourne – Hugh Bradlow

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 04:48:00 GMT

Hugh Bradlow the former Chief Technology Officer of Telstra , and the current President of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering led an engaging discussion this morning in Melbourne at a Derwent event attended by 50 of Australia's leading Non-Executive Directors and Chairs.

As the outgoing Chief Scientist for Telstra and a lifelong champion of tech, Hugh made quite a few interesting predictions to our audience about the future of technology.

Our audience comments included:

‘Very practical recommendations and thoughts from an experienced, and entertaining speaker.’

‘It was great to see discussions starting to promote the need for Board level experience and exposure to technology/data/digital & disruption.’

‘A highly relevant presentation. These are issues we need to be aware of to secure shareholder value, as well as opening my eyes to unheard-of technologies.’

Pathway to the Boardroom with guest speakers Melinda Conrad and Pippa Downes

Mon, 02 Oct 2017 04:51:00 GMT

Yesterday we hosted a Pathway to the Boardroom breakfast with guest speakers Melinda Conrad and Pippa Downes at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney.

Both Melinda and Pippa spoke candidly about their respective personal experiences in the boardroom, offering perspectives and reflections on the commitment involved in a board career.

Melinda explained the journey from Executive to Non-Executive Director is not a linear progression and requires a lot of hard work. She went on to discuss it as a change in career direction that requires networking and the development of your personal brand and value add proposition to a board.

Pippa spoke to the need for an advocate who can endorse you onto boards. She highlighted just how important it is to ensure you have done your due diligence not just on the financials of an organisation but also on the people and culture and reinforced that the culture of the board is set by the Chair.

Both ladies stressed the importance of joining organisations that are aligned to your interests and where you can make a positive impact.

Pathway to the Boardroom Melbourne

Fri, 26 May 2017 05:15:00 GMT

On the evening of Thursday 25 May, Derwent hosted another successful Melbourne 'Pathway to the Boardroom' event in partnership with Maddocks at the wonderful Collins Square Events Centre.

Thank you to our panel Glenn Barnes, Kate Roffey and James Atkins for sharing their exceptional insight with over 110 current and aspiring directors. The evening was a great success with a broad range of relevant topics covered by the panel.

Pathway to the Boardroom – Canberra

Sat, 20 May 2017 05:18:00 GMT

On Thursday 18 May, we hosted our second Pathway to the Boardroom at the Hyatt in Canberra with seasoned NEDs Anne O’Donnell and Mark McConnell.

Anne spoke about identifying companies that genuinely interest and inspire you. She emphasised the importance of finding the right cultural fit, because in tough times you would be in the trenches with your fellow board members.

Mark talked about diversity in the boardroom and need to ensure we have diversity of thinking, skills set, gender, age and experience to ensure boards don’t end up falling into the ‘group think’ mentality.

Melbourne Pathway to the Boardroom

Fri, 21 Apr 2017 05:21:00 GMT

Derwent Melbourne held another successful Pathway to the Boardroom event on Thursday 30th November at Maddocks. Derwent were joined by guest speakers Kelly Humphreys, Kathleen Bailey - Lord and Andrew Maughan. Our speakers provided insightful knowlege on their personal journey to the boardroom. Kelly approached her search for NED roles using her project management expertise. She spent considerable time evaluating her career experience and putting that experience into the context of what she would offer a board. And then embarked on her networking journey with a view to getting herself known and establishing her credentials.
Kathleen strongly cautioned people against viewing NED roles as providing greater flexibility than an executive role. NED roles require significant time and effort to understand the company and its business context. Given her focus has been on technology she spends considerable time ensuring she is up to date with the latest advances in technology. Kelly also responded to the question around gender diversity; it is far more about balance across skills and experience and being reflective of the marketplace.
In the area of due diligence, Andrew emphasized the need to meet the bankers, auditors, review previous financial statements/board minutes and increasingly sit in on a board meeting and observe the dynamics of the board. His experience on government boards (as echoed by the broader group) is that the stakeholder management is far more extensive in terms of ministerial and community engagement.

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Leadership Unfiltered – Sydney & Canberra, March 2026

Pathway to the Boardroom – Perth, March 2026

Pathway to the Boardroom Recap: Key Insights from Our Recent Event in Brisbane

The Evolving Australian Boardroom Landscape: Navigating Complexity in 2025

AI & The People Recap: Key Insights from Our Recent Event in Sydney

Building Resilience for Organisational Excellence Recap: Key Insights from Our Recent Event in Perth

PE Portfolio Talent Strategy: What's Driving Executive Moves in 2025

Women in Tech Recap: Key Insights from Our Recent Event in Sydney

"The Value of a Great Mining CFO" - Derwent & FTI Consulting

Partnering with the Partners

Pathway to the Boardroom with Inese Kingsmill and Robyn Stubbs

Derwent Welcomes Graeme Young

Women in Tech Breakfast with Kavita Mistry and Marigold Duncan

Launch of Derwent Interim Solutions

Derwent Welcomes New Consultants

“Digital Growth – It’s a People Thing” with Jenny Bryant & Colin Nexhip

Women in Tech Breakfast with Heather Cook & Memo Hayek

“Digital Growth – It’s a People Thing” with Emma Hogan & Richard Joffe.

Pathway To The Boardroom with Nick Cernotta and Jenn Morris

“Digital Growth – It’s a People Thing” with Simone Carroll and Rod van Onselen

Pathway To The Boardroom with Jennifer Douglas & Richard Dammery

Director Roundtable with Google’s John Ball

Director Roundtable with BlackRock's Iris Davila

Derwent welcomes advisory board members Megan McCracken and Jenn Morris

Green Shoots of Change in the Boardroom with Genevieve Overell and Tony Johnson

Customer at the Core forum with Fiona Notley, Kevin Brown, Louise Gibson & Lindsay Every

Pathway To The Boardroom with Joe Pollard & Debra Singh

Pathway to the Boardroom Forum with Ben Derwent

Pathway to the Boardroom Forum with Ben Derwent

Partnering with the Partners: Surviving to Thriving in Professional Services

HR Leaders Forum: Playing a central role in company ESG initiatives

Pathway To The Boardroom 1st June 2023: Peter Tonagh, Adelle Howse

CFO Leadership Series: Leading Through Change and Transformation

Pathway to the Boardroom 2022

Celebrating 25 Years of Derwent "Growth, Success & Scale"

The pace of change is accelerating so now is the time to be BOLD!

Pathway to the Boardroom Brisbane

Service NSW - Insights From A World Class Customer Service Transformation

The Public Sector - Recruiters say selection processes need an urgent overhaul

Diverse Thinking in the Boardroom

Technology Talent Squeeze

How to lead when your team is exhausted, and you are too

‘Path to net zero’ driving boards 2022

Virtual Pathway to the Boardroom

Vision Australia

Seven Traps That Could Kill Your Executive Career

The Evolution of the Chief Financial Officer

The Pathway to the Boardroom is Not a Linear Journey

The Fred Hollows Foundation

Disruption and Digitisation

Bear Cottage - Superhero Week

Derwent Movers and Shakers In Healthcare

Does Crisis Experience Make Better Leaders?

Digital Acceleration - With Peter Tonagh

The Tension Between Profit & Purpose

headspace

Partnering With The Partners

Learn When To Lean In And Lean Out

The Australian Pro Bono Centre

Cyber Readiness And Resilience

Reduces risk, improves productivity, builds trust

Some of the key themes discussed included:

Practical tips:

Further contact:

What And How For Remuneration - The Post Hayne Cultural Imperative

Western Health Foundation

Bravery Around Culture

Can You Reach Your Potential If You Play It Safe?

HRD'S - Can you really reach your potential if you play it safe (and just stay in Collins Street!)?​

Be Brave and Courageous!

The Hayne report is having a significant and far reaching impact.

You can’t build your career if you stay in the same lane.

A Jungle Gym Not A Ladder

Supporting The Next Generation Of Female Board Talent

Boardroom Dynamics Post Royal Commission

People Partner Or Commercial Partner?

Movers & Shakers In Healthcare

Dispelling The Myths Of Private Equity

The One Word To NEVER Use When Looking For Board Roles

HRD'S - Can you really reach your potential if you play it safe (and just stay in Collins Street!)?