Macquarie University Foundation Patrons
Patrons
Professor Bruce Dowton -Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor is the chief executive of the university, with overall responsibility for its academic, research, administrative, financial and development strategies. He is tasked with promoting the interests and furthering the development of the university.
Prior to his appointment Professor Dowton served as a senior medical executive having held a range of positions in university, healthcare and consulting organisations. He also served as a pediatrician at the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, and as Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
Dr Maurice Newman AC - Honorary Chair
Dr Newman is the Honorary Chair of the Macquarie University Foundation Patrons. As the current Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, Dr Newman is one of Australia's most respected business leaders.
Dr Newman's career spans forty years in stock broking and investment banking, including as Managing Director and Executive Chairman of the Deutsche Bank Group in Australia. He was also Chairman of the Deutsche Bank Asia Pacific Advisory Board and a Director of Deutsche Bank Asia Pacific, retiring in July 2001.
Dr Newman has chaired a number of organisations including the Australian Securities Exchange Limited (ASX Ltd), Tourism NSW, Acrux Limited and has led many philanthropic and charitable ventures. He served as Chancellor of Macquarie University from 2002 until February 2008.
Dr Newman holds a Doctor of Business honoris causa from Macquarie University. In 1994 he was awarded an Order of Australia.
Mr David Murray AO
In November 2005 the Australian Government announced that Mr Murray would be Chairman of the Future Fund. The Fund's objective is to invest budget surpluses to meet the long term pension liabilities of government employees and take pressure off the budget from aging of the population.
Mr Murray has significant experience in the finance and banking sector and considerable knowledge of financial markets. He spent 39 years at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) holding the role of Chief Executive Officer for 13 years until his retirement in 2005. He has strong corporate governance credentials having guided CBA through a number of major changes, including privatisation in 1996.
Mr Murray holds a Bachelor of Business from the NSW Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration, commenced at Macquarie University and completed at the International Management Institute, Geneva. He holds an honorary doctorate from Macquarie University and is a Fellow of the University of Technology, Sydney.
As part of his interest in education, Mr Murray previously chaired the Business, Industry and Higher Education Collaboration Council, and was a long standing member of Tara Anglican School for Girls Foundation in Sydney.
In 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society in banking and corporate governance and in 2007 he was made an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) for his service to the finance sector both domestically and globally and service to the community.
Mr Peter Warne
Mr Warne is the Non Executive Director, NEXT Financial and Chairman of Australian Leisure and Entertainment Property Group.
Mr Warne holds numerous directorships including Macquarie Bank Limited, Macquarie Group Limited, WHK Group Limited, SFE Corporation Limited, ASX Limited, Securities Research Centre of Asia Pacific Limited, Capital Markets CRC Limited, GESB Mutual Ltd and is a Member of the Advisory Board of the Australian Office of Financial Management.
An actuary by background, Mr Warne spent the 18 years prior to 1999 with Bankers Trust Australia Limited, where he developed an outstanding reputation. He was Head of the Financial Markets Group for 11 years before having an important role in the merger of Bankers Trust Australia Limited's investment bank with Macquarie Bank.
Mr Warne holds a Bachelor of Arts from Macquarie University. He is an Associate of the Institute of Actuaries (London) and holds a Certificate of Finance and Investment from the Institute of Actuaries, London.
The Hon Helen Sham Ho
The Hon Helen Sham Ho graduated from University of Sydney in Arts and Social Work, winning the University Social Work Prize. She became the Chief Social Worker at Ryde Hospital for 13 years and was Commissioner of the NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission for three years.
Mrs Sham-Ho later studied law at Macquarie University and practiced as a solicitor in south-west Sydney before being elected to the NSW Legislative Council in 1988 to 2003. She was the first Chinese-born Member of Parliament in Australia.
Mrs Sham-Ho has served on many University Councils including Macquarie University, University of Western Sydney and University of Technology Sydney. She has also served on various ministerial, government and Parliamentary committees including Government Education, Training and Youth Affairs, National Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and chaired the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Privileges and Ethics.
Mrs Sham-Ho is a longstanding advocate in the areas of education, race relations, youth issues and social justice and her efforts have been recognised with a number of awards including the Macquarie University 2005 Alumni Award for Distinguished Service (Community Service) and the Lions Club International 2006 Melvin Jones Fellowship.
Dr Tim Besley AC
Previously the long-serving Chairman of the Commonwealth Bank and Leighton Holdings, Dr Besley is regarded as having been at the top of Australia's echelon of non-executive company directors. He is currently Chairman of the Science and Engineering Challenge Council at University of Newcastle, Director on the Governance Board of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council and Director of IXC Australia Ltd.
Dr Besley is the former Chairman of the Australian Research Council and the Co-operative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies. He was the President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and he has held directorships with numerous companies including Amcor Ltd, Fujitsu Australia Ltd and Clyde Industries.
Dr Besley has had longstanding involvement in fundraising for the Salvation Army, Legacy and Breast Cancer Research.
A former Chancellor of Macquarie University between 1994 and 2001, Dr Besley was awarded a degree of Doctor of Science honoris causa from Macquarie in 2002. He is a graduate in legal studies from Macquarie University and in civil engineering from the University of Auckland.
The Hon Michael Egan
As well as being a Patron of the Macquarie University Foundation, The Hon Michael Egan is the sixth and presiding Chancellor of Macquarie University. He has been a Member of University Council since 2006.
Mr Egan is the the current Chairman of the Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine & Cell Biology, the Australia Day Council of New South Wales and Governor of the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research. He is also Director of Ruebael Pty Ltd and State Super Financial Services Pty Ltd.
Mr Egan has more than 30 years experience within the government sector. Prior to his resignation from Parliament in 2005, Mr Egan was Leader of the Government in the New South Wales Legislative Council. He was NSW Treasurer for a record term (1995-2005) and also held a number of other portfolios, including Minister for State Development and Minister for Energy.
Prior to his election to the Legislative Council in 1986, Mr Egan represented Cronulla in the Legislative Assembly (1978-84) and was Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (1981-84).
Mr Egan holds a Bachelor of Arts from Sydney University and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD).
Mr Rick Holliday-Smith
Mr Holliday-Smith has had a distinguished career in the banking and financial services industry spanning over 37 years. He has held positions in Australia, Europe and the United States at the highest levels of management including Managing Director of Hong Kong Bank Ltd (London) from 1982 to 1986, Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Research and Trading Group Ltd from 1987 to 1993, and President and CEO of Nations Bank (CRT) from 1993 to1997.
Mr Holliday-Smith currently serves as a director of many major organisations in Australia. He is the Chairman of Snowy Hydro Ltd and a Director of ASX Ltd, Cochlear Ltd and Servcorp Ltd.
Previous directorships held by Mr Holliday-Smith include St George Bank Ltd (2007-2008), DCA Group Ltd (2004-2006), and MIA Group Ltd (1999-2004). He was also the Chairman of SFE Corporation Ltd from 1999 to 2006 and Exco Resources N.L. from 1998 to 2005.
Mr Holliday-Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from Macquarie University. He is a Chartered Accountant (CA) and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD).
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