IH Board

PRESIDENT – MR CHRIS LEON

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Chris Leon has two decades of experience as a board member of private and public companies. He has wide ranging experience in agribusiness, manufacturing, logistics and mining with particular knowledge of mergers, transformational change, international business, complex structures and joint ventures.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Science Engineering, Masters of Engineering, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Member Institution of Engineers Australia.

INTERESTS

Flying and gliding, cycling, surfing, skiing

DEPUTY PRESIDENT – MS PETA IRVINE

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Peta is the CEO of Local Government Managers Aus. where she has steered the organisation though significant change and growth. She is experienced in strategic planning and advocacy and has developed significant leadership and management programmes. Peta is also a Non-Exec Director of health insurer, TUH.

QUALIFICATIONS

MBA, B Arts (Hons), History and Asian Studies, Dip Neuroscience of Leadership, Dip Financial Planning, Graduate Member AICD, Fellow Australian Institute of Management, Member Women on Boards.

INTERESTS

Cooking a wide variety of cuisines, sailing, reading and finding new things to learn.

HONORARY SECRETARY – MR NICK VINCENT

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Nick is the Founder of Tempt Marketing.  He has over 25 years experience in marketing strategy, working with businesses and management teams to help them make better connections, develop new ideas & strategies and ultimately become more profitable.

QUALIFICATIONS

BSc, Psychology; Ass.Dip Bus., HR/IR; Masters, Marketing Management

INTERESTS

Family, golf, sailing, start-up’s.

HONORARY TREASURER – MR DAVID JACKSON

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

David brings a broad range of experience in economics and finance that spans both the public and private sector. He has international experience working across areas such as corporate planning and strategy, commercial projects, economic analysis, and organisational change.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Business, Master of International Econmics and Finance, GAICD Company Directors Course.

INTERESTS

Spending time with family, long distance running, languages (Japanese and Chinese).

MEMBER – DR CARLA TROMANS

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Carla is the Director of International House and has been for over fifteen years. Carla has worked within education as a secondary teacher, Head of Department and Deputy Principal, across QLD and NT. In 2013 Carla was appointed to the UQ Senate (2014–2017).

QUALIFICATIONS

Ed D, Master of Educational Administration, Master of Education (Curriculum), Bachelor of Teaching, Diploma in Teaching and Teaching Certificate (Home Economics).

INTERESTS

Walking, travel, old movies, golf, fishing, guitar, reading, pilates and yoga.

MEMBER – MR ROSS LANDSBERG

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Having retired after being a partner in law firm Minter Ellison for 30 years, including 5 years as Managing Partner, Ross is now a consultant to the firm. Ross has acted in the delivery of many large infrastructure projects providing advice regarding the interface of commercial and construction issues.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Science (Hons), Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Master of Business Administration.

INTERESTS

Ross was until recently an active rugby referee (25 years), and plays golf and fishes with his sons when time permits.

MEMBER – MRS TERRY WOODCROFT

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Terry is an investment portfolio manager and small business mentor with more than thirty years international management experience. Her expertise has been developed in senior strategic roles in start-ups through to fortune 500 companies.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Engineering (Hons), MBA Technology Managment, GAICD Company Directors Course

INTERESTS

Terry’s interests include supporting Australian startup companies, Argentinian tango and going bush.

MEMBER – MR PETER GIBSON

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Peter spent 24 years in financial services in corporate/commercial lending and senior human resource roles, and the past 17 in executive recruitment and search. Consequently he has deep experience in leadership and change management, especially cultural change.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Economics, Graduate Dip. in Business (Human Resource Management), Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia, Certified Professional of the Australian Human Resources Institute.

INTERESTS

Peter married fellow IH resident, Karen Gilmore and have two adult children together and two grandchildren.

MEMBER – MS KAREN GIBSON

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Karen is a company director for financial services companies in Australia and Papua New Guinea, with broad executive and board experience in financial services, focussed on superannuation, risk management, mergers and transformational change.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Science, MBA, Grad Dip Teach, Fellow Australian Institute of Management

INTERESTS

Travelling, reading, languages, and organic growing.

MEMBER – MR BRUCE BOWERS

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Bruce is a retired CEO and currently a company director on a number of boards of a Japanese Insurance Group in Australia and in the Middle East. Bruce has 34 years of CEO experience with accompanying Board level experience, including comprehensive Board Committee experience, in over 29 countries. He is the Honorary Secretary in Australia for The Royal Society for Asian Affairs and a member and a past Advisory Council member, of the Asia Society in Australia and a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society in London and a Member of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.

QUALIFICATIONS

Fellow – Australian Institute of Company Directors, Senior Associate- Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance, Alumina of London School of Business Centre for Management, (IMD) International Institute of Management Development.

INTERESTS

Bushwalking and Inter-Asia Cultural Studies 

MEMBER – MS MARYANNE JARDINE

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Maryanne has 18 years of accounting, finance, investment and insurance experience. She is a chartered accountant, with a depth and breadth in technical experience – with a Big 4 accounting background. Maryanne has strength in financial modelling for clients, management accounting and financial statements. Maryanne also has a Masters in Taxation, with expertise advising across multiple tax types.

QUALIFICATIONS

CA, GAICD, MAppTax (UNSW), BCom (Bond)

INTERESTS

Tending to her veggie garden, playing basketball with her kids and neighbours, collecting books (and reading them when she has some rare free time)

IHSC 2021 PRESIDENT – MS AIISHA RAFAI-ROWAN

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Aiisha describes herself as half Australian/half Moroccan. After graduating high school in Alstonville in northern New South Wales she moved north to UQ and is studying a Bachelor of Psychology. A self proclaimed extrovert, Aiisha loves meeting new people and connecting with her fellow housies.

INTERESTS

Painting, drawing, singing, acting, dancing – “I love pretty much anything creative!”

IHSC 2021 VICE PRESIDENT – MS FELICITY FINLAYSON

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Felicity grew up on a small hobby farm outside of Rockhampton in central Queensland. After high school she embarked on a Rotary Youth Exchange to Finland for a year before moving to IH in 2019.  Felicity is in her third year of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering at UQ.

INTERESTS

Hiking, photography and playing sports – mainly soccer, but is keen to give everything a go!

International House annually appoints a Master of the College, whose main role is ceremonial in chairing the Colleges’ Annual General Meeting. The current master is The Hon, Jeffrey Spender QC, former High Court Judge.

Previous Masters have included:

• 1996-  The Hon. Jeffrey Spender QC
• 1990-95 Sir Llewlyn Edwards AC
• 1980-89 Sir James Foots AO
• 1971-79 Sir James Holt
• 1966-70 Sir Manuel Hornibrook OBE