People

Dr Melinda Muth

Practice Director

Governance Education

BSc, MBA, PhD, FAICD

Areas of Expertise

• Guiding the interface between the board and management
• Group behaviour and effective stakeholder engagement
• Governance of organisational culture for positive corporate outcomes
• Governance of the non-profit sector

Experience

Melinda is a highly reputed organisation development Specialist Advisor. For over 25 years she has advised, researched and facilitated in leadership development, team effectiveness and organisational culture. She provides Boards and executives with targeted skills workshops and tailored leadership programs helping people connect their way of leading and communicating with ethical behaviour, a sound cultural foundation and positive performance outcomes. Melinda is an education faculty facilitator with the Australian Institute of Company of Company Directors (AICD). She joined with Peakstone Global to extend her services to advance governance to leading, learning and improvement focused organisations. 

Melinda is currently Chair of the Australian Scholarships Limited and a director of Harvard Club Australia Philanthropy.  She has previously served as a director with CuriousWorks, HeartKids NSW, the Quest Foundation, the Union University & Schools Club and Indigenous Community Volunteers where she was Chair of the Audit & Risk Management Committee. She is  a Founding  Director of Streetwise Learning, a member of the Academy of Management and the Australian Human Resource Institute. Previously, Melinda has held a number of senior executive positions, including National Director of Business Development and Marketing for Deloitte.  

Melinda is an active thought leader and writer on governance issues. She co-authored with Bob Selden: Setting the Tone from the Top: How leaders’ conversations shape a positive culture. The book is highly recommended by Peakstone Global for all directors and executives. 

Melinda’s favourite pastime is entertaining family and friends with new food menus with matching wine, plus trying to convince her husband there is still room in the wine cellar for her latest wine purchases.

Dr Judith MacCormick

Practice Director

Governance Advisory

PhD, MBA, Grad Dip Sci, BA, FAICD

Areas of Expertise

• Strategic corporate governance
• Board effectiveness
• Board culture and development
• Leadership development and succession
• Commentator and speaker in Australia and internationally on issues related to corporate governance

Experience

Judith advises leading public and private company Boards and their Chairs on issues related to strategic corporate governance, Board effectiveness, Board culture and development, and leadership development and succession. 

Judith has been a Director and Chair, widely published academic, a senior executive and partner in national and global companies and as a consultant advising Australian Government bodies, NFPs as well as multiple ASX 100 and Fortune 500 companies globally. 

Judith was the inaugural Corporate Governance and Board Effectiveness Faculty Advisor for the AICD. She facilitates many of AICD’s flagship governance programs and also authors a number of AICD publications. 

Formerly, Judith was a Partner in the CEO and Board of Directors practice of the global executive search firm, Heidrick & Struggles with primary responsibility for Board Advisory. This followed her role as a Program Director with AGSM at the University of NSW, consulting to Government and leading companies. 

With a PhD in organisational behaviour Judith is an internationally published expert in the area of organisational culture and business effectiveness, and the impact of technology on work. Most recently she launched the concept of MVG (Minimal Viable Governance©) for startups at the Entrepreneurship Conference at INSEAD, France.  

Judith has 2 fab children – one who has given her an open invitation to visit her in Europe and the other kindly invites her to his techno music DJ gigs that she is learning to enjoy. When not indulging in great food and wine with friends you can find her on the ski fields, paddle boarding, biking or, knees permitting, running. 

Jason Wilk

Practice Director

Governance of Information & Technology

FAICD, CGEIT, BSc

Areas of Expertise

• Technology strategy and risk for Directors and the interface with management
• Cyber for Directors, from culture to crisis management
• Managing the interface between the board and management

Experience

For 15 years Jason has advised a broad range of organisations on Governance, Risk, Strategy and Resilience issues at the interface between Directors and 

Executives. Over the last 10 years Jason has been a Senior AICD Facilitator, Course Author, Course Reviewer and AICD Board Advisor. 

Jason spent 15 years as the Managing Director of a boutique consulting firm specialising in governance of technology risk and cyber security, is an Executive Director of EviProof a technology start-up, chairs the IT Steering Committee for Development WA and has been a non-executive director and committee chair on several Associations including LEARN Foundation for Autism and Interchange WA.  

Jason started his career in IT, progressing through various management roles until heading up Cyber Security for several large financial institutions. The pivot to Governance consulting was a logical extension of Jason’s unique ability to translate technology issues and concepts for Directors and Executives and then business issues back to technologists. 

With two girls rapidly approaching their teenage years Jason is desperately trying to enable them to survive as digital natives facing vastly different career options! 

See Jason’s latest article by clicking here.

Dr Rachel Baird

Practice Director

LLB, BA, LLM, MLdshp, PhD, GAICD, FGIA

Areas of Expertise

• Board and committee skills and membership
• ESG strategy development, policies and reporting outcomes
• Executive and director development

Experience

Rachel’s experience working with boards is as an internal and external advisor where she has guided strategy and governance reviews, policy health checks, crisis response and risk management. 

Rachel is the Chair of SouthMAC, an AFMA fisheries advisory committee and the President of the Melbourne University Alumni Council. She is a member of the RSL Queensland Governance and Constitutions Committee. Rachel has previously served on school councils, NFP and sporting boards and has chaired or been a member of committees responsible for safety, audit and risk and governance. 

Rachel commenced her career as a military lawyer before specialising in environmental law gaining private practice and academic experience. Following this, she worked in leadership roles across membership organisations, the resources sector and legal practice before embarking on a successful governance consultancy career. 

In 2023 Rachel is fulling a lifelong and academic passion for all things Antarctica by embarking on a three-week cruise which includes following Shackleton’s ‘do or die’ trek over South Georgia at the end of his Endurance expedition. 

Greg Brogan

Specialist Advisor

BBus, Executive Program (The Wharton School)

Areas of Expertise

• Remuneration Advice for executives and NEDs
• Remuneration Plan design and implementation (Fixed Pay, STI and LTI)
• Employee Share Plan design and Start-Up equity Plans
• Governance of remuneration (non-financial measures related to ESG)
• Strike Reversal and Avoidance Strategies

Experience

Greg has provided advice and recommendations to the executives and Boards of listed and unlisted private companies for more than thirty years. In the last ten years these companies include Suncorp, Aurizon, Fosters, Sedgman, MPC Kinetic, Penten and, AVADA Group. 

Prior to establishing his own boutique consulting firm, Greg has held positions at the ATO, Towers Perrin (actuarial), Cullen Egan Dell (now Mercer) and various other executive corporate positions. 

Greg is recognised by some as the pre-eminent beach worm collector on the Sunshine Coast. If you see a figure in the distance bent over, doing something suspicious in ankle deep water at low tide, feel free to approach and solicit some remuneration and/or worming advice. 

Steven Cole

Specialist Advisor

LLB (Hons), FAICD

Areas of Expertise

• Effective Governance for Enhanced Performance Outcomes
• Legal Perspective and Insights
• Board Dynamics and Cultural Performance and Evaluation
• Organisational Strategy and Risk Management

Experience

Steven has over 40 years of professional, corporate and business experience through senior legal consultancy, as well as a range of executive management and non- executive appointments. Over recent years Steven’s clients in the local government and aged care sectors have welcomed his shared experience, insights and guidance through facilitated workshop sessions in support of their strategic objectives. 

Steven’s extensive boardroom and board sub-committee experience covers the industrial, financial, educational, professional services, agribusiness, health, local government and resources sectors. 

Steven’s appointments encompass Chair and Director roles at ASX listed, public unlisted, statutory authority, proprietary, business association and NFP/charitable organisations. 

Following appointment as managing partner of a large commercial law firm in the 1990’s, Steven pivoted his career towards the corporate boardroom. 

He is a sought after speaker and presenter at industry and professional conferences and seminars in Australia and Asia as well as having authored publications and journal articles on emerging governance related issues. 

Steven has a wholesome approach to life remaining active in his recreational sporting endeavours (veteran’s hockey and competitive sailing) as well as being ‘hands-on’ in working his Margaret River olive grove with his wife Robin. 

Christine Cussen

Specialist Advisor

MBA, GAICD

Areas of Expertise

• Governance & strategy excellence across a diverse range of industry sectors specialising in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical, industrials and water
• Internationally experienced in the corporate, ASX listed, start up, private, not for profit and government sectors in Australia, North America & Europe
• Managing the governance imperatives across all segments of the value chain, stages of investment, and risk profile from start-up to established businesses
• Board governance to enhance organisational performance, strategy and culture
• Global commercialisation, innovation, technology and research enablement

Experience

Christine has provided governance advisory services to a range of organisations via her work with an Australian based governance advisory firm specializing in providing bespoke governance services.

In addition, she has provided business advisory services to founders and CEO’s of a range of SME’S assisting companies become investor ready, scale and grow.

A highly experienced, commercial non-executive director with a growth and entrepreneurial mindset. That brings over a decade of Chair and Board experience across customer facing regulated industries with extensive experience as Chair of Audit & Risk Committees. Currently she is also the Australian based director of the Australian subsidiary of several international pharmaceutical and medical technology companies.

Christine has over 25 years CEO experience leading, building and transforming significant businesses predominately in the corporate sector at various stages of development and scale. As Chief Executive Officer she has successfully identified and delivered profitable growth, at times in tough fiscal environments across a very diverse range of industries & sectors in Australia, North America & Europe.

Christine’s passion in life is bricks and mortar and sport. Yes, that’s renovating houses, spending time enjoying the sun and surf at Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road together with playing and watching tennis whenever she can.

Claire Davis

Specialist Advisor

GAICD, GCEL, GCBA, FCA, BA (Hons) Accy

Areas of Expertise

• Director and executive coach and mentor
• Group dynamics and influence
• Strategic risk and opportunity management
• Innovation oversight

Experience

Claire has extensive experience advising Boards of small to large enterprises. As a Director and CFO of companies in Australia and UK, Claire has overseen and led change at company and sector level to access innovative funding and influence changes in industry regulation. Claire’s coaching and mentoring practice is evidence- based and draws on her extensive Board experience. Her industry and client experience include: FMCG, consulting, legal and financial services, mining, media, private health insurance, property development and management, aged care, mental health and social services. 

Claire has over 25 years’ experience serving on Boards of commercial and commercially minded NFP organisations. Roles included Board Chair and chairing committees covering finance, audit, risk, governance, nominations and remuneration. Claire is Vice Chair of BlueCHP and director of Open Minds, chairing committees in both organisations. 

As a Chartered Accountant, Claire worked with a top four firm of accountants. Her roles included CFO and Director of Corporate Services, leading large multi-disciplinary teams. Claire has coached leaders since 2006, focusing on leadership, influence and business improvement. 

In 2021 Claire found a love of preparing dinosaur bones for preservation in Queensland’s beautiful outback. She will attend her first dig for bones later this year.

Connie Howe

Specialist Advisor

BEc, CA, GAICD, IM&A, RCA

Areas of Expertise

• ESG and sustainability governance and reporting
• Corporate reporting, audit and assurance and board responsibilities
• Not-for-profit and charity governance
• Superannuation and insurance governance and operation

Experience

Connie has over 25 years’ experience in finance, audit, risk and governance mainly in the financial services sector and the not-for-profit/charity sector including providing advisory services to Boards and Board sub-committees on governance and reporting issues. Connie has comprehensive knowledge of the major sustainability disclosure standards and extensive experience in international accounting standards, corporate reporting, assurance and corporate governance.

Connie’s international career experience includes nine years with PwC across Australia, the United States and China, several years with the American International Assurance, and various senior positions at the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office and a mid-tier accounting firm focusing on not-for-profit and charitable organisations.

From 2014 to 2020, Connie was an executive and the Company Secretary of Australian Council of Superannuation Investors that assists super funds with integrating ESG factors into investment assessments. Over the past ten years, she has been an active member of key ESG forums, conferences and events both in Australia and globally in the promotion of ESG integration and the enhancement of sustainability reporting. Connie is also the author of The Essential Guide to ESG & Sustainability Governance for Board Directors and Officers.

Connie is a qualified Chartered Accountant in Australia, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, an ASIC Registered Company Auditor and an International Mergers & Acquisitions Expert Charterholder.

She grew up in an artist’s family and has a strong appreciation of opera, theatre, and other performing arts. She lives in Melbourne and enjoys the rich artistic, culinary, literary and musical culture that the city encompasses.

Matthew Kronborg

Specialist Advisor

LLM, B.Tech, B.Business, GAICD, Dip. Sustainability, Cert. Energy Innovation

Areas of Expertise

• Sustainable development & cleantech strategy
• Non-profit governance
• Start-up partnerships 
• Advisory Board establishment & governance
• Government & corporate affairs

Experience

For over a decade Matthew has been a board advisor, board member, executive and consultant across the corporate, NFP, government, private equity and start-up sectors where has had strong successes in performance and governance improvement. 

Matthew is a founding director of Grainstone an agrifoodtech company, a NED of Trust for Nature a statutory body, a previous leader of the United Nations presence in Australia and other board roles. 

He has an extensive academic background spanning aerospace engineering, law, business, and sustainability. Matthew started his career in the Qantas Graduate Program and was the groups lead advisor on sustainability and cleantech. He is a former fellow of the Centre of Sustainability Leadership, Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum and member of the G20 YEA. He is often sought out for his advice on governance, innovation, technology, sustainability and foreign policy. 

A lover of our great outdoors he has skied the Himalayas, sea kayaked Antarctic waters and white-water rafted in remote south-west Tasmania. 

Marion Macleod

Specialist Advisor

BSc, MBA, FAICD

Areas of Expertise

• Guiding strategy setting and risk management discussions of Board and Management
• Risk appetite frameworks
• Board governance structure and processes including; board evaluations, skills matrices, charters and committee structures
• Constitutional, shareholder agreement, and board frameworks

Experience

Marion is a highly experienced Director and Board Advisor. She facilitates the AICD’s Company Directors and specialist courses in Risk and Strategy. For over 20 years she has advised companies including delivered the award winning, ‘Effective Director’ Program for NAB. 

Most recently Marion has been the President of Melbourne Rotary in its centenary year. She relinquished chairing 2 companies to do this but remains a director on both. She has also chaired a variety of boards and committees across many sectors, including V-Line, Mecwa CARE, Metlink, VFF, and CAE. She was a Councillor on the AICD Victorian Council. 

Marion studied science before her television directing and Telstra Mobiles careers. She led Market Research before heading up functions in Marketing Operations, Strategy and Business Planning. Her interest in Learning and Development led her to be General Manager CEVA for ANZ. 

A keen skier and bushwalker, Marion is taking on the Milford/Routeburn tracks this year, New Zealand and Australia COVID bubble permitting. This will be reminiscent of her beloved Scottish ‘Munros’! 

Rob Newman

Specialist Advisor

BA, PG PSYCH, FMAPS

Areas of Expertise

• Behavior and conflict in the boardroom
• Organisational Culture and Conduct Risk
• Survey analysis using advanced psychometrics and systems models

Experience

Rob is an organisational psychologist who for 25 years has specialised in Board and executive dynamics, leadership coaching and organisational culture. Using tools from psychology, management theory and statistics he works in the space between the human facets of business and the corporate systems of governance, strategy, structure and operations. Aside from his consulting work, Rob is also a faculty member at the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) where he leads the advanced course in boardroom behaviour, the Boardroom Mastery program. 

Rob helps organisations deal with problems such as: leader performance, board and executive conflict, failures in organisational cultural and people risk. In all his work Rob’s primary goal is to create alignment and synergy between people and organisational systems, such that high performance can emerge and be sustained.  

Rob also leads an advisory and consultancy firm providing organisational psychology services in the areas of human and organisational assessment, group facilitation, team development and organisational change. The firm has been designing change programs for individuals, groups and organisations, since 1991 – each one customised to suit specific organisational needs, cultures and environments. 

Rob also holds directorship roles in Schuhfried Australia, an international supplier of clinical assessment tools to the medical and neuroscience markets, and Veedre, a psychometric testing firm servicing mining and transport industries. 

When Rob isn’t in a boardroom somewhere, he enjoys renovating his home of 15 years. His wife just wishes he would hire tradespeople instead. 

Darren Taylor

Specialist Advisor

CPFA

Areas of Expertise

• Board governance and compliance including the risk and audit agendas
• Internationally experienced within the corporate (ASX & NYSE) and public (Australian & UK) sectors
• Managing the interface between the Board and Management
• Assurance to Boards on governance of complex international governance frameworks, including enterprise risk management, financial reporting, cyber resilience and ESG

Experience

Darren has over 35 years of professional services and corporate experience through risk management consultancy and as a seasoned Chief Audit Executive working in the Australia, Switzerland and the UK. 

For 16 years to February 2023, Darren was Chief Audit Executive for Amcor Plc (ASX Top 50/ S&P 500 member); the world’s largest packaging company with over 230 manufacturing operations in over 40 countries. In this role he supported the Audit Committee and the Board in their complex oversight and governance roles under Amcor’s NYSE and ASX listings. He also led the implementation of key organisation wide Governance processes required following Amcor’s NYSE listing in 2019. 

Darren has over 20 years’ of consulting experience through senior roles with PwC, EY and Protiviti (a Founding Managing Director of Protiviti Australia). His diverse experience covers mining and resources, FMCG, industrial, health, education and local government. In these roles he worked with Boards, Audit Committees and Executive Management teams on governance matters as well as undertaking Board effectiveness reviews. 

In the UK he was a leading strategic advisor to Boards of institutions within the Further Education sector on strategic merger and acquisition considerations as funding constraints drove sector consolidation. 

Outside of work Darren is an outdoorsman with a passion for cycling and hiking. With colleagues from Amcor he twice competed in the Tor Tour, a 1000km non-stop cycle race across the mountains and valleys of Switzerland raising money for the Laureus Children’s Foundation. 

Claudia Nemeth de Bikal

Associate

BA, Cert Gov Prac & Risk Mgt, GAICD

Areas of Expertise

• Establishing and improving board meeting procedures and processes
• Enhancing board dynamics
• Enabling effective communication between the board and management
• Broad functional portfolio within Financial Services

Experience

Claudia has experience in company secretarial roles and reporting to boards and committees. Currently she is the Assistant Company Secretary at Pymble Ladies’ College, an independent girls’ school in Sydney working with the Board and its Asset Management and Audit, Risk and Finance Committees. 

Prior to her company secretary role, Claudia had over 20 years’ experience in the financial services sector in digital transformation, marketing, project management and regulatory reform, including experience in large insurers and a challenger insurance company. 

Claudia started skiing at 40 and hopes that practice will make perfect so she can keep up with her teenage sons on the slopes, or at least meet them for lunch.