Mr Stephen Mills

Stephen is a corporate affairs and issues management specialist with more than 10 years experience in managing external relationships for leading financial services companies including ASX Ltd, Citigroup and Bankers Trust. As well as advising clients on communications management, he is Chief Executive Officer of ShareGift Australia, a non-profit group dedicated to promoting the no-cost sale of shares to benefit Australian charities. He is also a casual lecturer in Issues Management and Public Sector Leadership at Sydney University.

Stephen previously served as a speechwriter to Prime Minister RJL Hawke (1986-91) and as a journalist and editor in the Fairfax newspaper group. He has a Master of Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and is the author of New Machine Men (1986) and The Hawke Years (1993). He joined the Foundation Board in 2004.

Ms Leslie Butterfield

Leslie has worked in the construction and project management industry in the United States and Australia for over twenty years. Her initial experience as a Project Engineer and Project Manager on major capital works in New York City provided her with a thorough understanding of the dynamics of client relationships.

Her experience spans project management, business development, corporate advisory, corporate finance and strategic planning in the property, technology and telecommunications sectors. She was one of a panel of three industry representatives appointed by the nine government ministers to review the progress, strategies and future direction of the National Building Codes Board.

She was the Inaugural NSW President and National Vice President for the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), has been inducted into the Inaugural Businesswomen's Hall of Fame, and was Telstra Businesswoman of the Year. She was a member of the Federal Government Industry Research & Development Board, and was Chair of their Strategic Development Committee.

Leslie is on the Boards of the Queensland Microtechnology Centre, The Australian Business Foundation, and The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, is a member of the University of Technology, Sydney’s School of Engineering Industry Advisory Network and the Australian Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators, and is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Rensselaer in New York.

Prof Trevor Cairney

Trevor is Master of New College at the University of NSW. As an academic, he has built an international reputation as a researcher and writer on education, training and regional development. His current role at UNSW and his previous leadership roles as Pro Vice-chancellor (Research & Development), Dean of Education, and Director of the Centre for Regional Research and Innovation at UWS have also led him to active involvement in the business community.

Trevor has contributed to business and industry in many ways including directorships and chairmanships of various technology-based companies and industry bodies, the judging of industry awards and his work as an advocate for the economic and social development of Greater Western Sydney. He was first elected as a Director of the State Chamber of Commerce (NSW) in 1997 and was appointed President in 2002. He was instrumental in leading the former State Chamber of Commerce (NSW) to merge with ABL and continues as President of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce and as a director of ABL State Chamber.

Dr Bob Frater

An eminent Australian scientist and research administrator, Bob is Vice President for Innovation with ResMed Corporation. He has been with ResMed since leaving CSIRO where he had been Deputy Chief Executive for 11 years. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1996 for his contributions to science in Australia and Internationally, including his work on the construction of the highly successful $50 million Australia Telescope at Narrabri in northern NSW. He is an Adviser to the venture capital company, Innovation Capital and a Council Member of RMIT University, among other Board positions.

Bob, who chairs the Australian Business Foundation's Research Advisory Committee, holds degrees in Science and in Engineering from the University of Sydney where he has also been awarded the degrees of Doctor of Philisophy and Doctor of Science in Engineering. Macquarie University awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Science degree in 1999. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering.

Mr Kevin MacDonald

Kevin is the Chief Executive of ABL State Chamber (appointed on 9 June 2006). Previously he was the General Manager Operations for ABL State Chamber.

He has an undergraduate degree - Bachelor of Arts with a major in History and English, and a Diploma in Education both from the University of Western Australia. Kevin also has completed a Masters in Business Administration at the University of Sydney in May 2000.

Kevin's background is in financial services, having worked with Zurich Financial Services for 15 years, and prior to this he worked with the Australian Eagle Group. Through his ABL State Chamber Chief Executive status Kevin holds directorships for Australian Made Campaign Limited, WorkplaceInfo Pty Limited, Australian Business Limited New Apprenticeships Centre, Australian Chambernet Pty Limited, Australian Business Foundation Limited and the Small Business Training Company Limited. Kevin's leisure interests include reading, walking, music and dining out.

Mr David Malloch

David is Managing Director of Malloch Digital Design Pty Ltd of Canberra, specialising in the design and manufacture of microprocessor-based security-related equipment which meet ASIO specifications for high security applications and are installed in Australian Embassies, Kirribilli House and defence related establishments in Australia the USA and Asia.

Previously, David was Managing Director of Endurance Electronics whose security products are used by NASA, the World Bank and major corporations. David is a Director and Councillor with Australian Business Limited, Chair of the Canberra Region Employment Council Area Consultative Committee, a Member of the ANUTECH Management Group, and the ACT Export Awards Judging Panel. He has represented industry on a variety of advisory boards and international delegations and has been recognised with awards for innovation and export.

Ms Janine Ricketts

Janine has been responsible for devising and delivering business development and innovation programs and policies for over twenty years, for both State and Commonwealth Governments. She has extensive experience in industry analysis and government policy development, with particular knowledge of issues affecting small and medium enterprises, and of programs to promote internationalisation and innovation.

She has worked on industry development for governments on both sides of politics, and participated in many industry consultative bodies including with the State Chamber of Commerce, the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Property Council of Australia and the NSW Enterprise Workshop. Janine has professional responsibilities for NSW industry policy and corporate governance and serves on the NSW State Contracts Control Board, a statutory body responsible for NSW Government procurement.

Janine holds a BA (Hons) from Macquarie University and a Graduate Diploma in Information Management from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Mr Greg Whiteley

Greg has been Managing Director of White Industries since 1992. He has served in and on behalf of several trade associations. He is also a member of the Federal Disinfectant Working Party organised by the Commonwealth Therapeutic goods Administration (the TGA) and is a co-author of the Antibacterial Products Code of Practice. Greg represents the Australian Dental Industry Association on two standards committees, AS 4187 and AS 4815, which cover Infection Control Standards for Major Healthcare Facilities and Small Practice Clinics.

He has a Bachelor of Applied Science from Hawkesbury Agricultural College. After several years working in Local Government as an Environmental Health officer, he returned to study and obtained a Masters Degree in Safety Science from the University of NSW. He was enrolled as a Doctor of Philosophy candidate, but withdraw without penalty to pursue his career. More recently he received a Diploma from the Australian Insitute of Company Directors through the University of New England.

Mr Frank Wyatt

Frank is Managing Director of Enterprising Partnerships Pty Ltd, a consulting company in Adelaide which helps organisations and individuals to improve performance through skills and capabilities in partnerships and alliances, using modelling, profiling, mentoring and world's best practice tools and resources. He has worked extensively with private enterprise and government, and his consulting and coaching has taken him on assignments throughout Europe and Asia, as well as Australia.

The focus of Frank's work is developing enterprising and collaborative cultures in communities and companies. Recent examples include clients in the defence and IT industries. Frank is an Associate Researcher with the Centre for Research in Education, Equity & Work, University of South Australia, and has a series of national research publications to his name through the Institute of Criminology and National Centre for Vocational Education & Research.

He holds a BA and Dip.Education from La Trobe University.