NEW CHAIRMAN FOR THE AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS FOUNDATION

Succeeding Ms Catherine Livingstone (well known for her pivotal role in the success of Cochlear Ltd, as Chairman of CSIRO and on the boards of Macquarie Bank and Telstra), Mr Peter Janssen has been a Director of the Foundation since being appointed in September 2000.  Mr Janssen was elected in November 2001 and re-elected in November 2003.

Mr Janssen is Managing Director of the Baryon Group, which comprises manufacturing activities in both the electrical and electronics sectors. Within the Baryon Group, the Utilux companies manufacture electrical interconnection products for the white goods industries from factories in Shenzhen, China and Dolny Kubin, Slovakia.  Also in the Group is GPC Electronics, a leader in electronic manufacturing services for the information and communications industry. It supplies global customers from its base in Penrith, Sydney and has a subsidiary company in Christchurch, New Zealand.

As a former President of AEEMA (Australian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers Association), and a former Vice-President of FAPM (Federation of Automotive Products Manufacturers), Mr Janssen has been actively involved in industry policy.

Prior to joining Utilux, Mr Janssen graduated from the University of Sydney with bachelors degrees in Economics and Law, and gained an MBA from IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland.