The Visionary Force Behind the Journey

Peter Batchelor - CHAIR

Peter Batchelor has over twenty years’ experience working in a range of challenging corporate roles. He is an executive with a track record in operational review, change management, strategy development and growing new initiatives. He has experience in both the commercial and public sectors in the Asia-Pacific region having worked with consulting firms, technology start-ups, universities and large corporates including Telstra, Ernst & Young, Ericsson, BIS Shrapnel and Melbourne, Monash and La Trobe Universities. With a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, a Masters of Business Administration from the Australian Graduate School of Management at the University of NSW and Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) qualified, Peter has experience in recruiting management teams and boards to establish governance frameworks to promote transparency and the appropriate management of risk. Peter has deep experience in new business creation, strategy development, managing complex negotiations, conducting due diligence, operational planning and establishing appropriate funding mechanisms.

Arjun Surapaneni - CEO

Arjun has extensive education, technology and commercial experience with over 25 years’ experience in senior executive and Chief Executive Officer roles. His expertise straddles strategy, business growth, international business development, marketing, technology commercialisation, business transformation, change management and sustainability. Arjun has coordinated IT project implementation and training with organisations such as Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Covansys, IBM Global Services, Ernst & Young, Computer Science Corporation, WA Police Services, Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Telstra, Health for Aged (Australian Federal Government), Dresdner Bank (UK) and BHP Australia.Although a third generation educator, Arjun became a dedicated educator in 1999 after he chanced upon a research paper published in the USA. It stated that when many near dead, or people who were thought to be dead, ‘came back to life’ and were asked what was their first thought when they came back to consciousness, an amazing 87% said they wished they had studied/learned more. Arjun was appointed as a Member of the Multicultural Business Ministerial Council (MBMC) by the Baillieu Government in Victoria from 24 October 2011 to 23 October 2013 and was also the Chair of Export and Human Capital (including Education) working groups of the MBMC.

Professor Richard Carter

Professor Richard Carter retired as Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education Services) and Director TAFE – Victoria University in March 2009 after a distinguished career in the education sector spanning over 35 years. Professor Carter commenced employment at Victoria University in 1994. After holding a number of positions in Technical and Further Education (TAFE) he was appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor TAFE in August 2003 and Professor in 2005. Professor Carter’s roles at Victoria University ranged across both educational and general management including the management of major issues and critical incidents. His work included a significant number of years controlling the complex information technology provision of the University, a revamping and rebuilding of student services functions, the building of a substantial new and highly successful branding and marketing presence and the management of media and external relations. He was also involved in the planning, development and bringing to completion of five significant construction projects with a combined value exceeding $300 million. Professor Carter has served on a wide range of boards and committees involved in the development and governance of TAFE, Further Education and International Education including Victoria University Singapore Ltd , Victoria University International Ltd, Renewal and Change 2020 (USA), Chair Academy Advisory Board (USA), International Training Australia Pty Ltd, Victoria University Council, the Northern and Eastern Regional Councils of Further Education, Australian Technical College Sunshine, the Council of Broadmeadows College of TAFE and the Australian Committee for Training Curriculum. Prior to commencing employment at Victoria University Professor Carter held a number of senior positions with the Victorian Office of the State Training Board including as Executive Officer of the Victorian Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board. He also served for some time as a senior policy consultant to the Australian Committee for Training Curriculum. Professor Carter has provided advice to the governments of Mauritius and East Timor on vocational training systems and assisted in the planning of and participated in a major project to upgrade the skills of vocational training administrators in Uzbekistan. He contributed as a board member to a major bid by International Training Australia for the establishment of an armed forces college in Oman and was an invited member of an Australian Government Mission to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to investigate and develop cooperation in vocational education. He has played a key role in tendering for and implementing a significant number of international aid funded training projects. Professor Carter’s key areas of interest include provider recognition and course accreditation systems in vocational training, assessment of quality in vocational training and vocational curriculum and course design. In addition he has delivered a number of papers both nationally and internationally on the marketing and branding of higher education. Most recently he has directed a Rapid Audit Project for the Victorian Government auspiced through the Victorian Recognition and Qualifications Authority to address a crisis in public confidence in the quality of private provision of vocational education to international students in Victoria.

In recognition of his long service and achievements at Victoria University, Professor Carter was appointed Professor Emeritus in June 2009.

Professor Pam Green

Professor Pam Green, PhD, MEd, BA and DipT, has extensive experience in higher education and has held senior leadership positions including the Director of Graduate Studies at Swinburne University, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Associate Dean of Research in Education (RMIT University), Associate Dean of Research in Business (RMIT University) and is currently an adjunct professor at RMIT University. Pam has recently co-authored her latest book on higher education governance and management. The book is entitled, Playing the PhD game with Integrity. Pam’s research interests include doctoral education, higher education, and qualitative research approaches, particularly naturalistic inquiry, case study work and phenomenography. Pam is co-founder of the Australian Qualitative Research association. Her publications (including eight books) focus on higher education – doctoral education, language/ literacy education, qualitative research, research supervision, research training, transition, and leadership. Pam has supervised over 30 research students to completion. She has consulted in higher education, on matters such as university governance and research training, in Australia, the UK, the Netherlands, Brunei, Malaysia, Sweden, Finland and New Zealand

Professor Pam Green previous experiences in academic/corporate governance or governance-related activities/position

Company/Organization: RMIT University
Position: Adjunct Professor
Duties: Education consultant work/ Academic Scholarship.

Company/Organization: Swinburne University
Position: Professor and Director of Graduate Studies
Duties: Higher Degree Governance, Chair University Higher Degrees Committee, Management of processes from enrolment to examination, Scholarships, Policy Development, Research and Research Training, Research Supervision, Academic Scholarship.

Company/Organization: RMIT University
Position: Senior Policy Advisor, Business Faculty
Duties: Policy writing and advice to Pro Vice Chancellor: Business.

Company/Organization: RMIT University
Position: Associate Dean of Research (Business, Education)
Duties: Higher Degree Governance for the given Faculty, Management processes from enrolment to submission, Scholarships, Co-ordination of Professional Doctorates, Policy Development, Research and Research Training, Research Supervision, Academic Scholarship.

Hon. David Bartlett

The Hon. David Bartlett is a highly experienced non-executive chair and director, a former Premier of Tasmania, Minister, Chief Information Officer (CIO), and technology entrepreneur who is recognised across Australia in the information technology, telecommunications, technology startup, innovation and commercialisation sectors.
Following his retirement from politics in 2011 and utilizing his political experience, David has continued to lead companies and people across all sectors through transformative innovation and change.
David has broad and deep experience working across wide ranging interests encompassing government, commercial, community and social enterprise. He co-founded, built and sold two tech start-up companies, led the Tasmanian bid to re-enter the National Basketball League, chaired a dementia research institute offering two online courses with over half a million enrolments world-wide, and more recently has co-founded a sports-tech start-up company with two pro-basketball players. David is also the Chair of a major NDIS service provider.
Listed by The Australian newspaper in 2015 as one of Australia’s 50 most influential people in technology, David continues to be focused on the skills, governance and technologies that will enable regional Australia to adapt and grow for the future. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) and a Graduate Diploma of Business from the University of Tasmania and is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.

Alan Griffin

Alan Griffin was a member of the Parliament of Australia for 23 years. First elected to the seat of Corinella in 1993, he was subsequently elected to represent the Bruce electorate from 1996 until his retirement at the 2016 election.

In his time in Parliament, Alan served on a number of Parliamentary Committees, many with a focus on education or governance issues. These included the House of Representatives Standing Committees on Employment, Education and Training (94-97), Legal and Constitutional Affairs (2000-01) and Economics, Finance and Public Administration (2002-04). He also served on a series of Joint Committees including as a member and at various times Deputy Chair of the Public Accounts and Audit Committee (1993-99 and 2002-04) and Corporations and Financial Services (2002-04 and 2010-13).

Alan was the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs (2007-10) and Defence Personnel (2010), Cabinet Secretary (2013) and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (2013).

Alan completed a Bachelor of Arts at the Australian National University, where he majored in politics and history.

Ben Scheltus

Ben Scheltus has a broad background in engineering, economic evaluation, IT, energy systems and business development in Europe and Australia. Ben has worked in the chemical, information technology and education industries and has successfully run his own business for many years. For ten years he held a position as a Director of a large private school. He has a particular interest in the practice of good governance and has assisted a number of companies to improve their system of IT governance. Ben has a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Monash University and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Ben is a director and the CEO of Climate Alliance.

Marion Walker

Marion Walker has a career spanning more than 30 years, working across organisations in both the private and public sectors to develop and deliver sustainable change to align people, processes and technology and drive business outcomes. Marion has extensive experience in business and technology strategy development and implementation, change and training interventions to support major system replacements, process and organisational transformation initiatives. Areas of specialisation include stakeholder engagement and communication; change strategy diagnosis and management; group facilitation; leadership alignment; and business readiness assessment.