Council of Governors

The Research Foundation of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance is supported by Governors who act in a volunteer capacity to attract philanthropic and corporate support to further the impact of our research. Governors provide invaluable support through the use of their networks to further expand the reach and impact of the Research Foundation.
Anne Keating

Anne Keating

Chair, Council of Governors

Anne is a professional director with board positions in a range of industries. These have included insurance, property, advertising, construction, banking and medical research and medical devices. Most recently, Anne was appointed as a non-executive Director of G.I. Dynamics Inc. and REVA Medical Inc.

Anne also holds a position on the boards of Goodman Group, the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and is Chairman of Houlihan Lokey Australia, a global investment bank.

Anne’s former board positions include: inaugural Director of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, NRMA Limited, IAG Limited, STW Communications Group, the WorkCover Authority of NSW, the Tourism Task Force, Spencer Street Station Redevelopment Holdings, ClearView Wealth Ltd, a member of the Advisory Council for the Royal Bank of Scotland (Australia) and Trustee of the Centennial Parklands and Moore Park Trust.

Anne was the General Manager, Australia of United Airlines from 1993-2001.

Monique cronin

Monique Cronin

Monique Cronin is Vice President leading Burford Capital’s office in Sydney. Ms. Cronin has an extensive background in finance and law.

 Prior to her career in law she had over 14 years distribution experience in the financial services and banking industry in various senior management roles at Perpetual, National Australia Bank / MLC and Commonwealth Bank / Colonial First State.
 

Monique holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Applied Science from Queensland University of Technology, has completed the Advanced Diploma of Financial Services and has studied Leadership programs via Harvard Business School.

Helen Dalley

Helen Dalley

Helen Dalley is one of Australia’s most experienced television journalists and interviewers. She has extensive experience as a business, finance and political journalist, working across broadcast and subscription network
television, and print media, over three decades.

Helen is a sought-after MC / Facilitator for corporates and in the not-for-profit / charity space. She is a Walkley Award winner for Excellence in Journalism, and an ethical practitioner at the media coalface across Australian business, industry and politics.
 

Helen also won major journalism awards including the 1994 United Nations Media Peace Award for her story on Mabo and the 1996 Michael Daley Award for Best Television Feature/Documentary. Helen is a graduate of the Company Directors Course at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Jeff Emmanuel

Jeff Emmanuel

Jeff is the founder and Chief Investment Officer of the EFM Group, which he established in 2014. He has over 30 years of experience in the finance and investment industries.

Prior to establishing EFM, Jeff held senior roles in investment banking in Asia and Australia, including: Citigroup, Vice Chairman of Investment Banking APAC; UBS AG, Managing Director of APAC Financial Institutions Group (FIG); UBS Australasia, Head of Equities; and Head of Australian FIG Research with UBS, Merrill Lynch and ABN Amro.
 

Mr Emmanuel holds a Master of Business Administration (Melbourne University), Diploma Course Securities Institute and Bachelor of Economics (Monash University). He is a member of FINSIA and the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand

James Hodgekinson

James Hodgkinson OAM

James is a Senior Advisor to the Ray White Group and a Director of the James N Kirby Foundation.

James was previously an Executive Director of the Macquarie Group Limited. Non- Executive Director of the Goodman Group and Non-Executive Director of the SCA Property Group Ltd. James has over 30 years’ experience in property funds management, investment banking and chartered accounting.

Eighteen years ago, James’ nephew Alex was born with cerebral palsy. Listening to his sister discuss the problems of sourcing specialised equipment inspired James, with long-time friend Ross Ellice-Flint, to launch the now hugely successful 20/Twenty Challenge for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance. The event is a physical and fundraising challenge. To date, the event has raised over $7.8 million and provided more than 3,000 items of life-changing mobility and communication equipment.
 

James was also instrumental in securing support from the Macquarie Group Foundation for the establishment of the Macquarie Group Foundation Chair of Cerebral Palsy.

Don Koch

Don Koch

Don has been a member of CPA Research Foundation since 2010. He also contributes to Glaucoma Australia’s Technology Board. He is also the Deputy Chairman, Chair of the Audit Committee and Non Executive Director of BNK Group, a banking group listed on the ASX.

Prior to joining the BNK Board, Don worked for ING for over 20 years in various executive/CEO roles and countries including Australia, Italy  Poland, India, Thailand and China.

Don began his career in the banking sector in Technology Management for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia before joining Citibank where he became the Chief Information Officer for their Consumer Banking Australia Ltd, with responsibility for Australia and New Zealand.

Sally Loane

Sally Loane

Sally Loane joined the Financial Services Council as Chief Executive Officer in December 2014. Prior to this Sally had a decade in the corporate sector, working at Coca-Cola Amatil as a senior executive. Her first career was in the media, where she spent 25 years as a broadcaster and journalist across radio, television and print. Sally is also a published author. 

Sally is a Director of Venues NSW, Destination NSW, the Avner Pancreatic Cancer Research Foundation and Committee for Sydney. Sally is also a Governor of the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation, Ambassador for Business Events Sydney and a member of Chief Executive Women.

Sally was the first female director of Waratahs Rugby and served on the board for seven years. She was a Director of SCEGGS Darlinghurst for 12 years and chaired the Salvation Army’s Sydney East Doorknock Appeal from 2008-2011.

Naomi SImson

Naomi Simson

Naomi Simson is an entrepreneur, and business leader. In July 2017, she co-founded the Big Red Group (BRG) with business partner, David Anderson. The Big Red Group includes marketplace brands Adrenaline (acquired in November 2018), Redii.com, RedBalloon and Marketics (Albert AI). The group serves an experience every minute, and turns over more than $100m a year.

Phil Waugh

Phil Waugh

Phil is an executive at the National Australia Bank and a retired Australian rugby union footballer who played 136 matches in Super Rugby for the NSW Waratahs, and in 79 Test matches for the Wallabies.

Victorian Council of Governors

Mark Burgess

Mark Burgess

Mark has had an extensive global career based in London, New York and Melbourne in leadership roles at asset managers and owners. 

He led as Managing Director, Australia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, The Future Fund. The Future Fund is a highly diversified fund invested in global markets across all asset classes including credit, private equity, hedge funds, real estate, infrastructure, listed equities, fixed income and currencies. Assets held were in excess of $110bn.

Mark was previously CEO of Treasury Group, an Australian listed Asset Manager.

Prior to this Mark worked in London as Executive Vice Chairman and CEO (EMEA) and Global Chief Investment Officer of Equities and Multi Asset Classes with Credit Suisse Asset Management.

He has also held the position of Chief Investment Officer (International), American Express Asset Management and CIO for Asset Management (ex Australia) at Colonial First State Investments in London and Melbourne.

Jackie Coates

Jackie Coates

Jackie Coates is the Head of Telstra Foundation, Telstra’s philanthropic arm and charity. 

She is an experienced corporate sustainability leader, passionate about the intersection of social innovation and digital technology.

In this work, Jackie manages Telstra’s non-profit partnerships with a focus on both social & environmental innovation.

Jackie’s work supports digital change makers in the non-profit sector, as well as young digital makers in remote and regional Australia. She advocates for the responsible and inclusive development of new and emerging technologies and encourages young people to create with, not just consume, technology.

Jackie’s career has spanned senior corporate affairs and CSR roles in the banking and insurance sectors, utilities, the arts and management consulting.

Jackie is a passionate supporter of Cerebral Palsy Alliance and has worked with Cerebral Palsy Alliance in her role for many years. She has been instrumental in driving funding support from the Telstra Foundation of almost $1 million to support STEPtember and Remarkable.

Rob Gilbert

Rob Gilbert

Rob Gilbert is father of 17 year old Alexander who has Cerebral Palsy and Managing Director of Gilbert Media, an independent boutique media agency. 

Rob’s expertise comes from a 25 year career in the talk radio industry, curating media accounts.

In 2019, supported by his then employer Macquarie Media and his clients alike, Rob launched Gilbert Media. Rob’s industry experience developed over those 25 years saw him as one of Australia’s most respected account management specialists within the radio industry, where he developed continuing partnerships with some of Australia’s leading brands from start-up to today.

Rob comes from a respected media family and collaborates with experts in media placement, strategy, planning and analysis, and is equally adept at the broadcast side of the industry, including content creation, production, presentation and training.

In 2005 Rob’s wife Sandra gave birth to Alexander in emergency circumstances. Within twelve months he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. While Alexander needs a wheelchair to get around and has many challenges, he meets them with a joyful approach to life every day. Rob, Sandra and their elder son Thomas are committed to providing Alexander every opportunity in life and equally passionate about the work of Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

Kate Vinot

Kate Vinot

Kate has two sets of twin daughters in their mid-twenties. One of Kate’s younger twins was born with cerebral palsy. Her daughter currently plays elite level Para-Badminton, volunteers for St John Ambulance as a First Responder, and is completing a double degree in business and exercise science at university. 

Over many years, Kate and her family have benefitted from excellent research into early intervention and support for children with cerebral palsy. Through Kate’s involvement as a Governor, they are keen to share their story and help raise support for future important research.

Kate is also a professional company director, management consultant and has had an extensive global executive career based in Paris, Prague and Melbourne. Kate is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, an alumni of the Williamson Community Leadership Program and a Rhodes Scholar.

Phil Wade

Phil Wade

Phil has deep experience in creating and leading e-commerce and marketing teams across Europe, Asia and America in retail, travel and consumer goods. Phil was CMO for Jetstar and now leads the marketing team at Bunnings.