Board Biographies
Carriageworks Board appointments are made in consultation with the NSW Minister for the Arts. Directors are strategically identified by a Board subcommittee through reference to a skills matrix that ensures that the Board has expertise across key areas of operation and strategy.
Michael Gonski (Chair)
Michael Gonski is a Partner at global law firm, Herbert Smith Freehills.
Michael is the Chairman of ReachOut Australia and co-founded the Next Generation of Giving program run by Philanthropy Australia. Michael sits on the Prime Minister’s Community and Business Partnership and is a director of the Gonski Foundation. He was previously a director of Philanthropy Australia and the Sydney Story factory (a not for profit creative writing organisation).
Geoff Ainsworth AM
Geoff is a non-executive director of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, a past Director of the Bundanon Trust and a past Trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW, where he remains a member of the Acquisitions & Loans Committee. He has recently been appointed a Director of the NGA Foundation. He is a member of the Tate International Council and a patron of the MCA and the Royal Academy of Arts. Geoff is a past Director and Group General Manager of Aristocrat.
Geoff holds a Bachelor of Arts with honours from UNSW, a Master of Arts in Counselling from Macquarie University and a Diploma in Financial Administration from UNE. In 2011, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the visual and performing arts through the promotion and support of contemporary art, and to the community.
Andrew Maiden
Andrew Maiden is a leader in strategic communications, public policy, stakeholder engagement and advocacy.
He began his career as an adviser, press secretary and chief of staff to senior political figures in state and federal governments. He later joined Telstra, where he headed group communications, before joining the media sector as chief executive officer of ASTRA. He is now director of Maiden Advisory, a consultancy that provides strategic communications counsel to business leaders.
Andrew has a long association with the not-for-profit sector. He also sits on the boards of Curious Works, an arts and media company that promotes cultural diversity, and Co-Curious, an arts company that supports writers to develop stories of contemporary Australia for main stages, festivals, television screens and cinemas.
Andrew has degrees in economics and law and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Gitanjali Bhalla
Gitanjali is Chief People Officer at Seven Group Holdings and has over 20 years’ experience across global and Australian professional services firms and corporates. She holds a BA LLB (Hons) and has a Master of International Business from Melbourne University.
Gitanjali is highly experienced in transformation, human capital management, mergers & acquisitions and business services alignment. She has delivered strategic, high-impact and pragmatic solutions in complex and fast paced environments to increase shareholder value in organisations varying in size from 100 to over 50,000 people across multiple countries.
Gitanjali is a Director of Coates Hire, WesTrac and AllightSykes. She is an Ambassador for Good Return, a not for profit organisation committed to empowering women through microfinance. She is an active member of HBET, an organisation that awards scholarships for underprivileged children to further their education.
Jake Thomson
Jake Thomson is a Wiradjuri man currently working at the Reserve Bank of Australia as the First Nations Consultation and Engagement Partner. He leads communicationand consultation between the Bank and multiple and different communities, groups and organisations so that it is inclusive, respectful and timely, meeting to the requirements of the Bank. Alongside his experience in partnerships and a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organisation management industry, he also has a strong personal history with Carriageworks as not only has he performed onsite but his grandparents previously worked at Carriageworks. He is very involved in the local and NSW community and is a mentor of the Aboriginal Health organisation. His previous work has been focussed in corporate and philanthropy, marketing, communities and now, Carriageworks.
Cameron Honey
Cameron has a broad commercial experience in venue operation, entertainment and the arts.
Cameron has previously been Chief Operating Officer at Michael Cassel Group (theatre producers) and General Manager, Commercial at Venues NSW which is the owner, operator and promoter of a portfolio of publicly owned sports and entertainment venues in NSW.
Prior to joining Venues NSW, Cameron was the Chief Commercial Officer at Sydney Football Club securing several large sponsorship & digital deals. Cameron was also responsible for marketing, patron and community engagement. Cameron is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Global Institute of Sport and the University College of Football Business (UK).
Cameron holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Business, both from the University of Technology, Sydney. Cameron is trained as a lawyer and Chartered Accountant.
Robi Stanton
Robi Stanton is an experienced media executive with a strong focus on delivering strategic transformations and business development. Robi was at Warner Media for over 15 years in a range of senior leadership roles across Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. She is highly skilled in consumer & audience strategy, digital product development, financial management, marketing, and commercial deal making.
Robi is currently Chair of Performing Lines, a national arts organisation focused on developing, producing and touring new works by Australia’s leading independent artists. She has a Bachelor of Arts from UNSW and a Masters of Business from UTS. Robi is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Robi is an active advocate and driver of diversity and gender equality. She mentor’s female athletes with Minerva Network, participates regularly in Mentor Walks and is a committee member of Chief Executive Women.
Tony Nimac
Chair of Finance and Audit Committee
Tony is an experienced Advisor to the public and private markets having completed a 32-year career with KPMG Australia working with several of Australia’s leading growth companies. Tony led and substantially grew KPMG’s mid-market business whilst delivering audit and deal services to companies, private equity funds and high net worth families across technology, consumer markets, healthcare, property and not-for-profits. Tony has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney and Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment. He is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Tony is a Director of Capital Group Investment Management Limited and former Director of KPMG Australia and member of its Audit Committee.
Laura Berry
Laura is a commercially focused and strategically driven Indigenous non-executive director and former Chief Executive Officer, with a strong knowledge of the regulatory environment and the ability to identify policy areas to achieve outcomes. She currently serves on the board of the Taronga Conservation Society of Australia. She was appointed CEO of Supply Nation in 2015, having been involved with the organisation since its inception through her work with two founding member companies. She joined Supply Nation following four years at Qantas where she led its corporate community investment program. With over two decades of experience in stakeholder management, risk mitigation and reputation management, Laura’s career has extensive experience within private and public sectors. She was a member of Telstra’s Indigenous Advisory Committee, and both McKinsey & Company and NRMA’s RAP Steering Committees. Laura has served a plethora of boards including; Engineering Aid Australia, Supply Nation, Indigenous Business Australia’s Cooee Traveller and was a director and chair of CareerTrackers Indigenous Internship Program. On top of this, she was announced as one of the AFR’s Top 100 Women of Influence.