LEAVEPLUS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- General Manager, People and Culture
Carly joined LeavePlus in June 2022 and has a robust background in senior people and culture roles, most recently at Honan Insurance, Winc, and BP among others.
With over 13 years of experience in solutions-focused human resources projects, Carly is passionate about driving strategic and operational results in performance, engagement and change across all areas of LeavePlus.
Job Titles:
- General Counsel, Legal and Compliance
Catryn has an extensive background as a commercial lawyer and company secretary. Prior to joining LeavePlus in May 2022, she has previously held General Counsel roles at Arts Centre Melbourne, Scope, and Asahi brands.
Combining her legal skills and commercial acumen, Catryn is an experienced and proven business partner to senior management, with strengths in managing day-to-day legal risk, supporting transactions and strategic projects, and improving governance across the entire business.
Job Titles:
- Director on the Board
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Representative of Electrical Trades Workers
Chris Patterson was appointed as a Director on the Board on 1st July 2023. He has been an electrician working in the contracting industry with over 20 years' experience. Working on a broad range of projects including warehouses, factories, domestic housing and high-rise apartments, shopping centres, industrial maintenance, installation and repairs, automatic logic, PLC's, lighting controls and the list goes on. There is not much else Chris has not been involved within the electrical sphere. Representing electrical workers for over 10 years, Chris currently works for ETU Victoria where he leads the contracting industry covering over 10,000 members state-wide.
Craig has over 30 years in finance related roles, across a variety of industries including investment banking, state government, and member-based organisations. He is also the Chair of the Victorian Pride Centre and a director, and former Chair, of the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation.
Before joining LeavePlus in September 2021, Craig was the CEO at Foresters Financial, one of Australia's largest member-owned friendly societies that offers a range of investment and insurance products. Prior to this, Craig was the CFO for the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Craig is passionate about creating member-centric organisations. He is a Fellow of CPA Australia, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
Job Titles:
- General Manager, Technology and Innovation
David joined LeavePlus in February 2022 and has over 10 years of experience in IT senior roles across automotive, manufacturing, engineering, and motorsport industries, as well as not for profit, membership, and charity organisations.
He has an extensive background of leading teams, digital transformation, ERP implementation, cloud platform, security, and application implementation.
With previous senior IT roles at Movember and the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, David is a hands on IT manager with experience in implementing effective solutions across the whole of ITC infrastructure and business applications.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Representative of Building Trades Employers
David Newnham was appointed to the Board on the 1st of July 2011 after being an alternate Director since March 2011. David has 40 years of experience in the construction industry after graduating as a civil engineer. He has been State Building Manager for AV Jennings. After a management buyout of Stonehaven Homes in 1997, he became Managing Director retiring in 2016. He remains a Director of the company. David has been a Director and President of the Master Builders Association of Victoria and was a member of the Building Practitioners Board from 1998 to 2006. He has also served as a Director of Incolink, the construction industry severance fund. David is a member of the Investment Committee. David has also served as an expert witness for registration appeals at the Victorian Building Authority and mentor for the Victorian Small Business Mentoring Service. David has been reappointed for another 4 year term to the LeavePlus Board.
Job Titles:
- Independent Director
- Member of the Board of Directors
David St. John was appointed as a Director from the 1st of October 2019. David is Chair of the Investment Committee and serves on the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee, and Remuneration, People & Culture Committee. David has an extensive background in investment management as a practitioner and as a consultant. He currently sits on the Investment Committee at Deakin University and works on a part time basis as an expert advisor at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
David's career included investment consulting at William M. Mercer where he was a World Wide Partner, and he was Chief Investment Officer at UniSuper for eight years from 2001 to 2009. He also has past experience as a Member and Chair of Legal Super's Investment Committee, and as a Non-Executive Director of the Motor Accidents Insurance Board in Tasmania. David holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (BAgrSc), a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment. He is a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (SF Fin) and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Representative of Building Trades Employers
Grant Donald was appointed as a Director of the Board on the 1st of February 2017. Grant is a long-term Director of a family run commercial plumbing business in Ballarat. Grant is an Executive Board Member & Treasurer of the Master Plumbers and Mechanical Services Association of Australia. Grant is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
- Independent Director
Jennifer Acton was appointed as a Director and Chair of the Board of Directors on the 1st of October 2021. She is Chair of the Remuneration, People & Culture Committee.
Jennifer has relevant expertise in sound governance, remuneration, corporate culture, and ethical and evidence-based decision-making from her experience in finance, logistics, ports, transport, water and education industries.
She holds Bachelor and Masters degrees in Economics, as well as Law, and was awarded the Supreme Court Prize in Law. Jennifer is also a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria and has been accredited as a mediator under the Australian National Mediator Standards.
Job Titles:
- Chartered Accountant
- Chief Financial and Investment Officer ( CFIO )
Lewis is an experienced finance professional who brings more than two decades of expertise in the financial services sector to his role as Chief Financial and Investment Officer at LeavePlus.
Prior to joining LeavePlus in September 2023, Lewis was the Group Executive responsible for Finance, Technology and Investment Operations at Hostplus, one of Australia's largest industry superannuation funds. Prior to this, Lewis held senior finance positions at Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA), NAB/MLC, Mercer and KPMG.
Lewis is dedicated to relentlessly pursuing improved outcomes for members. Lewis is a Chartered Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), as well as Diploma of Management and a Diploma in Organisational Leadership.
Job Titles:
- Director on the Board
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Representative of Metal Trades Employers
Michael Paynter was appointed as a Director on the Board on 1st July 2023. He holds both a Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Economics and a Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial Relations from Monash University. Michael has over 40 years of Industrial Relations experiences representing business and government on major projects in Victoria including the Regional Rail Link, Melbourne Airport, the Australian Grand Prix and the Suburban Rail Loop. Michael is also on the Incolink No 2 Fund Board for South Australia and NSW and holds a principal consultant position with Peregrine Industrial, an Industrial and Workplace Relations consultancy firm providing strategic advice to government departments and other major organsiations.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Representative of Electrical Trades Employers
Michael Purnell joined the Board on 16 th of March 2016. Michael has a long history of Company Director, General Management and Management Consulting roles with high profile organisations including 21 years in the construction industry. He has served on the National & Victorian Councils of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) as well as the NECA Industry Advisory Committee. He is currently also a Director of Protect and NECA Education & Careers. He is a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA), a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Australian Society of Accountants. Michael is a member of the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee.
Job Titles:
- Independent Director
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Deputy Chair of the Country Fire Authority
Michelle is currently the Deputy Chair of the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and is a Board member of Frontier FSI, Equestrian Australia and East Gippsland Water, and a member of the Royal Melbourne Agricultural Society and the Risk Management Institute.
Previously, Michelle was the Chief Commissioner of the Victorian Building Authority and was Managing Partner and CEO of the law firm Cornwall Stodart (now Cornwalls). She has also been President of the Australian Legal Practice Management Association (where she is a life member), an Advisory Board member of the Melbourne University Business School, an Executive Council member of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a Board member of the Mercy Health Foundation, the Overnewton Anglican Community College and Acom International.
Job Titles:
- Director on the Board
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Representative of Building Trades Workers
Paddy McCrudden was appointed as a Director on the Board on the 22nd of November 2012. He is a member of the Investment Committee of the Board. Paddy was employed by CBUS from 2005 to 2010. He re-joined the Plumbing Trades Employees Union in 2010 and currently holds the positions of Assistant Secretary and Federal President. He is also a Director of the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre, the Plumbing Joint Training Fund, the Plumbing Advisory Council and the Indigenous Plumbing and Sanitation Foundation. Paddy has been reappointed for another 4 year term to the LeavePlus Board.
Job Titles:
- Director on the Board
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Representative of Building Trades Workers
Robert Graauwmans was appointed as a Director on the Board on the 1st of July 2017. Robert has been a full time official of the CFMEU since 2006. He was responsible for the Western Districts of Victoria for six years, and then moved to Melbourne to represent Mobile Crane Hire and the Inner Eastern Suburbs. Robert is President of the CFMEU in Victoria. Robert is a member of the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee.