Our board
Watertrust Australia's Board of Directors has been selected to provide the independence, authority and knowledge required to govern the organisation and work with all our stakeholders.
The Board is supported by an Influence Advisory Committee of well-connected and influential thought leaders and an Expert Advisory Panel of eminent water, catchment and linked policy area experts.
Watertrust Australia will be incubated at the Australian Academy of Science for at least our first five years of operation to help us engage with deep expertise from a wide range of disciplines. We will work with all of Australia's learned academies.
Our inaugural Chair and Board of Directors have been appointed and more information about them is provided below.
Kathryn Fagg AO FTSE
Chair
Kathryn Fagg AO, FTSE, FAICD is a respected and experienced director and chair, with extensive senior commercial and operational leadership experience across a range of industries.
Leith Boully
Director
Leith Boully is a member of the Australian Water Partnerships Advisory Committee and a highly regarded, experienced director in water policy.
André Carstens
Director
André Carstens, B.Com (Hons), FCA, MAICD, is the Chief Executive Officer of Colonial Foundation, a charitable trust whose vision is to see all Australians living a fair, healthy and fulfilling life.
Paul Conroy
Director
Paul commenced as CEO of The Ian Potter Foundation in March 2023. Paul holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Law (Hons) degrees from the University of Melbourne and has extensive experience in both the commercial world and the not-for-profit sector.
Dr Deborah Nias
Director
Deb Nias is CEO of the Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group, a former Director of the International River Foundation and Wetland Care Australia. Deb brings 25 years’ experience in natural resource and landscape management in Australia, and much of this work has had a substantial focus on engagement with a wide range of stakeholders.
Robbie Sefton AM
Director
Robbie Sefton AM is Managing Director of Sefton & Associates, a national strategic communications consultancy, and a partner of Nangandie Pastoral Company.
Prof Rob Vertessy FTSE
Director
Rob Vertessy is an Honorary Enterprise Professor (Water Resources) in the School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne. He chairs the governing Boards of the Great Barrier Reef Restoration Program and the Murray-Darling Water and Environment Research Program.
Tim Gordon
Director
Tim Gordon is Executive Partner at Gilbert + Tobin where he works with the firm’s Chair and CEO on developing and implementing the firm’s strategy and operations. In his transactional practice, Tim advises listed companies and private equity fund managers in relation to mergers and acquisitions, capital raisings, joint ventures, restructurings and regulatory investigations.