Superpartners board

Alan Beanland BSc FAICD, Chair

Over the last 43 years and across four continents, Alan has a proven record of international business development and has held positions as a Director, Senior Executive & Consultant. He has been a Director of over 40 companies registered in a dozen different countries and had the role of Chairman or Vice Chairman of several of these companies.

Alan is currently also Director of the listed Exploration Company, Dragon Mountain Gold Ltd, Director of Spotless Group Ltd, Director of Hancock Victorian Plantations Pty Ltd, as well as a number of other companies and an adviser to several other commercial entities.

From 1990 to 1999, as Regional Managing Director, Alan led the development and operation of Colonial Ltd’s Asian financial services business, CMG Asia Pty Ltd (since acquired by Commonwealth Bank). Additionally, for a number of years, Alan was a Director/ Chairman of Colonial Group companies in New Zealand and Fiji. Prior to 1990 Alan managed Colonial’s superannuation business subsidiary, Jacques Martin Pty Ltd, the forerunner of Superpartners.

Kevin Davern OAM

Kevin has an extensive background in the finance and superannuation sectors and the union movement. For an eight-year period he was National Secretary of the Finance Sector Union. From its inception in 1987 until 2007, he was a trustee and Company Secretary of Finsuper, the finance sector industry fund. He has also had involvement with a number of other organisations, including the Boards of Tourism Victoria and CSIRO. Kevin joined the Board of Superpartners in July 2006.

Currently, he is also a trustee of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust, a Director of ACTU Member Connect Pty Ltd, and a Member of Council of the Holmesglen Institute of TAFE.

Nicole Birrell MSc FAICD

Nicole is a senior banker with 26 years’ experience in wholesale and investment banking in Australia and the UK. Nicole has held executive positions at Chase Manhattan Bank, County NatWest, Salomon Smith Barney and the ANZ Banking Group. Her particular expertise lies in the strategic management of operational risk in financial markets operations, including systems risk and insurance management, and financial markets compliance issues. As a consultant, Nicole advises a range of companies and facilitates risk management workshops.

Nicole is a member of Wheat Exports Australia and a Director of Queensland Sugar Ltd, Grains Research & Development Corporation and SMS Management & Technology Ltd.

Susan Pelka MBA MEd Admin BA DipEd FAICD

Susan Pelka has 30 years’ experience in education, human resources and financial services management. She has a background in the areas of governance, risk, outsourcing, superannuation, procurement and human resource management. She recently completed 10 years as an executive with the ANZ Banking Group and has held previous senior roles with several companies including United Energy and the Port of Melbourne Authority. She is currently a Trustee of the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre and both Chairman of its Board Risk Committee and member of its Finance and Audit Committee.

Susan is also a member of the National Red Cross Risk and Audit Committee, Deputy Chair of ChamberMade (an opera and musical theatre company), a member of several local government audit committees and a past board member of the Williamstown Hospital (Vic).

Geoff Ashton AM DipHR

Geoff Ashton’s career spanned over 35 years in manufacturing, including CEO of two public companies, Monier Ltd. and Clyde Industries Limited. Over the past twelve years, Geoff held directorships in public and private companies Board of Directors 9 and government enterprises covering technology development, financial services, engineering and construction.

He was Chairman of Leighton Holdings from 2003 to 2007 and a Director since 1996. In 1996, Geoff became a director of Superannuation Trust of Australia (STA), a precursor of AustralianSuper, and subsequently served as Chairman of AustralianSuper from 2006 to 2007. He is currently Chairman of Frontier Investment Consulting Pty Ltd.

Sandy Grant BCom

Sandy Grant’s career spans over 40 years, beginning with Colonial Mutual Group in 1966. His past roles include National Marketing Manager, General Manager of Jacques Martin Industry Fund Administration (now Superpartners) and Colonial’s Head of Group Superannuation Strategy. Sandy’s roles after Colonial include Managing Director of Industry Fund Services (IFS) and Chief Executive Officer of Cbus Super.

Sandy’s current Board positions include Members Equity Bank (appointed 2008), CareSuper (appointed 2008), the Master Builders Association of Victoria Foundation Limited (appointed 2008) and ACTU Member Connect (appointed 1998). He has previously served on Superpartners Board from 1999 to 2004.

Michael Lee BSc BE Hons

Michael Lee served in the Australian Parliament for 17 years and held a number of senior positions in both Government and Opposition, including Minister for Resources, Tourism, Communications and the Arts in the Keating Government, and Shadow Minister for Education and Health. After 2001, Michael worked as a consultant to KPMG, and served as a Councillor on the City of Sydney.

He is currently a non-executive director of Country Energy (appointed 2002), Macquarie Airports (appointed 2003), DUET (appointed 2004) and Chairman of the NSW TAFE Commission Board.   

Merran Kelsall B. Com. (Hons.), FCA, MBA

Merran Kelsall has an extensive background in audit, risk, compliance and corporate governance and has over 35 years experience in a number of sectors including financial and professional services, insurance, health, education, contract management and utilities. Ms Kelsall also has a passion for corporate governance, strategy and executive coaching making her a perfect fit on the Superpartners Board.

Merran has been the Chair of the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, a statutory agency of the Australian Government, since 2004. Merran also sits on a number of other boards including Melbourne Water, Public Transport Ombudsman Limited and Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) Limited.