State Library of Victoria announces new board appointments

The President of the Library Board of Victoria, the Hon. John Cain, has welcomed the appointment of Bruce Akhurst, Sylvia Geddes and Dennis Goldner to the Library Board of Victoria.

Mr Cain said he was delighted: ‘Mr Akhurst, Ms Geddes and Mr Goldner bring a vital mix of legal, finance and business administration skills to the Library Board. They are each passionate about the Library and that passion combined with their skills and experience will bring great benefit to the Library and to the community.’

Bruce Akhurst is chief executive officer of Sensis Pty Ltd, a position he has held since January 2005, as well as chairman of the board of FOXTEL and a number of Telstra owned businesses in China. A lawyer by training, Mr Akhurst relinquished the position of managing partner with Mallesons Stephen Jaques to join Telstra in 1996 as its general counsel.

Sylvia Geddes was chief executive officer of the RE Ross Trust until her retirement in July 2008. Before joining the Trust, in 2000, she was manager of charitable services with ANZ Trustees. She has extensive experience as a senior policy and program manager in both Commonwealth and State governments in areas of social policy particularly families, youth and homelessness and headed the Australian Government's Office for the Aged.  She is a trustee of Trust for Nature, a member of the Council of the Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, and a Sounding Board member of Flinders Quartet.

Dennis Goldner retired from Deloitte in May 2009 having been the partner leading the firm’s government services practice in Victoria. Mr Goldner has had experience at senior levels in both the Australian and Victorian public services, particularly in the areas of public policy economics (specialising in competition policy) and trade and investment promotion. He chairs the Deloitte Foundation and Regional Arts Victoria, is a director of the Royal Children's Hospital Board and serves on the Board Finance and Audit Committee of Oxfam Australia.

The Library Board of Victoria consists of up to 11 members, appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister for the Arts. Members represent interests in academia, business, government, information technology and the humanities.