Finance Committee

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Finance Committee

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The Finance Committee is established by the University Council in accordance with section 17 of the University of Canberra Act 1989 (ACT) under resolution C1/11.

The Committee will monitor, advise and report to the Council on matters relating to;

the financial performance and sustainability of the University and its controlled entities
the management, allocation and investment of University capital and funds
University staff employment or diversity proposals or reports (as they relate to finance).

View Finance Committee Charter (PDF)

View 2024 Governance Meeting Schedule for Council and its Committees (PDF)

View Standing Orders for Meetings of the University Council and its Committees (PDF)

Committee members

Mr Medy Hassan

Mr Medy Hassan OAM

Medy Hassan is deeply committed to contributing to the University of Canberra (UC) as a Council member due to the alignment of values and his dedication to making a positive impact. As an alumnus and Adjunct Professor at UC, Medy is a nationally recognized advocate for diversity, inclusion, and belonging. UC's core commitments to its place in Canberra and its goal of becoming the most accessible university in Australia resonate strongly with both his personal and professional values.

Medy Hassan OAM is the Founder of Haus Holdings, Co-founder of Vitae Capital, and Chairman of GenCap Wealth. His passion lies in leveraging commercial strategies to enhance financial, social, and environmental well-being. His companies are driven by a vision to "reimagine the paradigm" for both current and future ventures, with a specialization in social enterprise, equity, property, and venture markets.

Medy is a recognised expert in private equity, property, and the delivery of complex infrastructure projects. His work focuses on driving innovation, achieving global excellence, and fostering sustainable and environmentally beneficial outcomes. In his leadership roles, he oversees the overall operations of his companies, always striving to fulfil their strategic ambitions.

With 25 years of global and national experience working across all tiers of government, corporate institutions, and private investors, Medy has overseen investments and transactions totalling $3 billion.

In 2021, Medy was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. He is a member of the University of Canberra Council, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building. Additionally, he serves as an Adjunct Professor at multiple universities in Australia. In 2024, Medy was honoured as the APAC CEO of the Year (Australia) in Social Enterprise and received the Global CEO Award for Best Social Enterprise & Investment CEO 2024 (Australia).

Ms Patricia Kelly

Ms Patricia Kelly PSM

Patricia is Deputy Chancellor, Chair of Council’s Legislation Committee and a member of both the Finance Committee and the Nominations and Senior Appointments Committee.

She is also a Council Member at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. She chairs the Australian Square Kilometre Array Regional Centre and Co-operative Research Australia (formerly the CRC Association). She is a Director of DMTC Ltd.

Prior to her current roles, Patricia had a public sector career spanning over thirty years. Between 2013 and 2018 Patricia was Director-General of IP Australia (the Australian patent and trademark office). Before joining IP Australia, Patricia was a Deputy Secretary in Commonwealth departments responsible for industry, science and innovation from 2004 -2013.

Patricia has a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in communication and is a graduate (and current member) of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Emeritus Professor Stephen Parker

Vice-Chancellor and President

Emeritus Professor Stephen Parker AO, Vice-Chancellor, University of Canberra

Stephen Parker, Vice-Chancellor in the interim at the University of Canberra (UC) is an Emeritus Professor at the University and an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Melbourne.

His academic leadership roles have included Dean of Law and Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Monash University; and Vice-Chancellor of UC between 2007 and 2016.

Following a short period at The Conversation, developing its international strategy, Stephen was made a senior partner at KPMG Australia in 2017 leading the firm’s work with education clients before becoming KPMG’s global lead focusing on clients in the UK, North America and Middle East until 2021.

Since 2021, Stephen has consulted on higher education matters, including the development of university rankings for the Australian Financial Review (AFR) and assisting the University Chancellors’ Council with its submission to the University Accord process. He has also been practising law with Galbally Parker, solicitors in Melbourne.

Stephen graduated with an Honours in Law from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Wales. He has published books, monographs and articles on the court system, legal ethics, family law and children's rights. He has co-edited various collections of essays, including Children, Rights and The Law (with Philip Alston and John Seymour, Clarendon Press) and Legal Ethics and Legal Practice (with Charles Sampford, Clarendon Press).

Stephen was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) as part of the Australia Day Honours in January 2014 for his distinguished service to tertiary education through administrative, academic and representational roles, and as a leader in the growth and development of UC.

Stephen’s varied interests include co-hosting a podcast series, Law in Context, with Emeritus Professor Stephen Bottomley, and supporting a British soccer team which has not won a major trophy since The Beatles were still together but is starting to show a glimmer of improvement.

Ms Alice Tay

Alice Tay is a commercial lawyer with 30 years’ experience in the establishment of entities, intellectual property, capital raising, acquisitions and sales, contracting and governance. She retired in 2018 as a partner at Meyer Vandenberg and is now focussed on utilising her experience to build healthy, vibrant, innovative and strong communities through her non-executive board and committee appointments. The University of Canberra has a particular interest as it is the university established for Canberra. As an overseas student and migrant who settled and prospered in Canberra, her appointment to the Council is an opportunity to contribute back to the community. Education and research are the foundation to a fulfilled and successful community.

Alice has a strong background in audit and risk at a board level and has chaired a number of A&R committees. She is a graduate of the AICD and a Fellow of the Governance Institute.

Alice’s other current Board and Committee positions include:

Gambling and Racing Commission ACT - Deputy Chair and Chair, Audit and Risk Committee
National Heart Foundation – Director, Chair, Risk, Audit and Governance Committee, Member, National Board Executive Group and Member, Investment Committee
Master Builders Association ACT - Member, Finance, Audit and Risk Committee
The Fly Program – Director (a health promotion charity start-up with a unique early and post clinical intervention program using nature and recreational fly-fishing as a tool for mental fitness)
Project Independence - Member, Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (a social housing initiative aimed at providing home ownership for Australians with an intellectual disability)
Community Housing Canberra Ltd, Director, Member of Risk and Audit Committee
Diversification and Sustainability Support Fund (ACT Government), Member

Dr Michael Schaper

Ministerial Appointee

With substantial experience across government, business and in academia, Michael is now a professional company director. He has previously served as the ACT Small Business Commissioner, Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, CEO of the Canberra Business Chamber, and as Dean of a number of university business schools. He currently sits on a number of boards for the private sector, federal and state governments, and on the national board of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is particularly keen in building stronger and more effective relationships between the university, the local ACT business community, and different levels of government.

Dr Martin Laverty

Dr Martin Laverty’s doctorate is in corporate governance. His thesis was on Board Director contributions to organisational performance. A lawyer by training with a Masters in Indigenous Laws, he currently leads a staff of 6,000 working across 500 locations nationally as CEO of the not-for-profit disability organisation Aruma. He is a Director of the international aid agency Caritas, and is a member of the Independent Hospital and Aged Care Pricing Authority’s Aged Care Advisory Committee.

Dr Laverty is a former Chief Executive of the Australian Medical Association and Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, and previously served as Deputy Chair of the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission, a member of the National Disability Insurance Agency Board and as Chair of the National Heart Foundation. He has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia’s Centre for Not-for-Profits, and served previously on the Australian Catholic University’s ACT Advisory Board and its Health Services Advisory Board. Martin and his wife have three children in local high schools. A twenty year Canberra resident, Martin joined the Council to help ensure the University continues to offer the type of quality tertiary education he experienced to the next generation of Canberrans.

Mr Dennis Trewin

Contact us

For all enquiries, please contact the Council Secretariat.

University of Canberra
11 Kirinari Street
Bruce ACT 2617

Email us 02 6201 5961

Finance Committee

Committee members

Mr Medy Hassan

Ms Patricia Kelly

Emeritus Professor Stephen Parker

Ms Alice Tay

Dr Michael Schaper

Dr Martin Laverty

Mr Dennis Trewin

Contact us

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