The Honourable Dr Annabelle Bennett AO SC was formally elected as Bond University’s 8th Chancellor on 19th April 2016 at a meeting of the University Council.
Dr Bennett brings to the University a wide range of significant and relevant skills in addition to her vast experience in the law, business, science and higher education.
She recently retired as a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia in March 2016 after a distinguished career in the law.
Dr Bennett initially obtained an honours degree in Science and then completed a PhD in Cell Biology. Later, she studied Law and practised as a barrister. She became a Senior Counsel in New South Wales in 1994.
In addition to her Federal Court appointment, Dr Bennett has served as the President of the Copyright Tribunal of Australia, Arbitrator of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Presidential Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and an Additional Judge of the Supreme Court of the ACT. She is recognised globally for her expertise in intellectual property law.
Dr Bennett was previously Pro Chancellor at the Australian National University for over a decade. She has served as Chairman of the National Health and Medical Research Council and currently sits on the Advisory Board of the Faculty of Law of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Tim Brailsford said that the University was very fortunate to have secured Dr Bennett and he was excited about her appointment.
“Annabelle will bring an extraordinary depth of understanding of both higher education and several disciplines that are very important to Bond. Her interests in such diverse fields such as health sciences and law will bring a new perspective on multidisciplinary studies.”
Dr Bennett succeeded Dr Helen Nugent AO after she retired as Bond’s 7th Chancellor.
Two new Councillors were also elected to Council at the AGM - Ms Lisa Paul AO PSM and Dr Manny Pohl.
Ms Paul, who recently retired as the Chief Executive of the Department of Education and Training for the Australian Government, has a professional background in high level strategy and formulation of higher education and vocational education reforms.
She has had a long career in government, much of it at senior levels in both the Commonwealth and ACT public service and in 2011 was named Federal Government Leader of the Year.
One of her most significant roles was to lead the Commonwealth's domestic response to the 2002 Bali bombings. For her success in this role she was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2003.
Dr Manny Pohl is currently Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of the investment house EC Pohl & Co, which he founded in 2012. Dr Pohl has more than thirty years’ experience in the investment industry, including over a decade as Managing Director.
Before emigrating from South Africa in 1994, he was a member of the South African delegation to the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Bangkok in 1991 and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange nominee member on the South African Accounting Practices Board.
Dr Pohl has also been heavily involved in the community sector, particularly with health, environment and arts philanthropic organisations and is a committed and long standing supporter of the University.
Ms Paul and Dr Pohl replace Councillors Professor Kwong Lee Dow AO and Mr Steven Sargent, who both retired at this year’s AGM.
“I would like to thank Helen, Kwong and Steve for the strong legacy they will leave, and welcome Annabelle, Lisa and Manny to the Bond community,” Professor Brailsford said.
“These new faces will add a significant depth of skills and bring new thinking to Council that is both assuring and inspiring.”