Board of Directors

VicSuper's Board, made up of four member directors and four employer directors, plays a critical role in overseeing the governance and accountability of the VicSuper Fund.

The directors meet approximately 11 times each year, with each director serving on sub-committees. All decisions made require at least a two-thirds majority.

Read about each of our directors, including their qualifications, experience and nominating body. You’ll find information on how they govern the fund, their duties and responsibilities, how their performance is evaluated and how they are remunerated.
VicSuper's Board, made up of four member directors and four employer directors, plays a critical role in overseeing the governance and accountability of the VicSuper Fund.

The directors meet approximately 11 times each year, with each director serving on sub-committees. All decisions made require at least a two-thirds majority.

Read about each of our directors, including their qualifications, experience and nominating body. You’ll find information on how they govern the fund, their duties and responsibilities, how their performance is evaluated and how they are remunerated.

  • Wayne Kayler-Thomson

    Wayne Kayler-Thomson

    Chair
    Employer Director

     DipCom, CPA, FAIM
    Wayne has been Chair of VicSuper from July 2019. He has been a VicSuper Director since 2009 and was reappointed in July 2014 for a period of five years. Prior to his current position as Chair, Wayne served as Deputy Chair from January 2017 to June 2019.

    An experienced consultant and director, Wayne provides professional services as a strategic business planning advisor, facilitator and mentor to a range of clients in the corporate, not-for-profit and public sector at national, state and regional levels. He is Deputy Chancellor and a council member of Victoria University and Chairman of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism Ltd.

    Wayne is currently a member of VicSuper Investment Committee and Remuneration & Renewal Committee.

    Nominating body: Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
    Wayne has been Chair of VicSuper from July 2019. He has been a VicSuper Director since 2009 and was reappointed in July 2014 for a period of five years. Prior to his current position as Chair, Wayne served as Deputy Chair from January 2017 to June 2019.

    An experienced consultant and director, Wayne provides professional services as a strategic business planning advisor, facilitator and mentor to a range of clients in the corporate, not-for-profit and public sector at national, state and regional levels. He is Deputy Chancellor and a council member of Victoria University and Chairman of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism Ltd.

    Wayne is currently a member of VicSuper Investment Committee and Remuneration & Renewal Committee.

    Nominating body: Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
  • Christine Stewart

    Christine Stewart

    Deputy Chair
    Member Director     BA, GradDipEd
    Christine has been Deputy Chair of VicSuper from July 2019. She is an experienced director having represented members on the VicSuper Board since 2009. Christine was reappointed to the VicSuper Board in July 2014 for a period of five years and served as the fund’s Chair from January 2017 to June 2019.

    Christine has extensive experience in the education field, having been both a Victorian Government teacher and Deputy Secretary of the Australian Education Union for 12 years. She is also currently the Deputy Chair of Board of Management for the State Schools Relief Committee.

    Christine is a member of the VicSuper Investment Committee and Remuneration & Renewal Committee.

    Nominating body: Australian Education Union.
    Christine has been Deputy Chair of VicSuper from July 2019. She is an experienced director having represented members on the VicSuper Board since 2009. Christine was reappointed to the VicSuper Board in July 2014 for a period of five years and served as the fund’s Chair from January 2017 to June 2019.

    Christine has extensive experience in the education field, having been both a Victorian Government teacher and Deputy Secretary of the Australian Education Union for 12 years. She is also currently the Deputy Chair of Board of Management for the State Schools Relief Committee.

    Christine is a member of the VicSuper Investment Committee and Remuneration & Renewal Committee.

    Nominating body: Australian Education Union.
  • Gabrielle Bell

    Gabrielle Bell

    Employer Director

     BE(Hons)/LLB(Hons)
    Gabrielle was appointed as a VicSuper Director in July 2017 for a period of four years.

    Gabrielle is a corporate lawyer and specialises in general corporate advisory (including corporate governance), mergers and acquisitions and capital markets. Gabrielle is currently a Director of South East Water Corporation, V/Line Corporation, and Director and Company Secretary of InLife Independent Living Ltd.

    Gabrielle is a member of the VicSuper Audit Compliance and Risk Management Committee.

    Nominating body: Victorian Public Sector Commission.
    Gabrielle was appointed as a VicSuper Director in July 2017 for a period of four years.

    Gabrielle is a corporate lawyer and specialises in general corporate advisory (including corporate governance), mergers and acquisitions and capital markets. Gabrielle is currently a Director of South East Water Corporation, V/Line Corporation, and Director and Company Secretary of InLife Independent Living Ltd.

    Gabrielle is a member of the VicSuper Audit Compliance and Risk Management Committee.

    Nominating body: Victorian Public Sector Commission.
  • Patricia Faulkner headshot

    Patricia Faulkner AO

    Employer Director

     BA, DipEd, MA, HonLLD
    Patricia’s career has spanned the senior levels of both the public and private sectors as CEO of large government departments and as a Partner at KPMG.

    She now has a portfolio of board and advisory roles, including: Jesuit Social Services; Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman; Catholic Professional Standards; CEDA; Melbourne Racing Club, and the Melbourne Theatre Company.

    Patricia was awarded an Order of Australia in June 2008 for her services to Health and Social Policy; and a Centenary Medal in 2002 for services to Public Administration.

    Patricia commenced as a Director at VicSuper 1 January 2017 for a period of four years and is a member of the VicSuper Investment Committee and Remuneration & Renewal Committee.

    Nominating body: Department of Education and Training.
    Patricia’s career has spanned the senior levels of both the public and private sectors as CEO of large government departments and as a Partner at KPMG.

    She now has a portfolio of board and advisory roles, including: Jesuit Social Services; Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman; Catholic Professional Standards; CEDA; Melbourne Racing Club, and the Melbourne Theatre Company.

    Patricia was awarded an Order of Australia in June 2008 for her services to Health and Social Policy; and a Centenary Medal in 2002 for services to Public Administration.

    Patricia commenced as a Director at VicSuper 1 January 2017 for a period of four years and is a member of the VicSuper Investment Committee and Remuneration & Renewal Committee.

    Nominating body: Department of Education and Training.
  • Merran Kelsall

    Merran Kelsall

    Employer Director
     BCom (Hons), FCA, MBA, FCPA, FAICD, FFin
    Merran commenced as a director of VicSuper in March 2016 for a period of five years. She has served on numerous boards in the private and public sectors and has considerable expertise in finance, audit, risk and compliance.

    She has a strong focus on corporate governance including financial and non-financial external reporting to include strategy and risk management and enjoys aligning performance management with corporate strategy. She has chaired numerous audit committees, including oversight of risk management and compliance.

    Merran’s current appointments include: Director of RACV Limited, Deputy Chair at Melbourne Water and Deputy President at CPA Australia. She recently joined UNSW Business School as a Professor of Practice.

    Merran is the Chair of the VicSuper Audit, Compliance and Risk Management Committee.

    Nominating body: Victorian Public Sector Commission.
    Merran commenced as a director of VicSuper in March 2016 for a period of five years. She has served on numerous boards in the private and public sectors and has considerable expertise in finance, audit, risk and compliance.

    She has a strong focus on corporate governance including financial and non-financial external reporting to include strategy and risk management and enjoys aligning performance management with corporate strategy. She has chaired numerous audit committees, including oversight of risk management and compliance.

    Merran’s current appointments include: Director of RACV Limited, Deputy Chair at Melbourne Water and Deputy President at CPA Australia. She recently joined UNSW Business School as a Professor of Practice.

    Merran is the Chair of the VicSuper Audit, Compliance and Risk Management Committee.

    Nominating body: Victorian Public Sector Commission.
  • Colin Long

    Colin Long

    Member Director
     PhD, BA (Hons)
    Colin was appointed as a director at VicSuper in July 2014 for a period of five years. He brings with him extensive experience in urban planning, heritage studies and cultural development and tourism in Asia, just to name a few.

    He has held a number of research based consultancies with clients such as UNESCO, Australian Heritage Commission, Netherlands Development Organisation and United Nations World Tourism Organisation and the City of Melbourne.

    Colin was the President of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, Victorian Division Secretary with the National Tertiary Education Union from 2010-2018, and now works on climate change and just transitions for the Victorian Trades Hall.

    Colin is the chair of the Investment Committee.

    Nominating body: Victorian Trades Hall Council
    Colin was appointed as a director at VicSuper in July 2014 for a period of five years. He brings with him extensive experience in urban planning, heritage studies and cultural development and tourism in Asia, just to name a few.

    He has held a number of research based consultancies with clients such as UNESCO, Australian Heritage Commission, Netherlands Development Organisation and United Nations World Tourism Organisation and the City of Melbourne.

    Colin was the President of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, Victorian Division Secretary with the National Tertiary Education Union from 2010-2018, and now works on climate change and just transitions for the Victorian Trades Hall.

    Colin is the chair of the Investment Committee.

    Nominating body: Victorian Trades Hall Council
  • Travis Bates, VicSuper board member

    Travis Bates

    Member Director
     BA, Science (Ecology and Botany)
    Travis was appointed as a VicSuper director effective 1 July 2019 for a period of 4 years.

    Travis has a strong member, regulatory, and environmental focus, having extensive experience as a regulator at the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and The Community and Public Sector Union Victoria (CPSU).

    He is currently the Councillor for the Victorian Branch Council, the governing body of the CPSU.

    Travis is a member of the VicSuper Audit, Compliance & Risk Management Committee.

    Nominating body: Community and Public Sector Union.
    Travis was appointed as a VicSuper director effective 1 July 2019 for a period of 4 years.

    Travis has a strong member, regulatory, and environmental focus, having extensive experience as a regulator at the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and The Community and Public Sector Union Victoria (CPSU).

    He is currently the Councillor for the Victorian Branch Council, the governing body of the CPSU.

    Travis is a member of the VicSuper Audit, Compliance & Risk Management Committee.

    Nominating body: Community and Public Sector Union.
  • Antoinette Masiero

    Antoinette Masiero

    Member Director
    BA, BEd, DipProgTech, DipVocEd&Train, DipModLang (Italian), GCertModLangEd
    Antoinette was appointed as a director of VicSuper in July 2015 for a period of five years. Antoinette is a professional educator with extensive experience in a variety of fields such as information technology, business analysis, accounting and auditing, across not-for-profit, commercial, and community organisations.

    Antoinette has held leadership and management positions in a number of organisations, and is currently a teacher at a primary school.

    Antoinette is a member of the VicSuper Audit, Compliance and Risk Management Committee and the Remuneration and Renewal Committee.

    Nominating body: Australian Education Union
    Antoinette was appointed as a director of VicSuper in July 2015 for a period of five years. Antoinette is a professional educator with extensive experience in a variety of fields such as information technology, business analysis, accounting and auditing, across not-for-profit, commercial, and community organisations.

    Antoinette has held leadership and management positions in a number of organisations, and is currently a teacher at a primary school.

    Antoinette is a member of the VicSuper Audit, Compliance and Risk Management Committee and the Remuneration and Renewal Committee.

    Nominating body: Australian Education Union

Nomination, appointment and removal of directors

Our Directors are generally appointed for a term of four years, after which they are eligible for reappointment.

Document Nomination, appointment and removal of directors (PDF)

Code of conduct

Our directors adhere to a formal code of conduct, covering personal qualities, conduct, duties and VicSuper’s core values.

Document Code of Conduct Statement (PDF)

Document Code of Conduct - Directors (PDF)

Evaluating board and individual director performance

To ensure our governance framework remains effective, an annual review is undertaken to assess the performance of the Board as a whole, and of individual directors.

Every two years, this review is undertaken by an independent consultant, and by the Chair every other year.

Document Evaluating Board and individual director performance (PDF)

Remuneration disclosure

Directors are paid an annual fee for board participation and additional fees for committee participation where relevant.

Document Remuneration disclosure (PDF)

Remuneration and Renewal committee charter

Read about the objectives, duties, responsibilities, membership, procedures, authority and powers of the remuneration and renewal committee.

Document Remuneration and Renewal committee charter (PDF)

Board meeting attendance and committees

The VicSuper Board meets 11 times per year. Each director is also a member of at least one committee which meet up to 11 times a year.

Document Board attendance (PDF)

Document Committee attendance (PDF)

Indemnity and insurance

VicSuper Pty Ltd has taken out a professional indemnity insurance policy to indemnify, subject to limited exceptions, the trustee, the Fund, and the trustee’s directors, officers and employees against financial loss resulting from claims made against them.

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