Diane Smith-Gander

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Diane Lee Smith-Gander AO (born November 1957) is an Australian business executive. She holds and has held a number of governance positions on various boards, and is known for her championing of gender equity. As of 2024 she is also an adjunct professor of corporate governance at University of Western Australia (UWA), and chairs the advisory board of the university's Business School. Other roles include as chair of the inaugural Nominations Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Contents

Early life and education

Diane Lee Smith-Gander was born in November 1957 [1] and grew up in Alfred Cove, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. She attended Melville Senior High School. [2] Her mother, Betty, was a teacher and taught accounting. [3]

She began studying science at UWA, but after her second year changed to economics. [2] She also holds an MBA from the University of Sydney. [4]

She played basketball for Western Australia [5] as a junior and senior, and played in the leagues that preceded the Women's National Basketball League. She was first involved in her local basketball association, and later as a member of the WA Basketball Association tribunal. [6]

Smith-Gander left Perth around 1994. [3]

Career

She started her career in banking, working in banking operations, technology solutions, and change management roles for Westpac. She also worked in the United States and Hong Kong for the international management company McKinsey & Co, [7] [8] becoming a partner in that firm. [9]

She has held a range of governance positions, including the role of commissioner of Tourism Western Australia, non-executive director of CBH Group, and deputy chair of NBN Co. [5] In 2007 she became a full-time company director. [7]

Since September 2019 she has chaired the inaugural Nominations Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency, [6] which was created in order to ensure that the right people are recruited to serve in senior governance roles within the organisation. [10]

As of 2024 she is also a professor of corporate governance at UWA, and on her appointment in 2019, became the first woman to chair the advisory board of the university's Business School. [5]

As of 2024 Gander-Smith is on the advisory board of Whiteoak, as well as chair of Zip Co Limited (non-executive, since 2021 [5] ), DDH1, HBF Health and national chair of CEDA [9] (Committee for Economic Development of Australia) [11] since 2020. [5] In 2023 she became a non-executive director of Perenti, becoming chair in 2024. [5] The CEDA and UWA Business School roles are served pro bono. [6]

Other roles and activities

Gander-Smith She is an advocate for gender equity, and has written several articles in the Australian Financial Review . [12]

She chaired the Australian Sports Drug Agency in the lead-up to the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and was then on the steering committee aiming at the unification of basketball during turbulent times in 2008. She become a member of the board of Basketball Australia, and was later appointed chair. [6] [5]

She was elected president of Chief Executive Women in November 2014, effective 1 January 2015. [13]

She also serves pro bono as deputy chair of the council for Methodist Ladies' College (MLC). [6]

In November 2023, during the Israel-Hamas war, she wrote an opinion piece explaining why she signed a petition, along with 600 other business and community leaders, "Say no to antisemitism". In it, she says that it does not mean that she supports the actions of the Israeli government, but "There is no place for hatred in Australia". [14]

Recognition and awards

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References

  1. ↑ Who's Who in Australia. ConnectWeb. 2019.
  2. 1 2 ""Full Circle" with Diane Smith-Gander". Business News. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Articles: Diane Smith-Gander on Gender Equity" (video, 20m). Chief Executive Women . 2014 Edith Cowan Memorial Lecture. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Diane Smith-Gander". Chief Executive Women. Retrieved 4 January 2019. Note: This link now diverts to Diane Smith-Gander on Gender Equity, 2022
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Diane Smith-Gander". Business News . 22 March 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Diane Smith-Gander AO". Celebrity Speakers. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 "Diane Smith-Gander to join AGL Board". www.agl.com.au. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  8. ↑ Davies, Anne (21 February 2015). "Smith-Gander reveals how to conquer the boys club". Executive Style. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 "Diane Smith-Gander". Whiteoak. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  10. ↑ "WADA outlines composition of inaugural Nominations Committee". World Anti Doping Agency. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  11. ↑ "Who we are". CEDA. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "Diane Smith-Gander". Australian Financial Review . 28 November 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  13. ↑ "Articles: CEW members elect Diane Smith-Gander as President". Chief Executive Women. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  14. ↑ Smith-Gander, Diane (28 November 2023). ""Say no to antisemitism" statement: Diane Smith-Gander explains why she signed the statement" . Australian Financial Review. Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  15. ↑ "Diane Lee Smith-Gander". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
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