Our Board brings a wealth of experience to managing the strategic direction of AWC, focusing on driving the effective conservation of all Australian animal species and the habitats in which they live.
Graeme has been a Director at AWC since 2003. Bringing a background in finance and management, he was co-founder and Managing Director of Sealcorp Holdings Ltd (Asgard) until its sale to St George Bank.
Graeme is a director of several private companies and the founder of Wind Over Water, a family foundation supporting conservation, medical research, the arts and social programmes.
His objective is to continue the development of AWC as a leading contributor to the effective conservation of Australia’s fauna and habitats and to reversing the decline of our threatened species.
Graeme is a member of the AWC Board Executive, Remuneration and Audit Committees and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Michelle has been a Director at AWC since 2013. With a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), a Master of Commerce, a BA in Fine Arts and a background in corporate communications, Michelle is an exhibiting artist, a director of several private companies, as well as a Trustee of the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation.
Michelle has extensive experience in the philanthropic sector in Australia, particularly in arts and education, and has a background in corporate communications. She has had a lifelong love of our native wildlife and is passionate about preserving it for future generations.
Sophie has been involved with AWC since its inception, as she is the daughter of AWC’s late founder, Martin Copley. She strongly believes we need to do all we can to conserve the flora and fauna of Australia in their natural habitats.
Born in Australia, Sophie was brought up in the UK before returning to Australia where she has lived and worked since 1994. She has a BA (Hons) in Modern Languages and Information Systems from University of the West of England in the UK, and has worked in the IT industry in both the UK and Australia.
Sophie is one of the founders and current committee members of Impact100 WA, a collective giving group with over one hundred members making high impact grants to local WA not-for-profits. She is also a director of Spinifex Trust, a foundation which supports conservation, the arts and youth programs.
Andrew has been a Director at AWC since 2010, bringing a background in finance and investment management.
Andrew has a BCom (Hons) from UNSW and is a co-founder, Director and Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director of Platinum Asset Management Limited. Prior to Platinum Asset Management, Andrew was a Vice President at Bankers Trust Australia Limited.
Lea Ferris has been a Director at AWC since 2005. She is a qualified and experienced urban planner as well as being a sculptor and yoga teacher. She has a range of skills relevant to the development of AWC’s business and community networks.
Lea is also a director of Riverside Holdings Pty Ltd, and of a family foundation. With a passion for wildlife, Lea is keen to contribute to AWC’s vision and strategy, together with assisting with the development of business networks for AWC.
Ross has been a Director of AWC since 2005, and holds degrees in Mathematics (B.Sc (Hons) – Otago University), Economics (M.Com –Canterbury University) and Business Administration (MBA – University of NSW).
Ross is Founder of Grant Samuel Group Pty Limited, an independent investment banking firm which he established in 1988. He was previously an executive director of Macquarie Bank Limited having joined Hill Samuel Australia Limited (the predecessor of Macquarie Bank Limited) in 1975.
Ross is also a Director of The Centre for Independent Studies and the Mito Foundation.
Ross has been a Director of AWC since 1995 and is a Chartered Accountant in Practice and a Life Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants ANZ. He is a director of Perron Group Ltd and a number of private companies. He has had over fifty years’ experience in accounting and business and was a partner of Hendry Rae and Court for 25 years.
Ross is a trustee of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy Fund, the Stan Perron Charitable Trust and the Spinifex Trust.
In 2020, Ross was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for significant service to the accounting profession, wildlife conservation, and the community.
Malcolm has been a Director of AWC since 2015, and was the Governor of Western Australia for three years from July 2011. He has practiced law since 1961 and as Queens Counsel since 1982.
Malcolm was Chairman of the Legal Aid Commission of WA (1983-2011); Special Inspector investigating Rothwells Bank collapse (1989‐90); Inaugural Chairman Advisory Board of the Constitutional Centre of WA (1997‐2011); Trustee SAS Resources Trust (1996–2011); inaugural Parliamentary Inspector of the Corruption and Crime Commission (2004-2009); and Chairman of the Ministerial Expert Panel, Voluntary Assisted Dying (2019-2020).
Malcolm was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to law (2005); awarded WA Citizen of the Year (Professions) (2005); and was awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia for his services to the community (2012). In 2020, he received the WA Citizen of the Year (Community Service) Award; the Surf Lifesaving WA Bravery Awardl and was awarded the WA ‘Australian of the Year’.
Malcolm currently serves as a director of Minderoo Foundation and as the Chairman of WA Health Translation Network and Law Access WA.
Malcolm has been patron of more than 100 organisations including the McCusker Foundation for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and is Chairman of the McCusker Charitable Foundation – his family foundation.
Malcolm has a strong belief in the need to conserve Australian native wildlife, and to eradicate feral predators.
Dennis has been a Director of AWC since 2018. He has enjoyed a 48-year career in the Australian Public Service, including as Secretary of the Department of Defence, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Director General of ASIO, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister and Ambassador to the United States.
Dennis currently serves on a number of boards, including those of Linfox, the National Capital Authority and his beloved Canberra Raiders. Dennis is also Patron of the RSPCA in the ACT.
Director since 2019, Professor John Zichy-Woinarski is a conservation biologist, involved in research, management and policy. John has authored and edited six books, and more than 250 scientific papers and book chapters. His work was recognised with the Eureka Prize for biodiversity research (2001), the Serventy Medal for life-time contribution to Australian ornithology (2001), the Northern Territory Chief Minister’s Award for Research and Innovation (2008), the Australian Natural History Medallion (2011), and the Society for Conservation Biology Distinguished Service Award (2013).
From 2003 to 2012, he was a member of the Threatened Species Scientific Committee. He is currently employed as a Professor in the Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University and is a Deputy Director of the Threatened Species Recovery Hub of the National Environmental Science Program.
Nick is a Senior Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Infrastructure and Energy at Macquarie Capital. He focuses on investment banking and the development of infrastructure and renewable energy projects globally. He has a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from the University of New South Wales.
Nick has a lifelong passion for the environment and its conservation. He has been involved in a range of environmental causes in Australia and internationally. He is Chairman of Friends of Australian Wildlife Conservancy US, and a member of the National Council of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the BirdLife International Advisory Group.