Board Members
Ian Klug (Chairman), Company Director
Ian is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and a Director of the City Business Advisory Board. He is also a Director of the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts and a Director of the Wide Bay Water Corporation where he also sits on the Audit and Risk Committee. Ian is also Chairman of Place Design Group. He is a former Partner of Pitcher Partners Chartered Accountants (for 19 years) and was previously Chairman of the Queensland Artworkers Alliance, a Councillor of Tennis Australia and Director of Tennis Queensland. Ian is also currently a member of the Lord Mayor’s Business Round Table.
Phillip Di Bella, Founder, Di Bella Coffee
Phillip Di Bella is the Founder and Managing Director of Di Bella Coffee, Australia’s fastest-growing coffee company. Phillip is an awarded entrepreneur and an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Griffith University. Knighted with the ‘Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity’ for contribution to the community from the Italian Government, he is also Chair of the Queen Street Mall Advisory Board, Chair of The Valley Mall Advisory Committee and sits on the Lord Mayor’s Business Round Table.
Malcolm Hall-Brown, Company Director
Malcolm Hall-Brown is a property developer and a Fellow of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants. He is also on the Board of a number of property-related companies including Northeast Business Park Pty Ltd and an independent Director of Haematology and Oncology Clinics Australia Pty Ltd.
Geoff Harley, Consultant, Clayton Utz
Geoff Harley has practised law for more than 40 years, primarily in commercial litigation and industrial relations. Having served as Managing Partner and Partner-in-Charge of Clayton Utz’s Brisbane office, Geoff resigned from the partnership in 2006 and is now a consultant to the firm. He currently sits on a number of Boards and advisory councils including the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and Rowland, and he chairs the TransLink Transit Authority. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Queensland.
Anthony Hayes, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Queensland
Anthony joined Tourism Queensland in 2005 as Executive Director, International Operations after a long career in management with Qantas. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Queensland in September 2007 after acting in the position for three months. Anthony has served on several tourism industry boards of management including Sydney Visitors and Convention Bureau and Tourism Tropical North Queensland. He is also currently a board member of Events Queensland and ATEC (Australian Tourism Export Council).
Ben Myers, Communications Manager
Ben Myers is Communications Manager for a leading Australian gas company. In his previous position as Director of Business, Strategy and Communications for the Office of the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Ben was a key liaison point between the Office of the Lord Mayor and the Brisbane business community. He also worked closely with the Lord Mayor to develop economic development strategies for Australia’s fastest-growing capital city. Prior to that, Ben had the role of Director of Public Affairs for the National Retail Association.
Sean Ryan, General Manager, Nova 106.9
Since Sean Ryan launched commercial radio station Nova 106.9 in April 2005, he has built a thriving business which continues to dominate Brisbane’s radio ratings. Prior to his role with Nova, Sean managed 21 radio stations for DMG Radio in Townsville for three years. He also spent 14 years with WIN television, where he held a number of senior roles. Sean is committed to a number of charities, including the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and the Variety Club Children’s Charity. Sean is also involved in many organisations such as Brisbane City Smart, Lord Mayor’s Business Round Table, Brisbane Sister Cities, Brisbane Marketing, Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Round Table and Asia Pacific Cities Summit.
Peter Sherrie, Director, Excel Development Group
Peter is a Past Queensland President of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA), having led the Institute from 2004 to 2006. He is currently the National President for the UDIA. Peter has more than 18 years of experience in development in Queensland and New South Wales. He is a Director of Excel Development Group Pty Ltd, a property development company specialising in residential, commercial and retail developments.
Belinda Walters, Company Director
Belinda has a broad range of experience in the event management, convention and tourism industries. She has held a number of senior positions in these industries, including General Manager, Australian Major Events (SA Events Corporation) and Executive Director, Adelaide Convention and Tourism Authority along with many years of experience as a Board Director.