Become the Next Guest of the Chair

01 June 2020

Pictured: MTPConnect Chair Sue MacLeman with the inaugural Guest of the Chair Dr Parisa Glass in Melbourne. 

Are you an aspiring director in the MTP sector looking to get your board career started? MTPConnect is seeking it’s next Guest of the Chair for a 12 month appointment.

You could join MTPConnect Board meetings and activities to gain experience with the aim of broadening your understanding and knowledge of how boards operate, including corporate and not-for-profit governance.

The objective of this unique MTPConnect initiative is to nurturing the future leaders on the MTP sector, as our Chair, Sue MacLeman, spoke about in a recent episode of the MTPConnect podcast.

“We were very conscious that we had a number of young leaders in the space, but they just didn’t get enough exposure to corporate governance and the opportunity to go onto Boards,” Ms MacLeman explained.

“So we wanted to have a Guest of the Chair program where we would select in a competitive way, and expose young leaders in the sector to the processes, but also learn from them to ensure we were relevant to all our stakeholder groups.”

After a competitive application process, the Board appointed Dr Parisa Glass as the inaugural Guest of the Chair. Dr Glass is the Deputy Director of the George Institute for Global Health, has a PhD in Biomedical Science and a Masters Degree in Business Administration, and holds a Senior Lecturer position with UNSW in Sydney. Her expertise is in operational leadership including finance, personnel, contracts, business negotiations, project and program management.

As Dr Glass’s appointment ends at the end of June, Ms MacLeman added that the Board is committed to continuing the initiative, which has proven to be worthwhile for both the Guest and MTPConnect’s directors.

“I would like to thank Parisa for her valuable contribution and insights as Guest of the Chair,” she said. 

“I know that the Board gained a lot from this experience, adding diversity to our discussions in a meaningful way and it was wonderful to work with Parisa.

“The Board wish her all the best for her future leadership endeavours.”

Dr Glass commented on her experience as Guest of the Chair explaining it was a rare opportunity.

“This has been a wonderful and unique opportunity for me to learn how boards function, in a safe and nurturing environment," Dr Glass added.

"The opportunity has also given me the platform necessary to connect with so many others across the sector.

“I highly recommend this role to other young leaders in this space and encourage them to embrace the opportunity to learn from some of the best people in the industry. 

"I can’t believe the time has passed so quickly! I will miss my interaction with MTPConnect Board, but I know the connections I have made with the directors and other colleagues will be long lasting and will benefit my own advancement and the sector as a whole.“

If this sounds like an opportunity for you, visit our Careers page to submit your CV and a cover letter that address the Key Selection Criteria. Applications close midday AEST 19 June 2020.