Committees

Chair

• S Somogyi

Members

• N Rubinsztein
• G McCulloch

Independent non-director members

• B McConnell
• S Woodhouse

Responsibilities

• reviewing the integrity of UniSuper’s financial reports and taxation position
• reviewing the effectiveness of the business risk management framework and the assurance provided by internal audit
• reviewing the effectiveness of the compliance and internal controls framework
• overseeing the performance and independence of the internal and external auditors
• reviewing the adequacy of UniSuper’s insurance program.

Chair

• J den Hollander

Members

• I Martin
• G McCulloch

Responsibilities

The Remuneration Committee makes recommendations to the Board on:

• Board remuneration
• total bonus and remuneration pools
• whole-of-company remuneration and reward strategies, policies and frameworks.

Chair

• N Rubinsztein

Members

• L Green
• J den Hollander

Independent non-directors

• S Gould
• J Lang

Member ex-officio, CEO UniSuper

• K O'Sullivan

Responsibilities

The Insurance Committee oversees the application and monitoring of the Insurance Management Framework, including:

• reviewing the Framework and Strategy on an annual basis
• monitoring the performance of the external insurer
• monitoring the services and functions outsourced to the Administrator
• considering and reviewing risks identified in UniSuper’s Risk Management Framework
• reporting quarterly to the Board on Claims data
• monitoring and overseeing the renewal process for group life policies.

Chair

• M Armour

Members

• I Martin
• P Dawkins

Independent non-director members

• C Cuffe
• A FitzGerald

Member ex-officio, CEO UniSuper

• K O'Sullivan

Responsibilities

Invests Fund assets in a manner consistent with the investment objectives set by the Board.

Other responsibilities include:

• investment policy
• investment strategy
• asset allocations
• investment performance
• appointing and monitoring investment managers.

Chair 

• M Armour

Members

• N Gower

Independent non-director members

• M Wright
• J Fahey

Member ex-officio, CEO UniSuper

• K O'Sullivan

Responsibilities

The Technology and Projects Committee is a limited life committee established to enable the Board to focus on specific technology and project needs of the business.

The Committee assists the Board carry out its role in fulfilling its governance and oversight accountabilities to monitor and, where appropriate, approve the Technology Strategy.

Sarah Woodhouse B.Sc (Hons), FCA, GAICD

Sarah Woodhouse has over 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry, having worked as an external audit partner, served as a board member and held number of leadership roles.

Sarah has led engagements for some of the largest financial services firms on areas such as regulation, financial advice, superannuation and asset management. She has also led engagements to design conduct frameworks to enhance governance and compliance practices and build superannuation risk and regulatory frameworks.

In the superannuation field, Sarah acted as External Audit partner for two of Australia’s largest industry super funds. Sarah was the leader of Deloitte’s wealth management industry group for 10 years and hosted a series of events with the Financial Services Council which helped influence the strategic direction of the wealth management industry. Sarah’s notable achievement was her appointment as the first female partner at Deloitte, New South Wales.

Fiona Rowland LLB (Hons), BA, Melb. GAICD

Fiona Rowland has over 25 years’ experience in financial and trustee services, professional services/law, infrastructure/utilities, the public sector and in medical research.

Fiona has broad experience in the areas of wealth, asset management, banking, superannuation and trustee services, well developed skills in key corporate functions such as customer engagement, strategy, product and platforms, investment governance, risk, compliance and technology.

Fiona currently holds directorships with Melbourne Water Corporation, Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited, Commonwealth Private Limited, Infrastructure Specialist Asset Management Limited, Macquarie Life Limited and St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research. Fiona was a panel member of the ASIC Financial Services & Credit Panel.

Prior to her non-executive career, Fiona was the past CEO and Managing Director of Bennelong Wealth Partners and the Bennelong Foundation, part of The Bennelong Group. Fiona has held executive roles with National Australia Bank and JBWere Limited leading the product and platform solution for the business’ technology and platform transformation in 2012/13.  As Executive Director at UBS AG, UBS Wealth Management Australia she headed Business Management and Strategy, Wealth Planning and Philanthropy and Not for Profit Services divisions. 

At the ANZ Banking Group, after her role as Head of Product Development, ANZ Funds Management, Fiona was appointed the Head of ANZ Bank’s Charitable Foundations Business, ANZ Trustees.  Fiona began her legal career as an Articled Clerk & Solicitor at Holding Redlich moving to Minter Ellison as a Senior Solicitor practising in financial services and funds management.

Fiona holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Beth McConnell B Com, LLB (Hons), Dip SM, MCommrclLaw (Ceased 9 November 2020)

Beth McConnell has 25 years’ experience in the financial services sector as a solicitor and consultant specialising in superannuation law and corporate governance.  Beth started her career with Freehills as a solicitor, before moving into in-house counsel roles at AXA and Mercer, then returning to Freehills and later moving to Lander & Rogers.

She currently holds directorships on the Boards of CatholicCare Melbourne and NULIS Nominees (Australia) Pty Ltd.  At CatholicCare Melbourne, Beth is a Member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. Beth was a former director at Xavier College where she also chaired the Risk and Compliance Committee. 

Beth is also a Part-Time Member on the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal, responsible for the formal review of complaints, drafting and issuing binding determinations, and a Panel Member (Industry Representative) on the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.

Beth holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours), a Diploma in Superannuation Management and a Master of Commercial Law.

Dr Susan Gould, BSc (Hons), PhD, FAICD, GAIST (Adv)

Dr Susan Gould has served in the tertiary sector for over 35 years.  Her main roles have been at the University of Newcastle where she held the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deakin University as Head, Academic & Administration Services Division.  She held non-director positions at the University of Newcastle in Singapore, GradSchool.Com, Australian Higher Education Industrial Association (AHEIA), Callista Software Services, Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC), Melbourne and The Geelong College.

Dr Gould served on UniSuper’s Consultative Committee from 2004 until 2012 and was a director of UniSuper Limited and UniSuper Management Pty Ltd from November 2008 until October 2017. Whilst a Director of UniSuper, Dr Gould also served as Chair of the Remuneration Committee and Insurance Committee and as a member of the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee.

Currently Dr Gould is a director on the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia (MRPBA) where she is also chairs the Examination Committee.  As a director of the Victorian Medical Board of Australia (Vic MBA), Dr Gould is also a member of the Notification Committees 1 & 2, and the Registration Committees 1 & 2.  For the Medical Board of Australia, Dr Gould is a member of the National Notification Committee and the National Standing Committee

Doctor Gould holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a PhD and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees.

Jennifer Heath Lang Bec, FIAA, GAICD

Jennifer Lang is an experienced Actuary having worked for consultants and large corporations in the financial services sector.  She is a director of Pacific Life Re (Australia) and Bicycle Network and in her most recent role at CommInsure, held the position of Chief Financial Officer and Chief Actuary for CBA's Life and General Insurance businesses with responsibility for the financial strategy of the businesses.  

Previously Chief Actuary of NAB Wealth, Jennifer was responsible for actuarial advice to NAB's wealth businesses, including MLC's insurance and investment businesses.

She has also been a Partner at KPMG (where she was head of the Insurance Practice) and Deloitte (where she was a member of the Board of Directors). 

Jennifer is a Fellow of the Actuaries Institute of Australia and was appointed Convenor of the Covid-19 Working Group. Jennifer was subsequently named 2020 Actuary of the Year for her role in leading the institute's COVID-19 response and in recognition of her major contribution to the profession and the communities in which actuaries work.

Anthony (Tony) FitzGerald B.Ec, Fellow of FINSIA, JP

Tony FitzGerald has over 40 years’ experience in the financial services sector in banking and asset management. He has extensive international experience, having held senior roles in Australia, Europe, Asia and the US. He is a member of the Finance Audit and Risk Committee of Médecins Sans Frontiéres Australia and a member of the Investment Advisory Committee of Altius Asset Management. In recent years, he has also completed numerous consulting roles as a subject matter expert for the Australian Tax Office.

Christopher Cuffe AO, BCom, FCA, FFin, FAICD

Chris Cuffe has over 35 years’ experience in the financial services industry and is well regarded for his services to the funds management industry and as an advocate for philanthropy. Until June 2017, Chris served as UniSuper’s Chairman and was a member of its Remuneration Committee. He is a continuing member of UniSuper’s Investment Committee, a position he has held since 2009.

Chris holds a number of non-executive directorships in listed investment companies such as Argo Investments Limited, Antipodes Global Investment Company Limited, Global Value Fund Limited, Hearts and Minds Investments Limited and Realside Financial Group Pty Ltd. He was previously a director of Class Limited, a listed software company, and Chairman of investment management company, Atrium Investment Management Pty Ltd.

In the not-for-profit sector, Chris is the Founder and Chairman of Australian Philanthropic Services, a director of Third Link Investment Managers Pty Ltd and a member on the Investment Committee of the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

His former roles include CEO of Colonial First State Investments Limited where he played a major role in building the organisation from a start-up business and CEO of Challenger Financial Services Group Limited.

His professional memberships include Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Fellow of Financial Services Institute of Australasia and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Felicity Gates B.Sc MAICD

Felicity Gates has over 25 years’ experience in the investment, finance, banking, energy and infrastructure sectors having held many non-executive directorships across several industries in Australia, North America and Europe. 

Some of the key directorships held by Ms Gates have been with the Australia Pacific Airports Corporation, Vantage Airport Group, Kelda the owner of Yorkshire Water in the UK, Itinere Infrastructuras a Spanish company, United Energy a Victorian electricity distributor, and Epic Energy Group.

Past roles include Partner and Chair, Castlebridge Infrastructure, Global Chief Investment Officer of RREEF Instructure both in Sydney and New York. In this role, Felicity developed the infrastructure investment portfolio and led State Super’s involvement in many landmark Australian deals including the privatisation of United Energy and Melbourne Airport. 

Felicity is the Chair of the Investment Committee, Northern Territory Local Jobs Fund, a position she held since July 2019, graduated from the University of Queensland having completed a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in Mathematics. She also holds a membership with the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Margaret Ann Wright, BComm (Otago), FCA ANZ, IECL

Margaret Wright has worked across a range of government, private and corporate industries including as an Executive Director at Macquarie Bank. Margaret led and was involved in a major service transformation, measurably improving service levels, improving vendor and client relationships and delivering outstanding savings by reducing headcount and budget. she was also involved in transformation programs of work at two of the four Big Banks.

Other Board positions held by Margaret include the Auditing Standards Board in Australia, World Education Australia Limited/Good Return and the National Breast Cancer Foundation. In the latter two roles, she also served on the Audit and the IT Committees and chaired these Committees for World Education.

Margaret is the non-executive director at Queuemetrix Pty Ltd and Omnitabz Pty Ltd and was the first female partner at KPMG, where she headed up KPMG’s National Information Risk Management Practice. A NSW Finalist in the Telstra Business Woman of the Year, Margaret is also a published author and sits on the Technology Advisory Committee for Good2Give and Chairs the Observatory Tower Strata Committee.

Julie Fahey, B. App (Mathematics) IMC (Member)

A partner with KPMG for 8 years and with more than 30 years’ experience in the management of largescale transformation programs, implementation of new operating models, and the deployment of new systems, Julie left the KPMG partnership in 2014 to pursue a corporate board career.

Her current Board portfolio include Seek, IRESS, Datacom Group Limited, Yooralla, CenITex, Vocus Group Limited, Australian Red Cross Blood Services and Partners Life. Julie’s advisory roles include positions at ESTA 000, Stockland, and People’s Choice Credit Union.

In addition to the above roles, Julie chairs and is a member on various Board Committees such as the Audit and Risk Committee, the Risk Committee, the Remuneration Committee, the Remuneration and Nomination Committee, Contracts and Risk Committee, People, Performance and Culture Committee, and the FIIC Committee.

Julie also performs various board and executive level advisory roles across several publicly listed companies and Government departments and agencies.