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PANEL OF EXPERTS 2015

Sarat Chandran

 Director, Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce

He plays a significant role in promoting trade between India and Australia. Mr. Sarat Chandran has also been a member of the Knowledge Commission of India headed by Mr. Sam Pitroda. Mr. Sarat Chandran has done his Master's Degree in Development Economics from the London School of Economics and has since worked with Commonwealth Development Institute in London (1980-85) and Sears Corporation in Chicago (1985-92) returning to India, in the 90's he has headed International Marketing divisions of several major corporate groups in the country like RPG Group, Enfield India Ltd. and Sterling Holiday Resorts Ltd. He has also been an Adviser to the United Nations Development Projects (UNDP) on issues relating to corporate social responsibility.

Michael Carter

State Director, Western Australia, Austrade

He is responsible for developing and promoting trade, investment, education and tourism between Western Australia and key International markets. He will also be actively engaged with Austrade's key stakeholders including federal and Western Australian state Government agencies, Business Chambers & International organisations, Universities & think tanks and Professional Service Firms. For the last eight years Michael has been working with Austrade in India. His previous posting was from 2011 to 2014 as Trade Commissioner for South India and Sri –Lanka based in Chennai for 4 years where he had been responsible for promoting trade, investment and educational linkages between Australia and Southern India, Sri Lanka, Maldives & Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Brian Hayes QC

Barrister and Legal Policy, Environmental and Human Rights Lawyer

He is also a Institutional Advisor, Adjunct Professor Uni SA, Consulting Editor and Planning Law SA. He is a Hon Life Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia and former Chairman of the Bar Council of SA and a Distinguished Fellow of the Australia India Institute. Over the last 40 years he has been involved as a principal, in major reviews of environmental, heritage and land use planning and other legislation and has acted as consultant to Federal State and Local Governments on the drafting of environmental land use planning legislation and local government legislation. 

Dr G.K (Harry) Harinath, OAM  

Chairman of Multicultural NSW

He is also the Chairman of Parramasala, Board member of the South East Sydney Area Health Services, Member NSW Centenary of Anzac Advisory Counciland is a General Practitioner at the Eastgardens Medical Centre. His former achievements included being the Chairman - Cricket NSW 2007-2012, Board Member – Cricket NSW 2000-2012, Board Member- Cricket Australia 2004-2012 and President- Sydney Cricket Club 1995-2000. He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2008.

Dr Marlene Kanga AM

Board member of Sydney Water Corporation

She is also the Acting chair of the Innovation Australia board and chair of the R&D Incentives Committee, Department of Industry, the largest support program for innovation in industry in Australia. She is also a Director of iOmniscient Pty Ltd which has developed patented software technology for intelligent video analytics systems. Marlene was National President of Engineers Australia in 2013. Marlene is recognised for her leadership in engineering and represents Australia as a member of the Executive Council of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) and Vice-President of the International Network for Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES).

Peter Kerr

Sydney-based Executive Director, Asialink Business

Asialink which works with business, government, philanthropic and cultural partners to initiate and strengthen Australia-Asia engagement across all sectors. Peter is also Director of the Asialink Leaders Program, which runs each year in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to give outstanding professionals from the corporate, government and community sectors the knowledge, skills and networks to engage more effectively with the Asia region. 

Sunil Lal

Executive Chairman, kaden Boriss legal Group 

Kaden Boriss is one of two lawyers within the firm who has been instrumental in the Group's steady international expansion. He is constantly seeking to expand his support of philanthropic activities in Australia and internationally. Sunil's knowledge and compassion for community issues have enabled him to make a difference in Australia and on an international level. In recognition of his expertise, he was invited to give evidence to the Federal Government Parliamentary Committee on bilateral trade between Australia and India under parliamentary privilege. He is a former Board member of the Australia-India Business Council and the Australia-India Chamber of Commerce. 

Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM FAICD

Chair of Australian Multicultural Council

Dr Sev is also the Director of Equity and Diversity at the University of Western Sydney and Hon. Professor in the Centre of Peace and Conflict Studies at Sydney University. Sev is also President of the Australian Council for Human Rights Education. Dr Ozdowski worked for the Australian government (1980-96) where he played a major role in the advancement of multicultural and human rights policies and institutions. He also headed the Office of Multicultural and International Affairs in South Australia (1996-2000). As the Human Rights Commissioner (2000-05) he conducted the ground-breaking "National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention "A last resort" and the National Inquiry into Mental Health Services "Not for Service".

Kumud Merani

National Executive Producer, SBS Hindi Radio

Kumud is the doyen of Indian media in Australia. Kumud started her career in media in India where she was India’s first TV News Presenter and TV anchor in Mumbai. In Australia, she was the first Asian women to become a World News presenter of SBS TV before moving into the National Executive Producer of the SBS Hindi Radio Program role, a position she has held for the last 30 years. She has twice been appointed an Australia Day Ambassador and has received numerous awards for her journalism,  including: IABCA Award 2014 in the category of Arts and Culture, Journalist of The Year 2014 by the NSW Parliament, International Asian Award for best Radio documentary , International Australia Pacific Broadcasting Union Award and more. 

Julie Owens MP

Member for Parramatta

Julie has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives since October 2004, representing the Parramatta area for the Australian Labor Party. Born in Rockhampton, Queensland, she was educated at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and at the University of Sydney. Before winning the seat of Parramatta she was a small-business owner and head of the Association of Australian Independent Record Labels (AIR). 
Julie is the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education

Michael Moignard

 Former Australian Trade Commissioner

Michael spent 35 years as an Australian public servant working in trade and resources policy, and trade promotion. He holds a Masters in Science (Chemistry) from the University of Melbourne, a B.A. (Hons) in History and Economics from ANU, and a Diploma of Education from La Trobe University. Michael spent close to 7 years in India, as Senior Trade Commissioner for South Asia with the Australian High Commission in New Delhi. He first served in New Delhi from 1998 to 2000, and again from 2004 to 2008, most recently in late 2012. He also served with the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) in New York, Santiago de Chile, Manila, and Singapore. Michael was made a Fellow of the Australia India Institute (AII) in February 2013. 

The Hon Philip Ruddock MP

Member for Berowra

The Hon Philip Ruddock MP, (Liberal Party, Member for Berowra) Special Envoy for Citizenship and Community Engagement and former Chief Government Whip. Philip Ruddock was first elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Parramatta, New South Wales, at a by-election on 22nd September 1973. Since 1992 until the present he has held the seat of Berowra. The electorate of Berowra blends high density suburban areas with a semi-rural fringe. Having held a number of Shadow Ministry portfolios Mr Ruddock was appointed Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs from 11th March 1996 through to 7th October 2003. This made him the longest serving Federal Immigration Minister.

Harish Rao

 Global Head - Business Development

Sundaram Business Services

Harish is also a Committee member, Secretary and President of the Australia India Chamber of Commerce (2000-2004); Founding President of the Federation of Indian Students of Australia (2001). Victorian President (2005-2009), Australia India Business Council; Committee member Victorian Multicultural Business Advisory Council (2009); National Chairman (2010-2011), Australia India Business Council; Patron, Australian World Orchestra (2012 to current), Board Member – Australian Friends of ASHA Slums (2013 to current) Trustee – Australia India Benevolent & Charitable Trust (2014 to current).

Lisa Singh

Tasmania Labor Senator

Lisa was elected in 2010, following in the political footsteps of her grandfather Ram Jati Singh, a member of the Fijian Parliament in the 1960s. Lisa is considered the first woman of South Asian descent to be elected to the Australian Parliament. In October 2013, she was made Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General by Bill Shorten, the Leader of the Opposition. She was promoted to Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Water in June last year. Lisa is committed to developing and strengthening ties between India and Australia. In 2014, 

Jim Varghese AM

Executive Director Business Development

 Australia India Institute

Jim has a unique blend of government and business experience. He has an outstanding track record as a Chief Executive in both the public and private sector, running multifaceted businesses with a determined focus and proven ability to deliver excellent and innovative results against a challenging and continuously changing environment. Jim Varghese was awarded the Centenary Medal for services to the Public Sector and in 2009 was awarded an Order of Australia for Services to Public Sector Reform and Services to the Community. Jim has been granted the award of Fellow of these professional organisations: Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA), Australian Institute of Management, Royal Institute of Public Administration and Australian Marketing Institute.

Panel of Experts 2014  - Click Here

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