The Institute of Managers and Leaders Board is comprised of Member representatives from the former divisions of: NSW & ACT, QLD & NT, South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria & Tasmania and New Zealand. The Board brings a wealth of business, financial, leadership and entrepreneurial capability and it supports the Institute’s management in the delivery of the Leadership Matters strategy. Click on each Board Director below to view their profile.
Board Members
John Withers CMgr FIML
Chair of the Board and Chair of the People & Remuneration Committee
John Withers has extensive experience as a leader and manager in Defence, and more recently in the private and public sectors. After completing his schooling in Melbourne, John entered the Royal Military College and served as an officer in the Australian Regular Army for 25 years in the Infantry and the Special Air Service Regiment. After leaving the Regular Army in 1998, John moved to Hobart where he has worked in the private and public sectors. John is currently a HR specialist with the Tasmanian State Government holding a number of positions in the Department of Education and more recently the Department of Justice. For the past 20 years, he has been an active member of AIM in Tasmania serving as a member of the local committee of management, implementing and facilitating on the Aspiring Manager Program, and the IML Business Leadership Awards. John is a Chartered Manager and a Fellow of the IML.
Marie-Louise Pearson FIML
Deputy Chair of the Board
Marie-Louise has over 32 years in sales and management experience in the energy, telecommunications and ICT industries. As part of the Extended Leadership Group at Jacana Energy, Marie-Louise has directly been involved with the recent establishment of the Commercial & Industrial business of the Territory’s largest retail electricity company. With her background in management at IBM, Optus, and now Jacana Energy, Marie-Louise has extensive management experience in complex changing businesses and is keenly interested in delivering value and strong governance. Under her Chairmanship of the IML NT Council 2006 to 2012, IML NT saw its strongest ever recorded Membership and participation rates. Marie-Louise has a strong history of leadership in community organisations. Most recently these included being Chairman of the Darwin Symphony Orchestra Board and Chairman of the Anchorage Sister Cities Committee of the City of Darwin. Marie-Louise won the 2014 ALEA award for Community Leader of the Year. Marie-Louise is a Life Member and Fellow of IML, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences.
Ann Messenger CMgr FIML
Director
Ann is a Chartered Accountant who studied marketing and operations management before specialising in accounting and finance. Ann began her career in banking and has had a range of commercial experiences both in Australia and overseas, including six years in Latin America where, as an equities analyst, she covered emerging markets during the mid-1990s. In Australia, Ann has worked in corporate finance and middle market advisory roles with accounting firms KPMG and HLB Mann Judd in the early 2000s before moving into Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer roles with organisations including the Sydney Chamber of Commerce. In recent years Ann has developed a strong interest in the not-for-profit and education sectors. Ann worked as General Manager of St John’s College (within the University of Sydney) from 2009-10 with responsibility for the financial and commercial management of the College. In 2011, Ann was appointed to the Mosman Council’s Development Assessment Panel. Ann is a Chartered Manager and a Fellow of IML ANZ.
Diana De Hulsters CMgr FIML
Director
Diana De Hulsters has over 25 years of international experience in commercial and not for profit organisations. She has expertise in association management and was previously National Executive Officer at the Australian Organics Recycling Association Limited. Diana commenced her career in Belgium in the international travel industry, specialising in travel to Australia and New Zealand. She moved to Adelaide in 2002 and after several international sales positions, including with AccorHotels, she side-stepped into association management for organisations such as the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Simulation Australasia and the Royal Institution of Australia. Diana graduated with an MBA from the AIM Business School in 2014. She has completed the Company Directors Course and holds GAICD level membership at the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She also holds membership of the Australasian and American Societies of Association Executives (AuSAE and ASAE). Diana is proud to have achieved Chartered Manager status as one of the first 100 people in Australia to do so.
Stephanie McConachy FIML
Director
Stephanie is an experienced senior marketer, working with business leaders nationally to create tailored and integrated marketing strategies aligned to business objectives. With an established background in marketing, communications and branding Stephanie’s experience has been varied from working in a small start-up to national law firm Minter Ellison and global firm PwC. Currently at PwC Stephanie operates in a national role acting as an advisor to senior leaders across the business on all matters of marketing. She also acts as an Executive Coach on personal brand to high performing firm Partners. Stephanie is a Fellow of the Institute and has been involved with IML for a number of years, most recently serving on the Institute of Managers and Leaders Emerging Leaders Advisory Board.