Australia
Andy has a high-profile track record of leadership impact in major strategic initiatives, policy design, commercial negotiations and reform with government, industry, and the community. His “transformative” leadership helped deliver Western Sydney University global recognition for world’s best impact, three years running in the UN sustainable development measures, including gender equity. In the past two years alone, Andy has secured $95.2 million in government funding for industry and community partnered initiatives, including an Indigenous Centre of Excellence, and Sustainable Industry Hub. He has a PhD, and first-class honours in political science and communications, and specialises in gauging, distilling and acting on community sentiment on policy, social and economic issues. Andy writes regular columns for the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian and The Daily Telegraph. He is also a panelist on ABC Sydney’s ‘political forum’ and a ‘go to’ commentator on ABC TV and commercial networks on Western Sydney, politics, the economy and culture. Andy is a Non-Executive Director with Wentworth Healthcare Ltd and Evolve Housing. He is a Trustee on the Royal Botanical Gardens and Domain Trust, and a member of the Australian Institute of Botanical Science Advisory Council. He is the former Executive Director of the Centre for Western Sydney, and former Chair of the Western Sydney Community Forum. In 2022, Andy was appointed to the Prime Minister’s Western Sydney Transport Infrastructure Advisory Board. He is the founder of the CatalystWest interactive policy forum, and co-founder of the Launch Pad start-up incubator – the region’s first and largest entrepreneurial network. Prior to his current role, Andy was CEO of the NUW Alliance (four-university network), where he negotiated entry into the Uniseed venture capital fund returning partners 12.5% pa. He was also a senior researcher with the St Vincent de Paul Society and the Smith Family where he led advocacy on homelessness, social and economic marginalisation. Across his multiple executive and board roles, Andy has developed and led highly successful government and corporate relations strategies. His ability to translate and communicate mutual benefit has been instrumental in collaboratively securing planning, funding, infrastructure and advocacy successes to a value in excess of $600m across Western Sydney. Early in his career, Andy was also a Council member at the University of New England, and an ARIA nominated professional musician and composer with critically acclaimed Sydney band, Crow.
Providing independent advice to the NSW Government on the identification and prioritisation of critical public infrastructure.
As a member of the Board of a tier-1 community housing provider, I contribute to the strategic direction and governance of a social and affordable housing portfolio of 4,773 properties, housing 11,105 residents, delivering at-scale community impact in an area of high need. Most recently, Evolve secured 1,145 of the total 3,323 dwellings awarded in NSW under Round 1 of the HAFFF.
• Provide strategic oversight for planning and commissioning primary healthcare across an economically and culturally diverse region. • Deliver specialist Audit, Risk, Finance and Management advice and oversight as a member of the Board subcommittee. • Collaborate with stakeholders to enhance primary healthcare services, ensuring alignment with community needs and the wider healthcare system.