I am pleased to announce the appointment of two new members of the Advisory Board of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations. Ms Pru Bennett will join the Advisory Board as Chair and Mr Stan Grant will join as a Member.
The Foundation will build links between our country and China, by bringing together state, territory and local governments, business, education institutes, community and cultural sectors, and Chinese Australian communities to further build and strengthen our bilateral engagement.
It reflects the Australian Government's commitment to a constructive relationship with China, founded on shared interests, mutual benefit and mutual respect, including through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The establishment of the Foundation was announced last year and the advisory board was announced in February.
Ms Bennett is a senior business leader with extensive experience working across greater China and Asia, and a deep understanding of China's economic relationships.
Having held roles engaging at senior levels in business and advising key economic and financial regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore, Ms Bennett will bring great insight into the challenges and opportunities of managing business, trade and investment between greater China and the region, and in corporate and board governance.
Until recently, she was a Managing Director and Head of Investment Stewardship for the Asia-Pacific region for BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, with over US$7 trillion under management. She is now Senior Adviser to the global strategic advisory firm, Brunswick Group, and an independent corporate governance advisor. She is also a leading member of the 30% Club in Hong Kong, part of the global campaign to see greater representation of women, including women with Asia experience, on corporate boards.
Mr Grant is one of Australia's most respected journalists and has won numerous Australian and international media awards. He is Vice-Chancellor's Chair of Australian-Indigenous Belonging at Charles Sturt University and an author and filmmaker. Mr Grant has more than 30 years' experience as a journalist and was a senior foreign correspondent in both Beijing and Hong Kong.
I look forward to working with Ms Bennett, Mr Grant and other members of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations Advisory Board on this very important initiative.
