Orchestra Victoria Board Members
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Donald Penn Mercer - Chair
Don Mercer is the inaugural Chair of the Orchestra Victoria Board. He is Chairman of Orica Ltd, Australia Pacific Airports Corporation and Newcrest Mining Limited and a Director of Air Liquide Australia Limited. He was Chairman of Australian Institute of Company Directors from 2004 - 2006, President of the Australian Coalition of Service Industries from 1994 – 1998 and President of the Victorian College of the Arts 1999 – 2001. He was also Chancellor of RMIT University from 1999 - 2002, and a Director of CSIRO from 1998 - 2003.
Don spent nineteen years with the Shell International Petroleum Co. Ltd. with postings in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Canada, Indonesia and Australia. He joined ANZ in March 1984 and in June 1992 was named Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer and retired in September 1997. Don was appointed the Chair of the Orchestra Victoria Board in May 2001. -
Betty Amsden OAM
Betty Amsden is retired from her professional life in the health care industry and pursues her interests in community and philanthropy on a full time basis.
Betty is a State Councillor for the RSPCA and is on the Consumer Advisory Council of Guide Dogs Victoria. She is a major Benefactor as well as Chair of The Australian Ballet School. Betty is also a major Benefactor to Orchestra Victoria and is currently Patron of the Orchestra Victoria Friends Program. Betty is Chair of the Philanthropy Council of the Victorian Arts Centre and of the 3MBS Capital Appeal. She is a Trustee of More Than Opera.
Betty was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in January 2002 for service to the community as a philanthropist for the arts, animal welfare and health-care facilities. Betty was appointed Director of Orchestra Victoria in September 2001. -
Alan Beckett
Alan Beckett is a Senior Partner for Ernst & Young Melbourne and a member of the Board of Partners of Ernst & Young Australia. He has over 30 years audit experience in the manufacturing and mining industries and is the Client Service Partner to some of the firm's major clients. He was previously Director of Audit for the Melbourne office and National Director of Audit for the Australian practice. Alan has represented the Australian firm on the Ernst & Young International Audit Executive Committee and the Risk Management Committee. He has also recently completed a three-year term as Executive Partner for the Melbourne Office. Alan Beckett is a Director of Defence Health Limited. Alan was appointed Director of Orchestra Victoria in May 2001. -
Paul Champion – Employee-elected Director
With extensive training and experience as an ensemble, recording and solo artist, Paul successfully auditioned for the position of Orchestra Victoria Principal Clarinet in April 2004. Paul has since featured as soloist with Orchestra Victoria in Weber’s Concertino and Rossini’s Introduction, Theme & Variations.
Paul was a member of the Sydney Symphony Sinfonia program, a casual player with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra (AOBO), and the Sydney Concert Orchestra. He played as Guest Principal with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, AOBO and The Queensland Orchestra. Paul has also performed in many recording sessions for movie soundtracks and advertisements for radio and television.
Originally planning a career outside of music, Paul studied Commerce at University of New South Wales and achieved a Diploma of Financial Planning at Deakin University.
Paul is a Director of Paul Champion Financial Planning Pty Ltd and was appointed a Director of the Orchestra Victoria Board in 2006. -
Evelyn Danos
Evelyn Danos is a Director of the James Richardson Group of Companies, an organisation diverse in its business interests which include Duty Free, importing and distributing of furniture and fabrics and the hospitality industry.
Evelyn is a lawyer by profession and practiced for many years at Arthur Robinson & Co. and Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks until becoming involved with the James Richardson Group.
Amongst other activities Evelyn has served on educational councils and committees both secondary (Lauriston Girls School 1984-1990) and tertiary (RMIT University 1992-2003) and also on various charitable foundations. Evelyn was appointed a Director of Orchestra Victoria in October 2001. -
Mary Delahunty
Mary Delahunty was Victorian Minister for Planning, Arts and Women's Affairs, from 2002 until 2006. She is the former Minister for Education, and The Centenary of Federation. Delahunty won the seat of Northcote (Legislative Assembly) for the ALP, in a by-election in August 1998. Before entering politics, she was Managing Director of her own media consultancy company, also a former ABC journalist and long time member of the Journalist's Union.
Mary received a BA(Hons) in Political Science from La Trobe University, before commencing a career in television news, current affairs and the arts. She reported nationally and internationally for the ABC and commercial television stations, producing numerous documentaries and anchoring live broadcasts.
In 1983, Mary was awarded the Gold Walkley for Journalism for her International reporting for ABC Four Corners and has been a four times recipient of the Deafness Society Clear Speaking Award.
Mary is best known for her decade behind the desk, presenting ABC tv news and as Presenter/Interviewer for ABC ‘s 7.30 Report in Victoria.
Mary was one of the early Foundation members of Emily's List. Also she was the Victorian convenor and foundation member of the Australian Republic Movement and elected delegate to the People's Convention on the Republic (held Canberra 2000), as well as being a former Director and long time supporter of the Victorian Women's Trust. Mary was a Governor of the Dromkeen Children's Literature Collection and Patron of P.A.L.S. (partnership and linking for the seriously mentally ill).
Mary is a Consultant to Women in Super. She is a Director of the Harold Mitchell and Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Sculpture Foundations and Chair of the Georges Mora Foundation. Mary was appointed a Director of Orchestra Victoria in 2007. -
Richard Hamer
Richard Hamer has been a partner of the law firm Allens Arthur Robinson since 1989.
His legal practice is in the area of intellectual property, where he advises clients on patents and technology, copyright, trade marks and related issues, including advertising, labelling, IP licensing and franchising.
He is a former national president of the Licensing Executives Society. He is a member of the Legislation Committee of the University of Melbourne and of the Council of the Scout Association of Victoria.
Richard was appointed a director of Orchestra Victoria in 2008. -
Tony Osmond
Tony Osmond obtained a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce, both at the University of Melbourne. Tony joined Goldman Sachs JBWere, Melbourne office, in 2003 as a Vice President. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs JBWere, Tony worked at UBS Corporate Finance; previously BT Corporate Finance. Tony currently heads the Industrials group and was promoted to Managing Director in 2006. Prior to working in banking, Osmond was a Solicitor at Freehills in the division of Mergers & Acquisitions. Osmond has a passion for music and composition and joined the OV Board in May 2008. -
Lady Marigold Southey AC
Marigold Merlyn Baillieu Southey is the younger daughter of the late Sidney and Dame Merlyn Myer. She was educated at St Catherine’s School and Melbourne University.
Lady Southey was a director of the Myer Family Companies for over 40 years. She is the immediate past President of The Myer Foundation and is still a Director. She is immediate past President and Patron of Philanthropy Australia and President of the St Catherine’s School Foundation.
She is a Life Member of The Australian Ballet and the Nuffield Farming Scholars' Association supporting farming scholarships for women. She is also a supporter of Birds Australia sponsoring 'HANZAB' The Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. For over 25 years she has regularly driven a Red Cross ambulance for Polio patients.
She is the active Chairman of her sons’ companies which are engaged in farming and viticulture.
Lady Southey was awarded an AM in 1999 for her service to the community in the support of health care, medical research and the arts. On 1 January 2001 she was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Victoria from which she retired in 2006. In 2006, she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). Lady Southey was appointed a Director of Orchestra Victoria in 2007.
Orchestra Victoria Annual Report 2005 (3.11 MB)
