Other News
New CEO for ABV
Monday, 9 July, 2012
A changing of the guard at ABV has placed Chair, Sarah O’Connor in the CEO seat left vacant by Michael Lynch last month, with Deputy Chair, Jonathan Pinshaw elected to the position of Chair of the ABV Board.
With over 8000 international volunteer assignments in 18 countries around the globe placed by ABV in its 30 year history, the task predominant for the new leaders will be to guide the already successful organisation into the next phase of growth and development.
Jonathan Pinshaw, a mentor with executive coaching firm, Stephenson Mansell, has been with ABV as a board director since 2010. He has a solid, long career history working with large household brand names in senior roles including Chairman of Barbeques Galore, Super A-Mart and Just Group, Deputy Chairman of John Fairfax Holdings, CEO and Managing Director of OPSM Group, where he established the award-winning Community I-Care program and as Managing Director of Freedom Furniture. He currently sits as a non-executive director of Burger King New Zealand and a Board Advisor to Bras N Things.
“Australia has an enviable record in providing volunteers to developing communities in order for alleviate poverty. ABV plays a very special role by being able to provide volunteers who are experienced business experts and who provide long term sustainable solutions.
ABV's board is focused on the organisation's long term capability to provide the volunteer services as it has done for the last 30 years. This means employing the very best staff and selecting the most qualified volunteers for relevant and meaningful assignments. It also means putting the organisation on a financially sustainable footing and growth path. I am committed to ensuring that the good work that ABV has done over the past three decades continues well into the future – in more communities, with more volunteers and with even greater impact.
We shall be seeking to grow our co-operation with both government agencies and business corporations in order to generate funding and capacity to deliver our valuable services,” said Mr Pinshaw today.
New CEO, Sarah O’Connor, spent five years working in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, including the Social Inclusion Unit where she drove the Government’s not-for-profit reform agenda. Most recently, she has worked with a range of Australian not-for-profit organisations in an advisory and business development capacity. Sarah has been a volunteer with ABV since 2003 and an elected member of ABV’s board since November 2009. Sarah was elected Chair of ABV in 2011.
“As a former ABV volunteer and Board Director, I am very aware of the value of our work to the businesses and communities within which we work. I look forward to building on the work of ABV, maintaining the essence of what we do best, but also recognising that the world in which ABV operates - the not-for-profit and international development sector - is experiencing significant change in the way it addresses social issues. I'll be working with a team of committed and professional staff, the Board and our volunteers to ensure ABV is innovative and collaborative in the way we embrace change with a view to long-term impact.”
The new appointments commenced on July 1st.
