Gentlemen of Inspiration 2023 by Brisbane Boys' College

GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Introduction

As I write this, Brisbane Boys’ College is 121 years old. For well over a century, this school has educated young men from across Australia and the globe. In that time, much has changed. The world has enjoyed the invention of television, computers, the internet, and the smartphone. It has weathered the tragedies of World Wars and deadly pandemics. Human beings have walked on the surface of the moon. Among it all, through the good and the bad, one thing at least has been constant. From its very inception as a single-teacher school under the groundbreaking leadership of College Founder Arthur ‘Barney’ Rudd, BBC has endeavoured to provide a supportive and nourishing environment for our students to thrive, educating boys so they may grow into men with the abilities, drive, and spirit to change the world for the better. So it has been, and so it will remain. The book you now hold is a tribute to these fine men. Alongside a permanent matching installation on the BBC campus, it honours the work and legacies of some of our College’s most inspiring alumni. Their numbers include men of many different backgrounds and many different professions. Some are titans of industry, some iconic entertainers, and others still noble warriors. Yet, no matter their field, they share a common heritage and a unified sense of purpose. They are bound together across the years and across the world by the bonds of brotherhood forged in the Green, White, and Black. They are Gentlemen of Honour. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the many dedicated people without whose work this compendium would not be possible, including Helen Jackson, Peter Roe (OC 1966), and Dereke Seeto (OC 1991), as well as Lawson Kiehne, the Editor of this book. I particularly thank the families and friends of those Collegians who are no longer with us. They have been fantastic advocates, sharing images and stories to ensure that their loved ones’ exceptional legacies are appropriately and accurately represented. We could not have done this without them. Finally, of course, I thank the men included in these pages. When I read these biographies, I cannot help but be humbled by their achievements. Their talent is extraordinary, and their strength of character is profound. At BBC, we aspire to do one thing above all else: to produce Gentlemen of Honour who use their talents and gifts for the good of their communities and for the world. These men have done that, and now they inspire many more boys to do the same for generations to come.

Mr Andre Casson Headmaster

Contents 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56.

Aplin, Timothy Barclay, Clyde ‘Ian’ CBE AM Barker, Peter Bartlett, Professor Christopher Behne, Edmond Rowlands Bell, John ‘Jack’ Bell, Richard L. Bird, Roderick Bishop, Wallace AM Bisset, Philip LFRAIA Bowen, Major James Campbell, Captain James DFC Campbell, Lachlan Chan, Cr William Chesterman, The Hon Richard AO RFD KC Cockerell, David Couper, Bradley Cox, Richard Cunningham, Henry Demack, The Hon Alan AO Diamond, Oscar DFC Dods, William Donaldson, Gordon Dornan, Peter AM Druve, Ashley Dunn, Adjunct Professor Hugh AO East, William Ewart, Jason Farley, Rick Faulks, Marc Feros, Adjunct Professor Victor OAM Fook, Zachary Gatacre, Rear Admiral Galfrey CBE, DSO, and Bar Genia, William Gillespie, Lachlan Gotterson, The Hon Robert AO KC Gough, Professor Ian AM Gould, Roger Gregory, Stuart Hartley, Christopher Hartley, Scott Hood, Adjunct Professor David AM Horsley, Associate Professor Daniel Horwill, James Huggins, Michael Hughes, Colin Hunt-Sharp, Peter Hutchinson, Scott Ireland, Dr David Jack, Tom Katahanas, Jonathan Kesby, Matt

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108.

Loxton, John Maksoud, Chicri Massey, James OAM McDougall, Richard McEwen, Matthew Middleton, Darren Nimmo, Dr David BEM Noblet, Frederick ‘John’ Northcott, Andrew Northcott, Thomas O’Rorke, Donald Packer, Graham Packer, Lindsay Palmer, Squadron Leader Beaufort DFC Parker, Morgan Perkins, Kieren OAM Pike, Andrew Pyman, Stephen Robinson, Timothy Roe, Peter Rogers, Norbury AO Sagar, Dr John Sakzewski, Kurt Senanayake, Anthony Sharpe, Sir Frank ‘Victor’ KCMG OBE ED Shearer, William ‘Bruce’ Shields, Russell Simmonds, John ‘Jack’ MBE Smith, Lawrence AM Stark, Andrew Sturtridge, Dr Gordon Sullivan, Jack Svendsen, David Tamwoy, Cr Kemeul Thomson, Sir Evan OBE Turner, Hamish OAM Vanderwilt, Damien Voltz, Alexander Watson, Dr David Watt, Mitchell Weekes, Peter Wessels, Daniel Wheller, Howard ‘Douglas’ Williams, William ‘Little Bill’ Wilson, Professor Graeme Wilson, Ralph Wilson, Steven AM Wood, Michael Wright, Norman MBE Wright, Ronald Wylie, John AC Yates, James

Timothy Aplin OC 1989

Timothy Aplin harboured a life-long ambition to become a soldier. Persevering to achieve this goal, he first enlisted in the Australian Army Reserve on 4 February 1992 and later transferred to the Australian Regular Army on 20 September 1995. With the rank of Corporal, Tim served in East Timor in 2000 to help provide security during the country’s transition to independence. As a Sergeant, Tim went with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR) to Iraq in 2003, forming part of the first security detachment to ensure the safety of Australian government and military personnel in Baghdad following the overthrow of Ba’athist dictator Saddam Hussein. On his return from Iraq, Tim held the position of Pioneer Sergeant based at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, prior to his transfer to Canberra as Sergeant Instructor of Officer Cadets at the Royal Military College, Duntroon (2006 and 2007). Tim was determined to undertake the Special Forces selection process, and after a gruelling sixweek selection and training course, he qualified for entry into the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commandos) at the age of 36. On the day he was offered his place with the Commandos, he was also offered a promotion to Warrant Officer in the 2RAR. Tim chose the Commandos and willingly took the required reduction in rank to Private to join the regiment. Based at Holsworthy in Sydney, Tim trained as a Team Demolitions Specialist and deployed to the War in Afghanistan with the Special Operations Task Group in January 2009. After a brief return to Australia in 2009, Tim deployed once again to Afghanistan, where the Special Operations Task Group continued to target the Taliban insurgency. During Operation Hamkani, a four-day disruption operation in the Shah Wali Kot District of northern Kandahar province, the Commandos contributed to the defeat of more than 100 Taliban insurgents. For this, Special Operations Command received the first battle honour awarded to an Australian Army unit since the Vietnam War. In the early hours of 21 June 2010, an American UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed while transporting Australian commandos near Shah Wali Kot. Among the 14 casualties on board was Private Timothy Aplin, who was one of three Australians who died in the crash. He was brought home and buried with full military honours in the Native Garden at the Mount Gravatt Crematorium in Brisbane. He was 38 years old. Tim Aplin enthusiastically followed his chosen path with honesty, bravery, and perseverance. At his memorial service, he was remembered as “the perfect mate and the perfect warrior”.

Clyde ‘Ian’ Barclay

CBE AM

OC 1944

Leaving school to follow his passion, Ian Barclay was apprenticed as a carpenter and joiner. Excelling in his part-time studies in quantity surveying and estimating, Ian topped the state and successfully completed further building and construction courses. He began his own company in 1950 at age 24. Ian is recognised as a selfmade industry leader whose accomplishments began with a truck and a toolbox while working from a base underneath his parents’ home. In partnership with his brother Don, the Brisbane company Barclay Bros was formed in 1957. Ian’s early reputation for quality increased after his work building infrastructure in Papua New Guinea and his role in helping reconstruct Darwin in 1975 after Cyclone Tracy. Under his direction, Barclay Bros has been associated with significant projects in Sydney, including the Harbour Tunnel and the Convention and Exhibition Centre, while his Brisbane work includes the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) and the Brisbane Airport’s Domestic Terminal. The business grew to become one of the largest privately owned construction companies in Australia, transforming into Barclay Bros Ltd in 1972, when John Mowlem PLC, a British-based construction conglomerate, became a shareholder. Ian was Executive Chairman and then a director with the company until his retirement in 1991. Ian’s proud retirement pastime was to give time and expertise to improve training and skill development within the industry. In 1988, Mr Clyde ‘Ian’ Barclay was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) “for service to the building and construction industry through the improvement of training programs for apprentices and trainees in the industry in Queensland and through executive roles with a range of organisations.” The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Distinguished Constructor Award was awarded to Ian in 1998 when he was inducted into the QUT Construction Hall of Fame. In 2000, the Ian Barclay Building at the Construction Training Centre in Salisbury, Brisbane, was named in his honour. The same year, Ian was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the building and construction industry.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Peter Barker OC 1985

Peter Barker’s time at BBC included membership in the First VIII rowing crew, the Third XV rugby team, and participation in cross country. He served as College Vice Captain and Hamilton House Captain, as well as President of the Interact Club. Upon graduating from BBC, Peter remained unsure what his next step should be. The one thing he was certain of was that he did not want an office job, an attitude he now finds humorous, given the ultimate trajectory of his career. He decided to study commerce at The University of Queensland, where he met the woman who would one day become his wife. After achieving their degrees, the young couple left Australia for opportunities overseas, living and working for nearly twenty years in places as diverse as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United States. Peter quickly made a name for himself working for a series of global corporations, including Cisco Systems and BHP. At the age of 39, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Computershare, a stock transfer company based in Melbourne and listed on the ASX 100. He followed this with a move back to Brisbane and a long tenure as Chief Financial Officer of Queensland-headquartered Cardno Ltd. Today, he serves as a Non-Executive Director for a number of Australian listed and private companies. Peter is particularly proud of his work as a Board Member of GROW Australia, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping Australians living with mental illness. When he eventually returned to Brisbane, Peter quickly reasserted himself as a key member of the BBC community. He looks back on his time at the College with fondness. His closest friends remain those he met at school, and he credits his education as a key factor in his success. “I was an intense young man,” Peter reflects. “I still somewhat am. I found plenty of outlets for my energy at BBC. The fact that I was able to live and work all over the world is, in no small part, thanks to my BBC education, which I am eternally grateful for.” From 2020 to 2023, Peter’s involvement with the College became a professional one when he served as Chair of the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association (PMSA), the organisation which owns and operates BBC, Somerville House, Clayfield College, and the Sunshine Coast Grammar School. The experience, he concedes, could occasionally seem surreal. In his final year at BBC, he and the College Captain gave a presentation to the PMSA Board. “I distinctly recall thinking at the time that they were all a random bunch of old dudes,” Peter recalls amusedly. “Time flies, and the world turns.”

Professor Christopher Bartlett OC 1961

Chris Bartlett was an accomplished student and sportsman while at Brisbane Boys’ College. In 1960, he was in the BBC Rowing First VIII, while in 1961, he was both a member of the winning crew and Captain of Boats. After BBC, he rowed in the 1964 Queensland King’s Cup crew. He was Captain of Debating in 1960 and 1961, President of Debating in 1961, and won the Oratorical Contest two years running. Chris was a Prefect, was in the cadets, and was also a founding member of the reformed BBC Pipe Band in the same two years. After graduating with a Bachelor of Economics from The University of Queensland in 1964, Chris worked in Melbourne before gaining a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School (HBS) in 1971. After a career involving several business management and consultancy positions in London, Chicago, and Paris, he returned to Harvard to obtain a doctorate in Business Administration. Upon accepting a position on the HBS faculty, his research focused on the strategic and organisational challenges faced by managers of multinational corporations, as well as the impact of structural transformation on management. He has also served as Faculty Chair of Harvard’s International Senior Management Program and as Head of the General Management Unit. Chris has published eight very successful books, winning the Igor Ansoff Award for the best new work in strategic management and gaining accolades from the Financial Times. Chris’ 1997 book The Individualised Corporation: A Fundamentally New Approach to Management was nominated as one of the Best Business Books of the Millennium by Strategy+Business magazine. In the late 1990s, Chris created and chaired Harvard’s Humanitarian Leadership Program for the CEOs and senior leaders of global non-profit organisations such as CARE, Oxfam, Save the Children, and World Vision. This exposure identified the problem that despite the wonderful humanitarian work that these organisations achieved, their complex international operations were in need of professional management support and advice. On trips to Australia, Chris engaged with Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships (now called Jawun), founded by Noel Pearson, where he served on the board for a decade. He subsequently developed a long-term engagement with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), where he retains an ongoing commitment as Board Chair of AIME’s United States board. As a strong believer in supporting social entrepreneurs, Chris connected with Venerable Somnieng, an impressive young Cambodian Buddhist whose portfolio of organisations provided services to Cambodia’s poorest and most vulnerable women and children. As a board member for over a decade, he visited the country for several weeks annually, offering management and organisational advice. Over the past 25 years, these and other international non-profit activities have become a large and important part of Chris’ life.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Edmond Rowlands Behne OC 1924

Remembered in his obituary as a giant in the sugar industry, Edmond ‘Roly’ Behne was a driving force in establishing sugar as one of Queensland’s major international exports. Edmond attended Brisbane Boys’ College from 1920 to 1924, where he was Senior Prefect, played in the rugby league First XIII and rowed in the Second IV rowing crew. After earning a scholarship to The University of Queensland, Edmond graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1929, a Bachelor of Applied Science in 1930, and a Master of Applied Science in 1932. He then worked for the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES) for ten years, heading the Division of Mill Technology. In 1941, Edmond received the prestigious H.G. Smith Memorial Medal for outstanding research into sugar and sugar technology. By 1947, Edmond was Manager of the whole of the BSES. After leaving the Bureau the following year, he became Deputy Director of Inkerman Sugar Mill before being appointed Managing Director of Inkerman’s parent company, Pioneer Sugar Mills, in 1952. Over the course of his leadership, profits rose from $316,000 to $13.6 million until his retirement in 1976. Edmond had a major impact on the sugar industry through his deep understanding of the business and his research into production innovations.

John ‘Jack’ Bell OC 1935

By the time of his passing at 103 years of age, Jack Bell, a World War II airman and prisoner of war, had lived a full and inspirational life. In 1942, the Bristol Bombay on which Jack was the wireless operator was shot down near Musus in Libya. Partially protected by his transformer, Jack sustained shrapnel wounds and lacerations to his abdomen, right leg, and shoulder. Despite the horrors of war he experienced, Jack spread messages of compassion and tolerance: his life was saved by a German doctor in a desert field hospital, and he was cared for by an Italian nurse in Tripoli, Libya. When travelling on a hospital ship from Africa to Italy, the matron in charge happened to be Mussolini’s daughter, who entered the bilge to speak individually to the prisoners of war. These acts of humanity, compassion, and kindness by the enemy shaped Jack’s beliefs and appreciation of life. Leaving Italy via rail, Jack arrived at prison camp Stalag IV-B, south of Berlin, where prisoners of 33 nationalities were detained, including 155 Australians. The POWs existed only on unpalatable rations of millet, black potatoes, sugar beet, and pickled vegetables. Despite the diet and confinement, Jack praises the tolerance and respect the prisoners showed towards each other and their shared love of football which boosted their morale and determination to survive. In 2017, Jack Bell was the recipient of Victoria’s Senior Citizen Award for his devotion to service to his country, his mates, his family, and those less fortunate than him.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Richard L. Bell OC 1985

Richard Bell participated in swimming, cross country, rugby, athletics, cricket, rowing, debating, and theatre during his time at BBC. After completing a Bachelor of Laws at the Queensland University of Technology, Richard began his career as a solicitor in Brisbane before undertaking a number of finance roles in New York, including in equities at S.G. Warburg and as Managing Director of Wilson HTM, USA. On his return to Australia, Richard founded one of Australia’s most successful telecommunications companies, 1800Reverse, guiding its international expansion into the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Zealand. He also led the company’s listing on the ASX, finally retiring from executive duties in 2007 to return to Brisbane to concentrate on family and personal investments. His other ventures include being the introducing shareholder partner and a former board member of Guzman y Gomez, and he also operated as the exclusive importer of George Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila. Richard was Chairman of Androfin.org, a not-for-profit medical research foundation formed to assist in the further development of male contraception. In 2014, he moved with his family to Los Angeles and completed the Extension Writers’ Program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Richard has sponsored athletes, including twotime US Open winner and former World No. 1 tennis player Pat Rafter, three-time World Champion and Olympic snowboarding gold and silver medallist Torah Bright, and Commonwealth Games individual silver and team gold medallist triathlete Jake Birtwhistle. Richard has many lifelong friends from his time at BBC.

Roderick Bird OC 1971

Roderick ‘Rick’ Bird is a retired commercial real estate agent, registered valuer, member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, and loyal supporter of BBC. From his arrival in 1965, Rick enthusiastically embraced College life, becoming involved in a variety of co-curricular activities, namely rugby, rowing, athletics, choir, debating, and the Cadet Corps. He has filled a diverse range of important roles during his long association with BBC. As president of the Brisbane Boys’ College Old Collegians’ Association, Rick conceived the idea for the development of the Old Collegians’ Pavilion overlooking Miskin and P&F Ovals. The project was envisaged as part of the College’s centenary celebrations in 2002 and was officially opened the following year on Saturday, 29 March 2003. With Headmaster Mike Norris’s backing, Rick was instrumental in fundraising, and this, coupled with the Old Boys’ support, saw his vision become a reality. Besides its practical spaces like the change rooms and the canteen, the Old Collegians’ Pavilion is a place where Old Boys can gather and reminisce about their sporting heroics. Rick is also a former member of the BBC Foundation executive. Rick’s ties with BBC are intergenerational. His three sons are also Collegians, as was his late uncle Graham Ross Bird DFC (OC 1942). Rick maintains close contact with many of his BBC mates, some of whom he has known for over 50 years.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Wallace Bishop OC 1952

From his BBC days, Wallace Bishop possessed a clear direction in life. Working meticulously as a watchmaker, he aimed for excellence in design and technical craftsmanship in the jewellery industry. His passion was for attaining the highest standards in both the retail and service sectors while creating greatly respected Australian-made products. In 2018, Wallace was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This honour was awarded for his service to the community in business and the retail industry and, more broadly, for his humanitarian work associated with the Rotary Club of Brisbane and his interest in aiding sporting groups. Wallace received the Paul Harris Award, the highest accolade given by Rotary for exceptional involvement in the club. Wallace was the Rear Commodore (1982 to 1984), Vice Commodore (1984 to 1986), and Commodore (1986 to 1988) of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, having been a member since 1953. In his commitment and generosity to the Squadron above the traditional committee roles and beyond improving facilities, Wallace coordinated regattas and rescue and start boats, as well as repairs. His natural attention to detail and mechanical aptitude were greatly appreciated in the BBC boatshed when his two sons rowed. Having been a member of BBC’s GPS swimming team, Wallace’s affinity for water and safety resulted in his establishment and consolidation of the Queensland Surf Life Saving Foundation, which provides vital surf lifesaving equipment to clubs throughout Queensland. With numerous achievements and more than half a century’s involvement in the watch, jewellery, and retail industries to his name, Wallace Bishop was a visionary leader and pioneer in his chosen field.

Philip Bisset OC 1939

LFRAIA

BBC is fortunate to have received a generous art bequest from the estate of Philip Yeats Bisset LFRAIA. It was Phil’s appreciation of art and beauty that led to his career as an architect and his passion for collecting Australian art. As a student, Phil’s love of drawing extended beyond the art room. He created beautiful maps, wrote and illustrated wonderful stories, and took important photos catching historical glimpses of BBC during the mid-1930s. As a young architect, Phil worked in the public sector and developed a special interest in health projects. His reputation became synonymous with excellence in designing and constructing hospitals, especially the Townsville Base Hospital, which was the largest building project in post-war Australia. These buildings, including the Bisset-designed nursing quarters, are tabled on the state’s heritage register. During his career, Phil’s firm was involved in planning and building 63 hospitals both locally and internationally. Phil’s career and accomplishments were recognised by the State Chapter of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, which awarded him a Life Fellowship (LFRAIA). He was also a charter member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, a member of the Planning Institute of Australia, and a foundation member of the World Future Society in the United States.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Major James Bowen OC 1952

Major James Bowen is a lawyer, historian, and retired Army Officer. He graduated with an Arts and Laws degree from The University of Queensland. He was appointed Crown Prosecutor, then Senior Crown Prosecutor, and then Assistant Secretary for Law in the then Territory of Papua and New Guinea from 1961 to 1967. He joined the Australian Army and the Active Citizen Military Forces from 1967 to 1974 and served in the Vietnam War in 1968. He was a Crown Prosecutor in Canberra before, in 1968, he was appointed as a Prosecutor for the Queen in Victoria. In this role, he played a crucial role in the establishment of the position of Director of Public Prosecutions, a post that was first instituted in Victoria and subsequently adopted by all states and territories. He was instrumental in pursuing organised crime with the assistance of the Federal Police. James advocated for the discrediting of the use of ‘dissociation’ as a murder defence and played a significant part in securing fairer treatment for victims of sexual assault in court. He has publicly opposed attempts by governments to institute a Bill of Rights in Australia, arguing that rights are better protected by democratically elected politicians whom the electorate can dismiss than by judges whom the public cannot remove. He has published articles on criminal law, the causes and control of crime, police powers, why Australia does not need a Bill of Rights, human rights, education, major social issues, and the impact of United Nations conventions on Australians. On retirement from his role as a Prosecutor for the Queen in Victoria, James took up a full-time occupation in history with a special focus on the Pacific War from 1941 to 1945. In association with the Victorian RSL and the National RSL, James initiated a proposal to commemorate the Battle for Australia during the Second World War and Battle for Australia Day, which was proclaimed in 2008. He has continued researching, writing, and publishing the websites The Pacific War and The Battle for Australia online.

Captain James Campbell DFC

OC 1955

Upon completion of his final year at the College, Jim Campbell enlisted in the Army. By 1962, he had risen to the rank of Captain and later qualified as a helicopter instructor. Jim served during the Vietnam War, joining the 161st (Independent) Reconnaissance Flight in 1966 and commanding the Flight’s helicopters. The award for his Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) reads, in part: “On 21 February 1967, during Operation Renmark, an armoured personnel carrier was blown up in a minefield. The crew and the passengers became causalities. Troops dismounted from the following armoured personnel carrier and moved forward to assist the wounded. They were also wounded by a Viet Cong claymore mine, which had been sited and timed to destroy the rescue party. After the second mine explosion, there were thirty-two members trapped in the minefield. “At great personal risk, Captain Campbell flew a medical officer to the scene of the mine explosions and landed in the minefield, knowing that he and his helicopter could trigger a mine and be destroyed. He sacrificed his own safety to quickly evacuate the seriously wounded and get them to a safe zone, giving them a greater chance of survival. “Through his skill, fortitude, and special efforts to lift out the wounded at all costs, Captain Campbell set an outstanding example as an Army Pilot, and his actions reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and Army Aviation.” After leaving the Army, Jim was the first Chief Executive Officer and Chief Pilot of the Sunshine Coast Helicopter Rescue Service. He flew with the service for more than 25 years.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Lachlan Campbell OC 1997

Lachlan ‘Lachie’ Campbell’s career lies at the crossroads of art and science. He leads a multiaward-winning team of designers, engineers, and scientists who develop some of Australia’s most innovative products. Lachie is the CEO of Geobotica, a tech start-up that makes lasers and radars combined with artificial intelligence and robotics. Their systems are used for 3D mapping, forecasting landslides, and automating measurements with robotics. Prior to founding Geobotica, Lachie was Vice President of Technology at GroundProbe. He and his team developed a radar technology system to forecast mine collapses. A radar measures sub-millimetre movement of a slope from up to 5.6 kilometres away and takes over 30 million measurements per scan every 40 seconds. Algorithms add alarms to this real-time data to allow safety-critical decisions to be made. It has predicted over 2,000 collapses with zero misses. With origins at The University of Queensland, the company began commercialisation with four guys working on camping chairs in a shed in Milton and has grown to a multi-national business with 18 offices around the world and operations in 32 countries with an annual turnover of well over $100 million. Lachie is the inventor of nine of the company’s thirteen patents, including his proudest work creating the world’s most precise laser scanner, which is used globally to forecast the collapse of underground mines and tunnels. GroundProbe has gained many accolades from its various projects over the years, including ranking first place in the 2018 Australian Financial Review BOSS Most Innovative Companies list. Lachie’s purpose is his family. He is a husband and father of three little kids and an uncle of current Collegians. He is bilingual, and his hobbies include playing guitar, painting, surfing, and driving old cars.

Cr William Chan OC 2007

Councillor HY William Chan is the youngest-ever independent elected to public office in Sydney. Invited to join the Lord Mayoral governing team in his twenties, William is an award-winning architect and sustainability innovator designing the city of the future. A dual Convocation and University medallist, he holds degrees in architecture, design, and science from Australia and Italy. William was unanimously appointed to 15 council leadership roles in the City of Sydney, a testament to his ability to drive change. He chairs the urban planning and development, heritage, transport, traffic, cycling, environment, and sustainability portfolios while representing the city’s council on cultural, creativity, and inclusion issues. He is also an Executive of Climate Emergency Australia, which represents over 100 local governments accelerating a zero-carbon economy across the country. William is opening up politics to younger and more diverse people, expanding their role in actively shaping Australia’s global city. Forbes magazine describes William as our generation’s “game-changing business and industry leader”. Awarded Young Australian Designer of the Year, William has compressed a power-packed architecture career spanning Olympic stadiums, rapid transit systems, and entire city masterplans. But it’s his passion for creating inclusive and resilient built environments for local communities that drives his design practice. His innovation within the Environment, Social, and Governance sector has led to collaborations with IKEA, Google, Dyson, Microsoft, and HP. Honoured by TED as among the world’s greatest speakers, William shares his expertise on the global stage and has addressed international leaders at the United Nations General Assembly. His fellowship appointments have included the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Columbia University’s Climate School, and the World Economic Forum with the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, championing global public leadership. William is recognised on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, in the top 20 of the Qantas Centenary 100 Inspiring Australians list, on Pro Bono Australia’s list of the top 25 most influential people in the social sector, and on the GreenBiz 30 Under 30 list. An avid volunteer surf lifesaver and former UNICEF Ambassador, William was inducted into the Australian of the Year Awards Honour Roll for service to the community in 2020.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

The Hon Richard Chesterman AO RFD KC OC 1962

The Hon Richard Chesterman retired from the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2012, having served eleven years as a trial judge and three on the Court of Appeal. Richard graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Queensland in 1965, where he went on to complete a Bachelor of Laws in 1968. He was admitted as a barrister of the Supreme Court of Queensland in the same year. He became a Queen’s Counsel in 1983. He practised as a barrister for 27 years before he was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court in 1998, where he served on the Mental Health Tribunal from 1998 to 2002 and as a Commercial List Judge from 2002 to 2008. Richard has served as a member of the Criminal Justice Commission’s Misconduct Tribunal, a member of the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board, and as the President of the Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand. He also has been Chairman of the Australian Merchant Navy Awards Council, Chairman of the Queensland Cancer Fund, and a member of the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation. Richard was a member of the Queensland Bar Council. He has also served as a Legal Officer in the RAAF reserve, reaching the rank of Squadron Leader and being awarded the Reserve Force Decoration (RFD) in 1978. Richard was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2011 “for distinguished services to the judiciary as a judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland and to the Community through contribution to Cancer Councils at a state and national level.” Since his retirement from the Court of Appeal, he has been engaged as a mediator and arbitrator, particularly in disputes involving the construction of infrastructure projects and contracts for the supply of natural resources. In 2012, he was appointed by the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission to head an inquiry into claims of doctor malpractice leading to death and injury.

David Cockerell OC 2002

David Cockerell was College Captain in 2002, BBC’s centenary year. During his time at BBC, David enjoyed activities including swimming, water polo, and rugby union and was the recipient of the Sports, Studies, and Leadership Prize in 2002. After leaving BBC, David completed a dual Bachelor of Commerce/Laws degree at The University of Queensland’s St Lucia campus whilst also completing a number of amateur triathlons. Having preferred the finance side of his studies, David pursued a career in investment banking and moved to Sydney with Macquarie Capital in 2009. Since then, David has been involved in a broad range of commercial transactions across the infrastructure and real estate sectors, collectively exceeding $50 billion in total value. David was married in 2017 and has a son. In 2019, David joined Cliffbrook Capital as a partner. Cliffbrook is a funds management business specialising in commercial real estate. David is responsible for developing the firm’s debt investment strategies and currently oversees approximately $300 million of institutional capital, with significant growth plans. Having just celebrated his BBC 20-Year Reunion, David looks back fondly on his time at the College and remains in close contact with his best mates from his year group.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Bradley Couper OC 2003

Bradley Couper studied at BBC between 2000 and 2003 and was Vice Captain of Rudd House. Brad played cricket, soccer, Australian rules football, and basketball. He was a member of the undefeated First XI premiership cricket team in 2003. Brad studied for a Bachelor of Business at the Queensland University of Technology, graduating with distinction whilst working full-time in corporate finance. In 2010, Brad moved to Sydney to join MA Financial Group, which at the time was a recently launched joint venture with leading global independent investment bank and now New York Stock Exchange-listed Moelis & Company. During his tenure, Brad has advised on a range of mergers and acquisitions and capital raising transactions, as well as corporate and debt restructurings. He works predominantly with entrepreneurial small- and medium-sized companies to develop and implement organic and acquisition-led growth strategies, divestment and business repositioning strategies, and the reorganisation of debt and encumbrances. In 2017, MA Financial Group was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and has become a leading financial services firm specialising in asset management, lending, corporate advisory, and equities, with a market capitalisation of approximately $1 billion and over $7 billion of assets under management. More recently, Brad has become responsible for MA Financial Group’s principal investments in real estate and is a member of the Group Investment Committee.

Richard Cox OC 1991

At BBC, Richard ‘Coxy’ Cox was exposed to great College traditions that inspired him to strive to achieve his goals. In Year 11, he gained a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, becoming the youngest Australian recipient at the time. He served as a Prefect, played rugby in the First XV, rowed in the Third VIII, and was Treasurer for the Interact Club. In 1993, Coxy received the highest practical/ theory score when he graduated from the Longreach Pastoral College, which certified him to work as a jackeroo with the Australian Agricultural Company on Brunette Downs Station, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. Two years later, he was promoted to head stockman and ran the commercial stock camp, which involved managing 15 staff and overseeing 30,000 breeding cows. He continued in this role until 1998, when he left to work and travel for 12 months through the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, observing both commercial operations and large-scale beef production enterprises in Texas and Alberta. On returning to Australia, Coxy became an overseer with Stanbroke Pastoral Company on Fort Constantine Station, a 155,219-hectare property near Cloncurry. This position involved responsibility for 20 staff and day-to-day management of the property’s studs and its commercial breeding operation turning off grassfed steers and heifers for the live export trade. In 2000, aged 26, he became the youngest station manager ever appointed by Stanbroke and was transferred to Beresford Station. This 49,000-hectare Clermont property employed 11 staff and ran 12,000 head of cattle, including 8,000 cows and 4,000 steers. Coxy managed Beresford for three years before resigning to take over Cracow Station, which is a family property of 10,374 hectares dedicated to producing high-quality grass-fed beef for the domestic and export markets. Since moving to Cracow in 2004, he has developed an interest in the psychology and natural behavioural tendencies of livestock and working dogs. His method takes a holistic approach through education rather than force, reducing animal stress and consequently improving productivity and meat quality. Together with his wife, Sarah, Coxy has endeavoured to implement management principles that foster the long-term health of the business, animals, and landscape. This requires an ongoing focus on rotational grazing, pasture management, soil rehydration, fencing and stock water improvements, targeted nutritional supplementation of cattle, low-stress stock handling, and education.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Henry Cunningham OC 2011

Henry Cunningham attended BBC from 2007 to 2011 as a member of Hamilton House. He was part of the basketball, rowing, Pipe Band, and music communities and credits this diverse experience as a strong influence on his personal development. In his senior year, Henry was captain of the First V basketball team, which claimed a GPS premiership, a Queensland Schools title, and fifth place at the Australian National Championships. Henry went on to study engineering at The University of Queensland and, several years later, a Master of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. In partnership with Nicholas Coates (OC 2011), Henry co-founded a digital creative agency serving clients including Microsoft and Johnson & Johnson. In parallel, he entertained a brief career in environmental engineering – a career he admits he wasn’t particularly gifted at – before joining global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. At McKinsey, he worked in six countries across a wide variety of industries, from retail and telecommunications to freight rail and explosives. Henry went on to become an investor, joining American private equity giant Bain Capital and contributing to highprofile investments in Australia and abroad. Fascinated with flight, Henry qualified as a commercial helicopter pilot alongside his finance career. Although spending much of his time overseas, Henry continues to maintain a strong connection to Brisbane and to BBC.

The Hon Alan Demack OC 1952

During his years at BBC, Alan Demack AO learned about service through his leadership as Class Captain, Prefect, and Cadet Lieutenant; about public speaking as the winner of the Oratorical Contest in 1952; and about teamwork as a member of the 1952 Second XV, the first BBC team to be Premiers in the GPS Competition. After completing his Bachelor of Laws, Alan practised as a barrister in Queensland before being appointed as a District Court Judge. He served as the first Senior Judge of the Family Court in Brisbane and then as the Central Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland, stationed in Rockhampton. During his time as a judge, he served as the Chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry into the Status of Women (1973), the Commission of Inquiry into Youth (1974 to 1975), and a special committee considering artificial insemination and related matters. Upon retirement as a judge, he was appointed Queensland’s first Integrity Commissioner and later to the Electoral Commission of Queensland. Alan has been involved in Rotary, Marriage Guidance, Lifeline, and Blue Care. He was a Uniting Church in Australia member of the Roman Catholic/Uniting Church Dialogue for over twenty years and has been a Fellow of King’s College for over forty years. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Laws by Central Queensland University, is a Life Member of the Bar Association of Queensland, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for services to the community, the Uniting Church in Australia, and the law, particularly through the Supreme Court of Queensland.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Oscar Diamond OC 1932

DFC

Oscar Diamond was one of the 193 students who transferred from the Clayfield campus to the current College grounds when BBC moved to Toowong. Within six years of finishing his schooling, Oscar had gained his commercial pilot’s licence and then enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. He was rapidly promoted to Flight Lieutenant (F/L) and posted to Malaya (now part of Malaysia) at the outbreak of the Second World War. On the night of 7 December 1941, Japanese warships appeared off the Malayan coastline. In the early hours of 8 December, just a few hours prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, F/L Diamond was responsible for sinking the first Japanese warship lost during World War II. His aircraft was damaged during this engagement, and he returned to base flying on one engine. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his actions. After several later encounters with Japanese fighters over the island of Sumatra, he was captured and taken as a prisoner of war whilst in a hospital in Bandung, Indonesia, in February 1942. From Indonesia, he was taken to Formosa (Taiwan), Japan, and eventually Mukden in Manchuria (known at the time as Manchukuo, a puppet state of Japan). After his liberation from the prison camp three-and-a-half years later at the end of the war, Oscar and his comrades began a remarkable trip home by commandeering a Douglas DC-3 aircraft and flying it to China, then India, where he was hospitalised with amoebic dysentery. When discharged, he wrangled a ride to Sri Lanka and then jumped on a Douglas DC-4 bound for Australia. Oscar Diamond was one of the first prisoners of war to return home to Brisbane. Fearing that his health following his imprisonment would not be up to an aviation career, Oscar returned to Brisbane to work in and eventually take over his father’s dry-cleaning business.

William Dods OC 1927

During his time at the College, William Stodart Espie Dods was an outstanding athlete. Bill set GPS records for the 220 yards in the Under 14 age group in 1922, the Under 16 group in 1924, and the Open group in 1925, which awarded him the Under 17 title of Queensland Champion. In 1925, Bill’s mother, Ruth Dods, donated a silver trophy to BBC to honour her son’s achievements in the GPS competition. This is the current highly contested Under 16 trophy for Interhouse Athletics. After gaining his wings in November 1941, Bill was posted to a Sunderland flying boat crew, No. 461 Squadron (RAAF), based at Pembroke Dock, South Wales, during World War II. Bill became a Captain in 1942, tallying up 470.40 flying hours of coastal surveillance. In April 1943, at the age of 34, Bill attempted to rescue another Sunderland crew afloat in a dinghy in rough sea. That year’s BBC Portal recounts that “landing was impossible, but he was able to drop them food and water and to send a Destroyer, which picked them up”. On 29 May 1943, Bill attempted the rescue of a Whitley Bomber crew forced down in the Bay of Biscay. Owing to the failing light, the rough sea, and the speed of Bill’s Sunderland flying boat at the time of landing, it crashed on hitting the water. The pilot’s cabin was destroyed, and Flight Lieutenant Dods was killed instantly. Such was the heroic and tragic end of a very gallant gentleman. Bill has left behind an unsullied memory and an enduring good name.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Gordon Donaldson OC 1940

Gordon Donaldson was born in 1922 at Riversleigh Station in an extremely remote but beautiful area of Queensland’s Gulf Country. He was the fifth of seven children in the Donaldson family, who had lived on cattle properties there since 1904. In 1927, tragedy struck when Gordon’s father was killed in Qantas’ first fatal plane crash at Tambo, and the Donaldsons moved to Toowong, Brisbane, where there was strong family support. Being so young, Gordon could, sadly, barely remember his father – but there was no doubt he came to appreciate the strength of his mother. Gordon attended BBC alongside his brothers Angus (OC 1936) and Alan (OC 1944), where he was a Prefect and a member of the second GPS-winning athletics team. He was a champion high jumper, winning Full Colours for athletics in his final year at the College, and a member of the Third IV rowing crew. Gordon entered The University of Queensland on an open scholarship, having placed fifth in the state’s Open Scholarship list. He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering with First Class Honours in 1944 and was awarded a University Medal. Gordon joined the Royal Australian Navy, serving in the Pacific during World War II, and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1946 following the conclusion of his service. Instead of paying for his passage to England, he worked onboard as an engineer. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a Master of Arts in Engineering Science with First Class Honours. After working with Westinghouse in the United States and with Email Limited in Australia, he joined the Faculty of Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), delivering lectures on electric machines and control systems. After further research in Britain and the United States, he was appointed Chair of the Electrical Engineering Department at UNSW, where he specialised in superconductivity.

Peter Dornan OC 1960

Peter was the inaugural physiotherapist for the Queensland Reds and the Wallabies and has been a physiotherapist for the Kangaroos and Australia’s Commonwealth Games teams as well as an Olympic Advisor. He is a co-founder of the Queensland branch of Sports Medicine Australia and a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Sports Medicine Foundation. For his achievements in sports, he was awarded the commemorative 2000 Australian Sports Medal. Peter’s sculptural talents are well recognised and are on display at the College in the form of a bronze bust of BBC founder Arthur ‘Barney’ Rudd facing the front entrance of the Main Building and a bronze trophy of a BBC bagpiper awarded to the Pipe Band Junior Member of the Year. This is a fitting tribute, given that Peter himself was a piper in the original 1959 reformed Pipe Band. Peter is also a notable men’s health activist. In 1996, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, he searched for a way to alleviate treatment side effects. Lacking readily available assistance, he set up the Brisbane Prostate Cancer Support Network, a catalyst for the founding of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. Peter was awarded the D. B. Duncan Travelling Fellowship in 2000 to study aspects of cancer and incontinence in the United States, furthering his interest in the field. He has also celebrated his own health and recovery by undertaking mountain climbs of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mount Aconcagua in the Andes. As an author, Peter has written on a range of topics, including health, exercise, and sporting injuries. He also has an interest in military history, having written about battles in El Alamein in Egypt, the Kokoda Track, RAAF pilots, and a Royal Navy submariner. In 2002, Peter was appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to physiotherapy, sports medicine, sculpture, military history, and men’s health. He was named Queensland’s Senior Australian of the Year in 2020.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Ashley Druve OC 1991

When Ashley Druve attended BBC as a student, he discovered a love of gymnastics. His enthusiasm for the sport generated a lifelong interest in athleticism, one which eventually saw him return to the College as a member of staff. Most importantly, though, he believes it has kept him alive. In December 2015, Ashley was diagnosed with stage four neuroendocrine cancer. Doctors told him he had a year to live. Ashley decided to make the most of that time, so he set himself the goal of participating in one more ultra-marathon. He ran that race and many more ultra-marathons in the years following. Ashley remains the Director of Gymnastics at BBC after taking some time off for medical treatment. He considers his love of athletics and the discipline and perseverance it has instilled to be responsible for his defiance of the odds. He has survived through sheer force of will. Another key component in Ashley’s medical rehabilitation has been his pursuit of photography. It has provided him with a creative outlook and nudged him into unexpected and exciting places. His work has now been featured in various gallery exhibitions and publications. In the years since his diagnosis, Ashley has worked to raise cancer awareness in the community. He has been featured in newspapers, podcasts, and magazines, and in 2019, he undertook Project 444.4. After learning that an Australian is diagnosed with cancer every four minutes, Ashley committed to running 444.4 kilometres in a month to raise money for medical research. Beyond this inspirational work, Ashley continues to be an irreplaceable part of BBC. When asked why he fought so hard to return to his post, he will quickly identify his students as his primary motivation. Ashley finds great satisfaction in delivering exceptional pastoral care and mentorship to the boys who walk through the doors of his gymnasium, and he finds fulfilment in the College’s community-oriented approach. Ashley knows how precious time is, and he refuses to waste it. Whether in his coaching or in his work to raise cancer awareness, Ashley lives every moment to the fullest. He continues to inspire those around him with his determination, perseverance, and unshakeable commitment to his students. When you ask him what he’d like people to take away from his story, his answer is immediate: “If it’s really important to you, don’t wait till tomorrow”.

Adjunct Professor Hugh Dunn AO OC 1942

BBC’s third Rhodes Scholar, Hugh Dunn, was a very accomplished sportsman while at the College. He was awarded Full Colours in cricket and rowing twice and in rugby and athletics three times. Hugh was the College Captain and Dux in 1942. He was selected for the combined GPS Rugby team in 1941 and 1942 and the Queensland team in 1948. Upon leaving school, he enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force, where he served in a Signals unit in New Guinea and then an intelligence unit in the Philippines. After the war, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Queensland. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1949, which allowed him to follow his passions and study Sinology (China), graduating with First Class Honours in 1952. He was part of an extraordinary post-war generation who joined the Department of External Affairs and had a strong belief that Australia should have its own distinctive voice on the international stage. He remained in the foreign service for 30 years, with postings in Japan, South Korea, the United States, India, and South Vietnam. He was Australian High Commissioner to Kenya, Uganda, and Seychelles and was Ambassador to Ethiopia, Taiwan, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Peru. He then became Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China from 1980 to 1984. His language skills and commitment to sinology as a field of study earned him considerable respect and made him widely popular in Beijing. After retiring from public service in 1985, Hugh became a Visiting Professor at the School of Modern Asian Studies at Griffith University and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of History at The University of Queensland. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and served on the Queensland China Council, promoting the teaching of the Chinese language in primary schools. He was also President of the Queensland branch of the Australian Institute of International Affairs. Hugh always found time to come back to the College on a regular basis and was an integral part of the formation of the Rudd-Hamilton Chapter (now the Vintage Collegians) in 1994.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

William East OC 1955

At BBC, William ‘Bill’ East was a Prefect, Captain of Wesley House, played rugby and tennis in the Seconds, and won titles as the Under 10 Stone Boxing Champion and as the Most Scientific Boxer. He was Captain of the First XI cricket team as well as opening bat in his final two years and was selected for the combined GPS Firsts cricket team in 1955. After leaving school, Bill joined the Shell Oil Company as a junior accounts payable clerk and completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree at night at The University of Queensland. He was then employed by a firm of chartered accountants, R.G. Groom & Co. In 1962, he joined Cooper Bros, Savage & Co, which evolved into Coopers & Lybrand and then PricewaterhouseCoopers. After four years, Bill was transferred to the firm’s Sydney office, where he remained for three years before he returned to Brisbane and was made a partner on 1 July 1970. His expertise was audits, liquidations and receiverships, and litigation support. During his career, Bill was a director, president/ chair, or committee member for a number of private companies and community organisations such as UnitingCare, Wesley Hospital, St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association (PMSA), Clayfield College, Sunshine Coast Grammar School, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, state and national councils, Brisbane Junior Cricket Association, and Brisbane South Junior Cricket. In 2005, he was awarded the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia’s Meritorious Service Award for his contribution to the profession in Queensland and nationally, as well as for his contribution to the community. Bill headed an East cricket dynasty, with four sons and a grandson all playing in the First XI and producing an opening batsman in each generation. As a passionate Old Boy, Bill has filled many roles in the Old Collegians’ Association and has served as both President and Honorary Treasurer of the Parents and Friends’ Association (P&F). While Bill was President, the P&F funded the Barbara Helen Thomson Sports Complex in 1987. During his time as Treasurer, the P&F appointed a permanent administrator to oversee the operation of the tuckshop, bookshop, and uniform shop.

Jason Ewart OC 1992

Life at BBC provided co-curricular experiences in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, rugby, and theatre sports, but cricket and especially theatre were Jason Ewart’s preferred activities in his final year at the College. Although preparing to attend The University of Queensland, work experience at Channel Seven determined the direction of Jason’s life: moving behind the camera. Working on major live television broadcasts such as the Summer and Winter Olympic Games and the Rugby World Cup provided invaluable early experience. This led to work on episodic TV dramas such as Home and Away and Underbelly, providing the opportunity for Jason to hone his skills and learn the craft, thereby acquiring the experience necessary to work on much bigger projects in the future. Currently, Jason is a camera and Steadicam operator based in London, working on major feature films such as The Batman, Star Wars, Dune: Part Two, and the latest James Bond film, No Time to Die. Working on these projects involves a lot of pressure, but with this comes immense satisfaction at being involved in the making of such iconic and popular films, working with some incredibly talented people along the way, and travelling to some amazing locations around the world.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Rick Farley OC 1969

Rick Farley participated in a wide range of activities while at the College – an indication of his rich and varied life to follow. A member of the winning senior debating team in 1969, he was later described by his colleagues as having “an extraordinary ability to persuade, negotiate, and build bridges to gain bipartisan support for the matters he was passionate about.” After graduating from The University of Queensland with an Arts degree (English Literature and Drama), Rick’s multi-faceted career began as a journalist with The Morning Bulletin newspaper in Rockhampton. This was followed by his first political position working as a press secretary for the Federal Minister for Health, Doug Everingham. In the mid-1970s, Rick moved to the Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education, where he became a lecturer and tutor in Media Studies and Politics. Within a decade, Rick became the Executive Director of the Queensland Cattlemen’s Union, following some time as their Public Relations Director. Rick joined the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) as Deputy Director in 1985. Then, as the Executive Director (1988 to 1995) of the NFF during the Mabo and Wik era of native title determination, Rick was at the forefront of often bitter negotiations between farming, mining, and Indigenous groups, which led to the development of the Cape York Land Use Agreement. During his time with the Commission for the Future from 1989 to 1994, Rick put a proposal to the Federal Government, aided by Phillip Toyne of the Australian Conservation Foundation, which led to the formation of Landcare Australia. The 1990s saw Rick take on a plethora of roles and responsibilities, including President of the Soil and Water Conservation Association of Australia and serving on the National Landcare Council and the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, where he was a key figure in the passage of the Native Title Act. In 1995, Rick established a consultancy working with the government, rural industry groups, land rights groups, and environmental bodies while also working as a Member of the National Native Title Tribunal and as Chairman of the Lake Victoria Advisory Committee for the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. After serving as an executive member of the NSW Reconciliation Council, Rick received a Centenary Medal in 2003. Two years later, Rick resigned from his posts due to ill health. His relentless involvement in agri-politics, land conservation, and land rights, as well as his driving ambition to build a more respectful and inclusive relationship with the land, was abruptly ended when he died in 2006 at the age of 53.

Marc Faulks OC 1954

A competitor in two different sports in two different Olympic Games, Marc Faulks was a successful gymnast at the College and in state and national competitions. While training for gymnastics, Marc was asked to fill in for an injured kayaker in early 1956. He made the team, and, in part thanks to his perseverance while training, they went all the way to the finals at the 1956 Olympic Games. He returned to gymnastics, winning the Australian title in 1964 and was then selected for the 1964 Olympic Games in his preferred sport. He said that his “feelings at the opening and closing ceremonies were of pride in being part of a sporting tradition that could have such a positive influence across all nations”. Marc worked as a Physical Education teacher, Sports Master, gymnastics lecturer, and Deputy Headmaster before retiring as a Principal with the New South Wales Department of Education. Marc has remained active within the Olympic Games community and carried the flame as a member of the Torch Relay for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Adjunct Professor Victor Feros OAM OC 1961

At BBC, Victor Feros’ co-curricular activities included the Air Training Corps, the Portal Committee, and sporting participation in cricket, rugby, and athletics. Vic has a Bachelor of Arts (Urban Geography) and a Master of Urban Studies (Urban and Regional Planning) from The University of Queensland (UQ). He commenced a specialist town planning practice in Brisbane in 1976, now the longest-continuing establishment of its kind in Queensland and in Australia. The practice has undertaken projects throughout Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific. Since 2003, he has been an Adjunct Professor for the School of Architecture, Design, and Planning at UQ. He is a Life Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia and was the cofounder of the Bicycle Institute of Queensland. He was an Australian recipient of the US Bicentennial Fellowship Award in 1976 for achievement in the field of low-energy transport planning, including research on the use of bicycles in city and regional networks. Vic was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2018 for service to town planning. This was the first such recognition for services to town planning in Queensland. He says, “I am particularly aware of its significance as much for me personally as for public recognition of town planning as a vital service to the wider community.” He is Grand Prior of Australasia of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller. He has been awarded their highest honour, the Cross of Merit with Crown. He has been the Principal Planner of the BBC Oxley Road Sports Fields Project since 2008. Vic was appointed Patron of the BBC Old Collegians’ Association in 2022, only the sixth since the Association was formed in 1920.

Zachary Fook OC 2010

A sense of belonging, camaraderie, and the willingness to give back to help others were part of Zachary Fook’s BBC life. While studying business at The University of Queensland, a social enterprise project motivated Zac to create change in the wider community. In 2013, he set up The Tippy Toe Co., Australia’s first social enterprise dance school for young people with disabilities. In 2018, Zac diversified his dance program into Active Eight, which affords young people under the age of 25 opportunities to explore their creativity and social and emotional wellbeing in a not-for-profit studio aided by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Active Eight’s innovative therapy-based programs provide occupational, speech, exercise, yoga, art, and dance opportunities in an inclusive setting. With the help of key BBC personnel and in collaboration with Active Eight, the Ninja Warrior Big Brother Program launched at the College in Term 3, 2018. In specially developed programs, senior BBC students buddied with young people from special, state, and private schools to help improve their gross motor skills in the areas of coordination, flexibility, and endurance through physical activity and social engagement. This buddy bonding program has created compassionate, unforeseen, and life-changing benefits for all.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Rear Admiral Galfrey Gatacre CBE DSO and Bar

OC 1922

After enlisting as a naval cadet in 1921, Galfrey ‘Gat’ Gatacre became a navigation specialist, serving on the HMS Rodney. He played a major role in the tracking and sinking of the World War II German battleship Bismarck. Galfrey was Captain of the HMAS Anzac before becoming Commander of the 10th Destroyer Squadron in 1952. The aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne was commissioned as the flagship of the Australian fleet in 1955, and Galfrey was appointed its First Captain. He was then appointed Flag Officer, commanding the Australian fleet in 1959. Rear Admiral Gatacre’s distinguished career spanned 43 years, and he is BBC’s most highly decorated serviceman, having been named a Commander of the British Empire (CBE), a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), and awarded a military bar.

William Genia OC 2005

Aside from a few backyard cricket and rugby league games with his siblings, William Genia had never played team sports until he arrived at BBC as a boarder. In his five years at the College, Will achieved high results in cricket (Half Colours in 2001, 2004, and 2005), Australian rules (Half Colours and Crown in 2003), and rugby (Half Colours in 2004 and 2005). He was Captain of Rugby in 2005. He also participated in athletics and basketball. Will achieved representative honours in rugby while still at school, playing in the Queensland Under 16 team in 2004 and the Queensland and Australian Schools team in 2005. He was a member of the 2006 Australian Under 19 rugby team that won the IRB World Championship. He was selected as the first-choice scrumhalf in the Australian Under 20 team for the 2008 IRB Junior World Championship in Wales. He made his Super Rugby debut for the Queensland Reds in 2007 as a 19-year-old. He has played 114 Super Rugby games for the Reds and captained the team for many games beginning in 2010 when he substituted for an injured James Horwill (OC 2002). His teammates voted him the 2010 Players’ Player of the Year, and he won the Pilecki Medal (Queensland Reds Player of the Year). He won the Pileki Medal again in 2011 and was voted the Australian Super Rugby Player of the Year. Will was first selected for the Wallabies in 2009 and has played for the team on 110 occasions, only missing selection when injured. He captained the Wallabies from 2011 to 2013. He was also one of two Australian nominees for the 2011 IRB Player of the Year award. From 2015 to 2017, Will played for Stade Français in France. He returned to Australia to play for the Melbourne Rebels in the Super Rugby competition from 2018 to 2019. In total, he has made 137 appearances in Super Rugby. He transferred to the Kintetsu Liners rugby team in Japan in 2019. Will is also an ambassador for the Kokoda Track Foundation.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Lachlan Gillespie OC 2003

Participating in co-curricular life at BBC, Lachlan ‘Lachy’ Gillespie gained Full Colours in music and Australian rules football, performed as a Musical Principal in 2002 and 2003, served as a Prefect, and was the recipient of a prestigious Collegian Award. Despite diverse interests, Lachy envisaged a future in the creative arts. Attending the FAME School of Performing Arts, followed by the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Lachy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in music theatre. This practical involvement and knowledge led to performance roles in Melbourne and New York. He worked as a children’s vocal coach before joining The Wiggles in 2009 as Captain Feathersword, then as a Wiggly Dancer and Wags the Dog in Dorothy the Dinosaur’s Travelling Show. Lachlan was delighted to join the group’s regional tour. A dream became a reality at the beginning of 2013 when Lachy pulled on the purple skivvy, replacing one of the three departing original Wiggles. He felt proud and honoured to continue the legacy of travelling, performing, and bringing joy to countless children worldwide, not only on stage but also to those in hospital and those with conditions that prevent them from attending regular performances. After wowing 2003 crowds as Wild Bill Hickock in Calamity Jane and being heavily involved in the College’s music program, Lachy says BBC gave him the perfect platform to pursue his dreams of a career in music theatre.

The Hon Robert Gotterson AO KC OC 1966

Robert Gotterson was the only student of his cohort to study Latin in all four years of his secondary schooling (taught by Little Bill). In his years at the College, he was Captain of Wesley House and enjoyed athletics, rugby, the Oratorical Contest, and debating. It is, therefore, not surprising that he became a lawyer, graduating from The University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1970 and a Bachelor of Laws with Honours in 1973. He was called to the Bar in 1975 and was made a Queen’s Counsel in 1988. Robert was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland and Judge of the Queensland Court of Appeal in 2012, retiring in 2019. He replaced Richard Chesterman (OC 1962) on the Supreme Court. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2014 “for distinguished service to the judiciary and to the law, to legal education, administration, and professional standards through a range of senior roles, and to the community of Queensland”. These roles have included President of the Bar Association of Queensland, President of the Australian Bar Association, President of the Law Council of Australia, and President of the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and a member of the Australian Judicial Officers Association. Robert is Chair of the Law Faculty Advisory Board at Bond University. He has been a member of the Law Faculty Advisory Committee at the Queensland University of Technology and of the Supreme Court of Queensland Library Committee. He has assisted with the Bar Association’s Bar Practice Course as a lecturer and a judge during moots and has served on the Brisbane City Council’s Flood Response Review Board and as an evaluator for the Commonwealth Bank’s Resolution Scheme for the victims of the Storm Financial collapse. More recently, he conducted an inquiry into the operations of The Star Casinos in Queensland. He has been a great supporter of pro bono work in the legal profession.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Professor Ian Gough OC 1964

Ian Gough graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery with Honours from The University of Queensland (UQ) in 1970. He has been married to the wonderful Ruth, also a medical specialist, for 50 years. He has the rare dual distinction of Fellowships with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) and the Royal College of Physicians of London. His Doctor of Medicine degree at UQ was for a research thesis on the quality of life of patients with cancer. Ian pursued a clinical and academic career and was a Consultant Surgeon at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital from 1978 and Clinical Professor of Surgery at UQ from 1991. He was elected President of the RACS and served in that position from 2008 to 2010. Within the RACS – the 7000-member professional organisation responsible for training and qualifying specialists in all nine surgical specialties in Australia and New Zealand – Ian headed the divisions of training and examinations. He led the transformation of surgical education and training from the centuries-old master/apprentice model towards a performance and competency-based framework that achieves more comprehensive training in a shorter time. He initiated special clinical programs and trained many already qualified surgeons in his speciality of breast and endocrine surgery. Ian advised, taught, and examined in Asian countries to help improve professional standards and received Honorary Fellowships in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Malaysia and from the Asian Surgical Association. In 2015, Ian was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to medicine as a clinician, to education as an academic, researcher, and author, and through medical advisory roles”. Ian believes that the foundation of intellectual pursuit is the acquisition of existing knowledge; questions can then be asked that build on and extend it. Education is fundamental for the sharing of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and ideas, and life-long learning is key for personal development.

Roger Gould OC 1974

Competitive in several sports during his time at the College, Roger Gould was a member of the First XV in 1973 and was Captain of Rugby in 1974. He was a College Prefect, Wesley House Captain, a Cadet Under Officer, and rowed in the Head of the River-winning First VIII. Roger also swam and played cricket. He was selected for the Queensland Schoolboys Rugby Team in 1974. Roger was a talented rugby player, a prodigious kicker of the football, and a team man. He played for Queensland and Australia from 1978 to 1987 and scored 86 points during his 25 tests. He also played for the Australian sevens team, winning the Hong Kong tournament twice. Former teammate Mark Ella wrote in 1987, “Not only is Roger Gould the biggest punter of a ball in world rugby, he is the best fullback I’ve seen. Roger is just dynamite”. Roger was the first Wallaby to play off-season rugby overseas in both Argentina and Italy, winning championships in both. Following his playing days, Roger continued to stay involved with rugby, coaching Premier Grade for three years at Wests Rugby Union Club before two seasons with the Queensland Reds and then with the Wallabies. He was also the coach of the United States team in 1999, including at the Rugby World Cup. Roger was a Wallabies selector from 2000 to 2003 and is currently the President of the Queensland Rugby Union and a member of the National Technical Advisory Committee to Rugby Australia. By the end of his career, Roger had played or coached in over 30 countries. After leaving the College and while continuing his rugby career, Roger and his cousin Tim purchased the family business, which supplied commercial equipment and smallwares to the Hospitality and Catering sectors. They sold the business in 2003, after which Roger worked as a senior manager in various private and public companies. Despite his many years of involvement in rugby, Roger’s best friends still remain those he met at BBC.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Stuart Gregory OC 1963

Stuart Gregory successfully transitioned from College rugby to a post-school representative career, going from playing centre in the rugby Second XV in Year 12 to lock for the Wallabies in 1968. Stuart played 16 tests for Australia between 1968 and 1973, with his first test being against the All Blacks at Ballymore Stadium. He also played 47 games for Queensland and New South Wales between 1967 and 1974. While at BBC, Stuart played rugby from 1960 to 1963, including in a premiership with the Fourth XV in 1962. He participated in athletics from 1960 to 1963, gaining Full Colours in 1962 and Half Colours in 1963. He participated in swimming from 1960 to 1963, gaining Half Colours from 1960 to 1962 and Full Colours in 1963. He was Captain of Swimming in 1963. He was in the tennis team in 1960 and 1961. He was in the debating team in 1960, participated in the Oratorical Contest from 1961 to 1963, and was on the Portal Committee in 1962 and 1963. He was in the Cadet Corps from 1961 to 1963, becoming a Cadet Under Officer in his final year. Stuart Gregory is one of only seven College Captains over BBC’s 120-year history who was also Dux in their final year. Stuart graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce with First Class Honours from The University of Queensland in 1966. He is a qualified chartered accountant and a certified practicing accountant. His career has included employment as an accountant for a large accounting firm in Brisbane and Sydney, as a finance director for a large stockbroking firm, and as the CEO of a large legal firm. He has held several directorships and chairmanships of listed companies. He has also been on the committees of CPA Australia and other professional bodies.

Christopher Hartley OC 1999

Christopher Hartley served as College Captain in 1999. During his time at the College, he was an accomplished sportsman, gaining Full Colours in cricket, rugby, Australian rules football, and service. He was Captain of Cricket and Australian Rules Football and also participated in cross country, soccer, and swimming. He represented Queensland and Australia in the state and national Under 19 cricket teams from 1995 to 1999. Chris was selected for the Queensland Bulls cricket team in 2003 and played until the conclusion of the 2016/17 season, captaining the team on 32 occasions. Queensland won the Sheffield Shield twice during his tenure. He played 131 first-class matches with a batting average of 34.48 and claimed 564 dismissals. He played 96 limited overs games with a batting average of 31.46, taking 129 dismissals. Chris studied a Bachelor of Business Management (Marketing) and a Bachelor of Journalism at The University of Queensland and was President of the Old Collegians’ Association from 2015 to 2017.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Scott Hartley OC 1980

Appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sunsuper Superannuation Fund in January 2014 and resigning effective November 2019, Scott Hartley’s leadership saw Sunsuper become Australia’s fastest-growing top ten superannuation fund with 1.4 million members, 130,000 participating employers, over 3,000 registered advisers, and over $72 billion in funds under management. In December 2020, he was appointed CEO of AMP Australia, later rebranded as Australian Wealth Management. A steadfast believer that a strong organisational culture drives high performance, Scott has focused on delivering a strengthened approach to both investment and enterprise capability and sustainable long-term value for members. Under Scott’s leadership, Sunsuper was the only wealth business to be awarded Fund of the Year ten times within a three-year period by Australia’s leading independent rating agencies. His view is that high performance is created by teams with high levels of trust, accountability for performance and behaviours, respectful candour, collaboration, leadership, and an obsessive focus on the customer. Scott has an eagerness for helping to solve homelessness, including through participation in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout on numerous occasions in both Sydney and Brisbane. After over two decades in the wealth management sector, Scott’s career includes extensive executive leadership experience in both forprofit and profit-for-member wealth management organisations and across retail and institutional market segments. Prior to joining Sunsuper, Scott led MLC’s corporate and institutional wealth businesses and held directorships with Plum Financial Services and JANA Investment Advisers. Scott is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia. Scott is currently a lead strategic adviser to an American private equity company looking to acquire an Australian wealth business.

Adjunct Professor David Hood OC 1961

After graduating in civil engineering from The University of Queensland, David Hood joined the Royal Australian Air Force and was involved in the design and construction of facilities on bases in Australia and overseas. He then worked in civil aviation on the development of Darwin, Perth, and Sydney Airports.

David then took over and commissioned Australia’s new Parliament House in Canberra. It was during this job that he had his environmental awakening. He stated, “One morning, I thought, ‘What are our buildings doing to the environment?’ The emphasis always seemed to be on cost. So, at Parliament House, we installed new energy initiatives and management systems, which resulted in 40 percent savings in total energy in the first 18 months of operation”. After several years on the staff of Engineers Australia, David established his own consultancy, specialising in design for sustainability and addressing climate change. David was the 2012 President of Engineers Australia, spent 12 years as an Adjunct Professor in the Built Environment and Engineering Faculty at the Queensland University of Technology, and is currently an Adjunct Professor at The University of Queensland Energy Initiative. He was the Founding Chairman of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, with which he led the development of the world’s first full Sustainability Rating Scheme for infrastructure. David is a Queensland councillor and Board Director with the Australian Conservation Foundation and has contributed to many non-government organisations focusing on sustainability, the reduction of carbon emissions, and the rehabilitation of nature. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2013 for his contributions to engineering through professional and industry associations and for raising public awareness of sustainability. David was a member of BBC’s 1961 Head of the River-winning First VIII and has a Blue in rowing from The University of Queensland.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Associate Professor Daniel Horsley OC 1998

Associate Professor Daniel Horsley currently works at the School of Mathematical Sciences at Monash University in Melbourne. While completing his PhD at The University of Queensland under the supervision of Professor Darryn Bryant, Daniel solved a mathematics problem that had mystified international mathematicians for 30 years. The problem was in the field of combinatorial design theory, a branch of mathematics used in scientific areas such as biological screening and computer error correction, and Daniel’s work was a major breakthrough in the field. Daniel’s curiosity and love of learning continue as he tackles mathematical problems in the areas of Steiner triple systems and other combinatorial designs, colourings of combinatorial designs, covering arrays and their variants, cycle decompositions of graphs, and other graph decomposition problems.

James Horwill OC 2002

Competitive in multiple sports during his years at the College, James Horwill developed into an outstanding rugby player, captaining rugby in his final year while also serving as the BBC Pipe Band Drum Major. Progressing through the Queensland and Australian age teams, James, nicknamed ‘Big Kev’, played 129 rugby games for Queensland between 2006 and 2016, captaining the Super Rugby Championship team, the Queensland Reds, in 2011. He also played 62 rugby tests for Australia between 2006 and 2016, 16 of them as Captain, including at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Fellow player and subsequent Captain Stephen Moore described Big Kev as “a selfless player who always put the team first” and “a great contributor to the team and always someone that did everything he could to make the team a better place to be.”

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Michael Huggins OC 1989

Michael was College Captain in 1989. He was also Captain of Boats, played rugby in the First XV, and represented BBC in athletics. He then went on to row for Australia, attended the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and now heads Partners in Performance, a global management consulting firm, in Australia. When asked about his time at BBC and the impact it had on him, he said, “My time at BBC was an amazing experience. The spirit and sense of belonging to your fellow Collegians were truly special. I made lifelong friends that I still keep in touch with through family, sports, and work. BBC taught me about persistence: that if I really wanted something, I should go for it. BBC was a remarkable school, and I hope others get to have the same incredible opportunities I had”. After school, he took the year off to row for Australia and won a silver medal at the World Rowing Junior Championships in France. Michael then returned home to study engineering at The University of Queensland, graduating in 1995 with First Class Honours. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, went to the University of Oxford, and graduated with a Master of Arts in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics in 1998. Michael recalls, “Oxford gave me an opportunity to broaden my perspective on many fronts. Living and studying with people from all around the world taught me that there were other perspectives and different ways of looking at the world. I continued to row, though even this was different as it included going to Egypt and rowing on the Nile!” Michael started his working career as an engineer with Rio Tinto Aluminium (previously known as Comalco) in Tasmania before going into management consulting, initially with McKinsey & Company and then Partners in Performance. Michael now heads up the Australian operations and is on the Global Executive Committee, advising mining and industrial companies as well as private equity firms. Michael was also a nonexecutive director of Coates Hire. When asked about his experience in business, Michael said, “A career in consulting was a natural choice for a kid with an inquisitive nature and energy to burn. I just soaked it all up – figuring out what drives business performance, how they operate, and how they can improve. I still feel like I’m learning every day.”

Colin Hughes OC 1917

Not many young men progress from student to teacher at the same school with no gap inbetween. Colin ‘Pee Wee’ Hughes was a student at BBC’s original Clayfield campus from 1912 to 1917, then joined the teaching staff in 1918, remaining until 1940. He began working with the primary year levels, progressing to teaching senior English, Accounting, Bookkeeping, and Auditing. As part of his own formal education, gaining qualifications as a teacher and accountant, Colin compiled a very useful volume called Stepping Stones to Accounting, which was published as a textbook. Colin was in the staff group that transferred from Clayfield to the current campus in Toowong. With the introduction of the House system in 1931, Colin became Housemaster of Wesley until his resignation. In 1932, the Headmaster offered a £10 prize for the first House to complete building their tennis court. Wesley won the competition and were able to loan their prize money for the construction of the first tuckshop in 1935. Needless to say, the loan was rapidly repaid. Following the outbreak of World War II, Colin resigned from the College to join the Australian Militia Forces in 1940, and the warmth of his send-off at his final assembly clearly indicated the affection and esteem in which he was held. The tribute to Colin in that year’s Portal read, “In all that he undertakes, he shows lively enthusiasm and limitless energy. He is endowed with a ready wit, a facile turn for light verse, and a generous and kindly nature.” After the war, Colin joined the staff of Blennerhassett’s Institute of Accountancy, a specialised educational institution training aspiring accountants. He managed it for some years before moving to the Queensland Meat Exporting Company and then the Australian Stockbroker Company. Colin later became Director and Company Secretary of the Queensland Trading and Holding Company, and under his efficient and careful stewardship, the business developed into a very profitable organisation. When the Old Collegians’ Association (OCA) was formed in 1920, he was appointed Joint Secretary. He was President of the OCA in 1926, a Vice President from 1927 to 1939, and President again from 1939 to 1940. During this time, he was responsible for organising many of the social and fundraising activities for the OCA. In 1917, Colin was the editor of The Clayfield Collegian in the magazine’s second year and also served as the editor of the OCA newsletter, The Old Collegian. On his return from military service, Colin again became very involved with the OCA.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Peter Hunt-Sharp OC 1991

Peter Hunt-Sharp attended BBC between 1985 and 1991 and was College Co-Captain, Wesley House Captain, and Captain of Tennis. During his time at the College, he represented BBC in cricket, tennis, and football. Peter studied a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) at the University of Southern Queensland before commencing his career in Brisbane as an accountant in public practice. He then gained membership into Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. In 2000, Peter moved to the UK and, until 2003, worked on a number of finance projects within global banks. In 2004, Peter moved to Singapore with Barclays and, until 2007, was a key member of the finance management team that designed and built the firm’s offshore finance function. In 2007, Peter took a lead project manager role for a number of the firm’s new business initiatives in the Asia Pacific. Of particular note was Barclays’ key global commodities project to enable physical trading, transportation, and delivery of crude and refined product on an inter- and intraregional scale. Between 2009 and 2016, Peter was Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer for Barclays in Australia (2009 to 2011) and later in Canada (2011 to 2016). As a member of the senior management team, he developed and implemented business growth strategies as well as projects focused on funding and capital-enhancing controls, increasing productivity, redesigning reporting, and providing scale to support business growth. Late in 2016, Peter relocated to the UK as the Finance Director of Barclays Business Banking. There, he helped develop and implement business growth and organisational change strategies focused on start-up businesses and those with turnover of up to £6.5 million, doing so until 2018. After 14 years with Barclays working in various countries around the world, Peter decided to step out of corporate life to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.

Scott Hutchinson OC 1976

On leaving the College, Scott joined the family construction company now known as Hutchinson Builders. The business was established in 1912, and Scott is the fourth generation to preside over it. Billed as one of the state’s greatest homegrown success stories, Hutchinson Builders was inducted into the Queensland 400 Hall of Fame and has been a near-permanent fixture on the Q400 list. At the heart of Hutchinson Builders, affectionately known as ‘Hutchies’, is their culture, which inherently shines through in all they do. As Scott leads the company through its second century, his vision is clear – to ensure Hutchinson Builders remains a vibrant, contemporary, and innovative company that maintains a healthy respect for traditional values and a proud heritage that has been crafted over more than 100 years. The company is widely recognised in the Australian construction industry and has adopted innovative approaches to management, construction, and employee relations. Scott and the company are also well known for their philanthropy, strongly supporting a wide range of cultural, sporting and community events. Scott Hutchinson’s generosity and love of music have presented Brisbane with a nostalgic yet invigorating gift to live music in the form of the Art Deco-inspired Fortitude Music Hall, which opened in 2019.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Dr David Ireland OC 1997

David Ireland studied a dual degree with a Bachelor of Science (Drug Design and Development) and a Bachelor of Business Management at The University of Queensland. He continued his studies with a post-graduate Honours year in Biochemistry. After this, David took a year off to travel across North America, Europe, and Asia. He considers this experience transformational, helping him to broaden his horizons and better understand the world and the role he wanted to play in it. On his return, he completed the first dual PhD in Australia in Medicinal Chemistry and Innovation. During this time, David published 13 academic papers, presented at many international conferences, and won several awards, including the Dean’s Award for outstanding thesis. Following his studies, David briefly undertook post-graduate research before transitioning into the commercialisation of university research at UniQuest, one of the world’s most successful technology transfer groups. For three years, he guided the licensing of several exciting technologies. David then moved to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) as the General Manager of International and Innovation Systems, where he helped define innovation policy for the CSIRO and Australia and helped support the activities of the CSIRO globally. After five years in this role, David then transitioned to ThinkPlace, a leading design agency committed to helping the world achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. As Chief Innovation Officer, David led projects with several clients, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development, and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In 2018, David was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Fellowship in not-for-profit leadership. He spent four months at Stanford University researching and working with leading academics and practitioners to design new methods for achieving large-scale behaviour change. During all these experiences, David was also investing in and building businesses. In 2019, he transitioned to working full-time for his own companies. He now works across businesses in fields as diverse as renewable energy, organisational behaviour change, public health, innovation consulting, and fintech. David holds multiple board positions across commercial and not-for-profit organisations, and he is an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University in the College of Engineering, Cybernetics, and Computing.

Tom Jack OC 1954

Tom Jack’s rowing career began under the guidance of school master and coach mentor Mr C.M. Goldburg and rowing doyen Mr Dave Magoffin in 1952. The following year, Tom coxed the First IV to third place in the Head of the River. After leaving BBC, Tom followed this success by winning both the 1954 Queensland VIIIs and Queensland Lightweight Four championships and coxing the Queensland Champion IV. These achievements were made as a member of the Toowong Rowing Club. Other victories followed at the Intervarsity Games in Melbourne and while coxing the Queensland King’s Cup crew in 1959 and 1960. Tom soon turned to coaching, and he trained triumphant Toowong and BBC crews throughout the next 50 years. Time commitments to state and national rowing permitting, Tom coached numerous College crews, including the Open First VIII, Under 16 First VIII, and Under 15 IV crews, to championship positions. Tom Jack’s dedication helped foster the careers of former BBC rowers and inspired them to achieve international recognition. Tom retired from actively coaching BBC crews at the end of the 2006 season but remained passionately interested in College rowing.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Jonathan Katahanas OC 2011

While at BBC, Jonathan ‘Jonno’ Katahanas played almost every sport on offer but dedicated much of his time to rowing, winning a Junior Head of the River regatta and competing as a member of the First VIII in his final two years. His pride and love of the school culminated in him becoming the Highlander in Year 12. While studying a dual Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Commerce at The University of Queensland (UQ), Jonno spent most of his time outside the lecture theatre. Moving from still water rowing to the surf lifesaving sport of surfboat rowing, Jonno won multiple state titles and a national title. He also represented Australia, rowing on the Thames as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee flotilla in 2012. While at UQ, Jonno helped co-found a local educational tech startup, Fiftysix, that built DIY tablet computer kits for kids. After working alongside fellow old boy Max Koopman (OC 2011) in this initial career venture, both moved on in 2015. While continuing his studies at UQ, Jonno joined Microsoft in late 2015 to run the Queensland Microsoft Innovation Centre. There, he worked closely with fast-growth startups and heads of the private and public sectors to build Queensland’s local innovation ecosystem. After graduating from UQ, Jonno left Microsoft and moved to Sydney in early 2017. He started as a Product Manager at Atlassian, one of Australia’s largest local tech companies. In 2023, Jonno relocated to San Francisco to run multiple product teams across the United States and Australia.

Matt Kesby OC 1994

Matt Kesby’s time at BBC taught him to work hard to achieve great results. He was heavily involved in the rowing program, including in the Under 14 Sixth Quad and as a member of the First VIII crew who famously won the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at the 1993 Henley Royal Regatta – the first Australian team ever to do so. In 2023, he was a major sponsor of the First VIII’s historic return to Henley on the 30th anniversary of that original win. After graduating from The University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Business, Matt was eager to get to work. He opened his first business at the age of 21 – a cafe on the Queensland University of Technology campus at Kelvin Grove. By age 23, he had designed and opened the award-winning Watt Modern Dining restaurant on the waterfront of the Brisbane Powerhouse. Employing 77 people and serving 2,500 to 3,500 guests per week, the venture was recognised for innovations in training and education. At 30 years of age, he transferred from the restaurant business to private equity and launched a tech startup into the headwinds of the Global Financial Crisis, a challenge that provided many lessons for future ventures. By 33, Matt was leading the strategy execution practice for Australia and New Zealand for the global leadership and consulting firm FranklinCovey. Over eight years, he worked with companies such as Dell, Pfizer, Coca-Cola, NSW Transport, and many more, radically driving results and changes in human behaviour. In 2014, Matt began a business in the Philippines known as GoTeam, a Results Enablement Organisation with an AI-first approach, employing over 1,100 people. The company was named Asia’s Most Promising SME (small or medium enterprise) at the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards in 2020. GoTeam makes 10 AI-enabled software products. In 2016, Matt was one of the founders of the payment automation platform SimpleRent, which grew from $0 to over $1.5 billion in transactions in under five years. The business was a finalist in the Payment Innovator of the Year category of the FinTech Awards. Matt now lives in Bali, Indonesia, and is about to launch an AI-Powered Interview Application, also enabling workers to come to Australia from the Philippines and Indonesia.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

John Loxton OC 1963

At BBC, John Loxton played tennis in the First IV from 1960 to 1963, winning both the Singles and Doubles Championships in his final three years and captaining the First IV in 1962 and 1963. John was opening batsman for BBC Cricket’s First XI from 1961 to 1963, with a joint GPS Premiership in 1962. He captained the First XI in 1963. After finishing school, John represented Western Suburbs District Cricket Club, progressing to First Grade in 1964, and was Captain of the Wests for three years in the 1970s, eventually retiring from club cricket in 1982. During the 1965/1966 season, John won selection in the Australian Universities’ XI and captained the Queensland Colts XI in 1966, followed by selection in the Queensland Sheffield Shield team, scoring a century on debut in Perth. John regularly opened the batting in the Queensland Sheffield Shield team until, in 1969, his skull was fractured during a match at the Old Trafford ground in England. This injury curtailed his representation in the Sheffield Shield competition, forcing his early retirement from firstclass cricket at the end of the 1969/1970 season at only 24 years of age. After completing a commerce degree at The University of Queensland in 1971, John worked in merchant banking in London and played club cricket with the Hampstead Club. On return to Brisbane, he entered the banking industry and, in 1983, founded a property and finance-based consultancy until his retirement in 2015. His son, Peter (OC 1996), attended BBC in the mid-1990s.

Chicri Maksoud HONORARY OLD COLLEGIAN 2021

I teach because I think that’s what I’m meant to do. It’s honestly the best job in the world. I love mathematics, and I think when you’re truly passionate about something, you naturally want to share that love with others. I love the idea of helping students to unravel their uniqueness. – Chicri Maksoud Students would entirely agree that Chicri Maksoud was an exceptional teacher and praise the impact he had on their learning. Chicri selflessly gave his own time to tutor students before school and during lunchtimes. He was extraordinarily committed to the development of his students, not only in mathematics but in life. This special gift was transposed from the classroom to the sporting field in the school’s cricket, rugby, athletics, and cross country programs. Chicri was also actively involved in Outward Bound and school camps. His positive attitude to life and family was exemplified in his attachment to the boys of Knox, Flynn, and Birtles Houses as a House Master and tutor. Underpinning all curricular and co-curricular programs was Chicri’s steadfast Christian belief, which was well demonstrated in the Inter-School Christian Fellowship group. Chicri was always delighted by the successes of his students in the classroom and in annual mathematical competitions. In 2019, Chicri’s BBC team was selected as one of the two top entries from Australia to compete in the International Mathematical Modelling Challenge (IM2C). They received a Meritorious Achievement for their efforts in developing a mathematic model to address a real-world problem concerning what might be a sustainable population for the Earth under current conditions. This remarkable educator also coordinated the accelerated learning program for mathematics, enabling gifted Senior Students to participate in university-level courses. In 2017, the Queensland College of Teachers’ Excellence in Teaching Awards recognised Chicri as a compassionate and dedicated teacher who took a leading role in enhancing teaching and learning for the boys of BBC for 38 years.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

James Massey OC 1968

OAM

James Massey is a 1994 foundation member of the Sugarloaf Rural Fire Brigade and currently serves as its First Officer. He was the Brigade Chairman from 2004 to 2005 and from 2007 to 2010. James was Secretary of Stanthorpe Combined Group from 2017 to 2018 before becoming Deputy Group Officer and Treasurer in 2018. He was also a member of the Liston Rural Fire Brigade from 1973 to 1994. He has held several positions in the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) and the Queensland Rural Fire Service, including as a QFES air observer from 2009 to 2018. Nowadays, James is called upon in extreme circumstances, such as during the Stanthorpe bushfires in September 2019, when he oversaw the Stanthorpe Aerodrome, commanding the water bombing campaign. Since 2015, he has been a member of the State Board of the Operational Strategic Working Group, which discusses, designs, and modifies equipment relating to the Rural Fire Service. James was a member of the Rotary Club of Stanthorpe from 1994 to 2008 and International Director from 2006 to 2008. He joined the Stanthorpe Agricultural Society in 1973 and was Chairman of the Fat Cattle Committee in 1978. He has been a co-compère of the Stanthorpe Show since 2018. He has been the compère of the Grand Parade of the Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival since 2014. Community-oriented family members have long served as role models for James. His mother fought for disability parking in Australia in 1976 and was given Permit No. 1 in 1987, while his grandfather was the Member for Toowong in Queensland State Parliament and Deputy Lord Mayor of Brisbane, officially opening the BBC Boat Shed in April 1934. Following in their footsteps for over 40 years, James has been unwavering in his determination to love and protect his community. In 2020, James received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for “service to the community through emergency response organisations” for his work for the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

Richard McDougall OC 1992

As a proud second-generation BBC boarder, Richard McDougall attended the College between 1988 and 1992. In his final year, Richard was Captain of Rudd House, a Prefect, and a crew member of the First VIII rowing team. Richard was also Captain of Boats in 1992, the same year that BBC won both the O’Connor Cup (for the Head of the River win by the First VIII) and the Old Boys’ Cup (for overall points scored across the GPS Competition) for the first time. Richard studied a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce at Bond University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Honours from The University of Queensland (UQ). In 2015, Richard was selected to represent UQ in a program aligned with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School MBA program. Richard’s career in financial markets spans more than 20 years. He has worked for banking and investment firms both domestically and abroad, including the Union Bank of Switzerland, Morgan Stanley, and the Westpac Group. In 2017, Richard co-founded Hamilton12 with Jason Hall (OC 1992), another BBC Old Boy and presently a lecturer in finance at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. In partnership with S&P Dow Jones Indices, Hamilton12 creates investable indices and evidence-based, systematic investment strategies for investors in Australia and overseas.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Matthew McEwen OC 1988

During his time at BBC, Matthew McEwen has served as a leader in several diverse roles. From 1995, students knew Mr McEwen as an athletics coach and Christian Education teacher, studying toward a Master of Religious Education. Since 2016, Matt has served as BBC’s Director of Boarding. In the world of international athletics, Matt is known as a decathlete who amassed 7,825 points to win the silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Claiming 10 Queensland titles and several podium placings as Australia’s number one decathlete, Matt was awarded the honour of leading many teams to international events, including as Captain of the 2002 Oceania team at the IAAF World Cup in Athletics in Madrid, joint Captain of the Australian Athletics Team at the East Asian Games in 2001, Captain of The University of Queensland Athletics Team at the 2003 Oceania Championships in Samoa, and Vice Captain of the Australian Athletics Team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. His most prestigious honour was his selection on behalf of all Commonwealth Games teams to welcome Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip to the Athletes’ Village at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games. Furthermore, the Australian team chose both Matt and Cathy Freeman as their representatives to sit at the luncheon table with the Queen and Prince Philip. In giving back to his sport, Matt has been the fundraising and social coordinator of The University of Queensland Athletics Club. He has previously been the Vice President and President of the Club since joining the association in 2006 and has played similar roles at BBC through his Inter-School Christian Fellowship involvement. Matt’s motto is, “The pain of training is nothing compared to the pain of defeat”, and this mantra helps motivate him with the determination to work hard and reach his goals. As a decathlete, Matt’s highest ranking in Australia was tenth on the Australian All-Time List, and 46th in the world in 2002. Matthew McEwen has been a highly respected team member who has assumed the mantle of leadership in many roles.

Darren Middleton OC 1988

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

The annual BBC Darren Middleton Songwriting Competition is judged by and named in honour of renowned musician Darren Middleton. He was the lead guitarist and songwriter in the band Powderfinger, who won 18 ARIA awards throughout their career. An initial period as a cover band transformed into the heady days of the early 1990s before Darren began his solo career as a singer-songwriter. Darren’s first solo album, Transitions, epitomises his move from the glare and publicity of large popular concerts to a quieter, more reflective performer in more intimate surroundings. By returning to BBC to judge the Songwriting Competition, he has inspired current rock musicians to continue their efforts in performing and writing. Darren explains, “These initiatives are so important. Even if nothing comes of their musical career, it’s still a passion that should be encouraged.”

Dr David Nimmo

BEM

OC 1945

David Nimmo was a competitive College sportsman. Known as Nimble-Foot Nimmo, he won Colours for athletics and rowing and was Captain of Boats in 1945, a year the College won the unofficial Head of the River while GPS competitions were suspended during World War II. David went on to earn a degree in Medicine from The University of Queensland in 1951. He continued his studies in both Scotland and Australia. In 1978, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG) and then, in 1979, a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). He pioneered the first intensive care unit in a regional hospital in Queensland. David was a Life Member of the RACP, the RCPSG, and the Australian Medical Association Queensland. From 1953 to 1982, David held the rank of Captain, Reserve Officer of the Australian Army. From 1960 to 1991, he was a consultant physician to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. David maintained a heavy involvement with community groups in the Gympie region of Queensland. This included being President and a lifetime member of the local Apex and Lion Clubs, as well as President of the local kindergarten and the primary school’s Parents and Citizens’ Association. David founded and was President of the local Meals on Wheels. He was also involved in the Blue Nursing Service and the Red Shield Appeal, also serving as chieftain of the Gympie Caledonian Pipe Band. This involvement was recognised with David being awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for service to the community. David passed on 23 January 2018.

Frederick ‘John’ Noblet OC 1942

In appreciation of his time spent at BBC, Frederick ‘John’ Noblet left a bequest to the College, with the money being used in the construction of College Hall and in the laser levelling and resurfacing of Main Oval. John was a gifted scholar and a keen sportsman who represented the College in cricket, athletics, and hockey. In 1940, while in Year 10, he was selected in the First XI, achieved Colours in athletics as a middle-distance runner and played in a trophy-winning hockey team. John’s generous bequest allowed for the draining, irrigation, resurfacing, and re-grassing of Main Oval. On 25 September 2013, BBC renamed Main Oval in his honour.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Andrew Northcott OC 2001

Andrew Northcott played rugby for the Second XV and was Captain of Sailing during his years at the College. Before studying property economics at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Andrew worked on a large cattle station in the Gulf of Carpentaria, 1,600 kilometers northwest of Brisbane. At the age of 21, while studying at university with $800 and a laptop, Andrew founded his first business – Labour Solutions Australia, a diversified workforce management company that went on to become one of Australia’s leading private workforce businesses. He and his business partner Ken Warriner (OC 1960) owned Labour Solutions Australia for 11 years, during which time it was awarded five times by BRW magazine and was the only business in the 25-year history of the BRW Fast 100 list to be named one of the top ten fastest-growing companies in Australia for three consecutive years. After selling Labour Solutions Australia, Andrew established various other enterprises, including Roubler, a global software company; Austpec Pastoral, a Wagyu beef producer; and Hazelwood Estate, a luxury boutique hotel in the Gold Coast hinterland. Andrew was also an early investor in his brother, Tom Northcott’s (OC 2003) energy company, Vecco Group, which established the first vanadium electrolyte processing facility in Australia and is developing a mine in North West Queensland producing large-scale batteries for Australia’s energy transition. Andrew has now established a private investment company, Wattlestone, based in Brisbane, which has interests in real estate, energy and resources, business services, food and agriculture, and financial assets, covering the United States, Singapore, Europe, and Australia. Andrew has been recognised as a finalist in the Queenslander of the Year Awards, the Australian Institute of Management’s Manager of the Year Awards, and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and was awarded QUT’s Young Alumnus of the Year Award in 2015. Andrew is a Harvard Business School alumnus, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from QUT, and graduated from the Entrepreneurial Masters Program of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Thomas Northcott OC 2003

Rugby was a real passion for Tom Northcott during his time at BBC, including a run in the First XV in his final year. He was awarded Half Colours (Crown) for Australian rules football and Half Colours for Sailing, as well as being a keen participant in gymnastics and cricket. During his tenure at the College, he was the 1999 Year 8 GPS Gymnastics Champion, a member of the 1999 Open Sailing GPS Champions crew, and part of the winning team of the 2001 Queensland Independent Schools Competition for Australian rules football. After graduating from BBC, Tom studied law at Bond University, followed by a Master of Laws at the Queensland University of Technology. He pursued a career as a lawyer in the Resources and Environment Department of a major national law firm. In 2011, at the age of only 25, a chance encounter led to his hiring as General Counsel for the Jellinbah Group, a multibillion-dollar mining business. Greg Chalmers, the CEO of this company, became a close mentor. “He used to joke that he would be working for me one day,” Tom recalls. In 2014, Tom struck out on his own to form the Vecco Group, an independent energy company. “It was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done,” Tom says, “and it was only persistence over a long period that saw it become a success.” The Vecco Group is now the first company in Australia, and the largest outside China, to manufacture vanadium electrolytes for large batteries, something that promises to be a vital part of Australia’s transition to renewable energy. With the success of the Vecco Group, Tom’s old boss was proven correct when he was appointed the company’s Chairman. In addition to his work at the Vecco Group, Tom is Chairman of Graphinex, a battery anode company, and the Director of the Queensland Renewable Energy Council. He also served as Director of CopperCorp until its sale in 2023. A dedicated family man, Tom remains close friends with many of his fellow Old Collegians and looks back on his time at BBC with fondness.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Donald O’Rorke OC 1977

A keen sports enthusiast, Don O’Rorke participated in a variety of team and individual sports at BBC, including rugby, rowing, cross country, and athletics. He was a drummer in the BBC Pipe Band. In his final year, Don achieved success with selection in the First XV rugby team and as stroke of the First VIII rowing team, while also an age champion in cross country and athletic events. Following his studies at BBC, Don attended the Queensland University of Technology and completed a Bachelor of Business before diving into the workforce and the world of real estate. As co-founder, current CEO, and Chairman of Consolidated Properties Group, Don has successfully shaped the company over 40 years to its current $2.3 billion development pipeline. Don is devoted to instilling strong values into the business and is focused on building sound and lasting relationships with stakeholders and business partners. He proudly encourages a fun working environment, a healthy worklife balance, and equal opportunities in the workplace. Furthermore, Don values and supports multiple philanthropic initiatives that benefit the community. He is also a member of the Reserve Bank’s Small Business Finance Advisory Panel, the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board, and the Better Brisbane Alliance. Don was previously Chairman of BBC Foundation Limited and is the current Chair of the BBC Council. Don’s previous non-executive directorships have included time as the Director of Brisbane Marketing, President of the Property Council of Australia (Queensland), Director and Deputy Chairman of the Wesley Research Institute, and Chairman of Links Hope Island Golf Club. He was a board member of Surfing Australia for 12 years, and in 2017, he was made an honorary life member for his service to the organisation. He has also served as a board member on the Brisbane Old Museum Advisory Board. When asked about his time at the College, Don commented that while he may not have been the best student, his time at BBC undoubtedly helped shape him into the person he has grown into today. To further this tradition, Don has entrusted his five sons to a BBC education at a school where he made firm friends that continue to impact his life both socially and professionally.

Graham Packer OC 1963

A loyal husband, father, brother, and friend, Graham led a positive and faith-filled life that embodied the values of BBC. At BBC, Graham was a boarder and an all-round student. A member of the First XI and cox of a rowing eight, Graham also played rugby and Australian rules football during his time at BBC, developing his lifelong passion for sport. Graham was also an enthusiastic violinist in the fledgling orchestra and a kettledrummer in the College Pipe Band. Upon graduating, Graham joined the Bank of New South Wales, later Westpac, where he worked for over a decade in various roles across Brisbane, Tara, Murgon, and Aramac. In the mid-1970s, Graham left the banking industry and joined his brother Lindsay (OC 1961) in the family tanning business. Together, they built it into Packer Leather, an international supplier to major athletic footwear brands, which continues to this day as a successful intergenerational family business. Graham was considered a visionary who invested in his community and understood the importance of governance in good management. He was respected as a man of great strength, honour, integrity, wisdom, and faith. Graham was a member of Chermside Methodist Church and the Methodist Church Youth Orchestra. He then joined Citipointe Church, Mansfield, where he voluntarily served for over four decades on the Committee of Management as a Member, as Chair of Christian Heritage College, and as Chair of Citipoint Christian College. A strong supporter of independent educational institutions, Graham invested in BBC and also served as a Council Member for Christian Heritage College for 14 years, a Community Council Member for Clayfield College, a Board Member for Youth for Christ and 96.5 Radio, and was honoured as a long-standing supporter of Red Frogs. Graham was recognized as a Fellow of Christian Heritage College and a Fellow of Associated Christian Schools. A devoted husband for over 52 years, Graham is survived by his wife, Addie; his children and children-in-law, Daniela, Joel and Alison, and Stephanie and Adam; and his five grandchildren.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Lindsay Packer OC 1961

Pipe Band and involvement in cricket and rugby were Lindsay Packer’s interests during his time as a boarder at BBC, where he relished every opportunity to build friendships with his neighbours in the Boarding House. Upon concluding his studies, he went to work for the Packer family business. Now known for its legendary tannery operations, wool was also a major component of the company at the time, and Lindsay quickly discovered a passion for wool classing and scouring. He attended night school for wool classers, gaining Honours on completing the course, and was sent to expand his skills in the classing pool of the Australian Estates Company. While there, he also spent time in the shearing sheds of Western Queensland before returning to the family business in Chermside, Brisbane, to put his knowledge and skills to use. In 1965, the family decided to close the sheep/ wool section of the business, and in 1967, following the death of Lindsay’s father, the decision was made to relocate the whole operation away from Chermside, where it had been since 1891. The suburb had become too built up, and the government had recently reclaimed 14 of the Packers’ 64 acres of land, making it difficult to continue operating there. The tannery (minus the wool) found a new home in Narangba, where it has remained ever since. Since arriving at Narangba in 1972, the business has been overhauled and refitted with modern and sophisticated equipment. Lindsay served as Packer Leather’s Managing Director for over 50 years, eventually becoming Chairman of the Board. Under his stewardship, the family business has celebrated over 130 years of operation. Packer Leather is the world’s leading manufacturer of kangaroo leather. The use of cutting-edge technology allows for greater productivity and gives the company its reputation as Australia’s most efficient producer of sporting and fashion leather. Product and research development, coupled with innovation, has propelled the brand to international recognition as an industry leader. The successful production of bovine leather for Kookaburra Sport in Melbourne to create the perfect day/night cricket ball in 2012 was a testament to the company’s innovation. Reflecting on Packer Leather’s prosperity and acclaim, Lindsay believes that success starts with a dream and that “the passion, dedication, and values of belief that originated when Joseph Packer founded the company in 1891 have endured.”

Squadron Leader Beaufort Palmer DFC OC 1938

Beau Palmer played BBC Rugby in the College First XV at age 15 and was in the Head of the River-winning rowing crew for two years. While still at school, he learnt to fly aeroplanes and joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1939, where he was a Senior Instructor and then an Operational Commanding Officer. He was the first pilot to land an aircraft at RAAF Base Amberley in July 1940. He was recognised as one of the finest wartime pilot instructors and as a man who proudly wore the uniform but lived life by his own rules. He was once disciplined after damaging his aircraft during a forced landing on a Coorparoo street after performing aerobatics above the home of his future wife. Beau’s operational career saw him based in the New Guinea theatre of World War II, flying more than 100 sorties. During a reconnaissance search and destroy mission over Bougainville in a Boomerang fighter aircraft, he sighted what appeared to be Japanese tanks hidden at the edge of tall timber near advancing Australian troops and confirmed his suspicions by strafing the position. Returning to base, he exchanged planes for a Wirraway military aircraft and then led his squadron and a group of New Zealand Corsairs on a mission that destroyed four enemy tanks as they were preparing to attack a close and vulnerable Australian Army battalion. United States intelligence had specifically ruled out enemy tanks in Bougainville, so Australian troops carried no anti-tank weapons. This action to neutralise the tank threat was viewed as so significant that Beau was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). Shortly afterwards, near the end of the war, Beau was wounded after stepping on a landmine near his air base, Piva. After a leg amputation, 18 months of recovery, and learning to walk with an artificial limb, he started a new life on a sheep/ wheat property near Warra without any prior farming experience. With assistance from other local World War II veterans, he made a success of life on the land and played a significant role in the Limbless Soldiers Association for the rest of his life. He also enjoyed flying hundreds of hours of long-range fieldwork in the Northern Territory with his son, Arthur (OC 1970), as co-pilot.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Morgan Parker OC 1991

Morgan Parker is a highly successful international executive, a humanitarian adventurer, a devoted family man, and a proud Old Collegian. Known for his hard work and natural leadership, Morgan served as College Captain, received numerous academic prizes, was president of the local youth Rotary club, served on the Lord Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, and was runnerup in the Lions Youth of the Year competition. He was also heavily involved in sports, representing the College in rugby and swimming and as a member of the First VIII rowing crew and the First V basketball team. Morgan was awarded a scholarship to study law at Bond University and completed his degree in 1994 at 19 years of age before commencing a career in real estate investment banking. He relocated to Asia in 1997 and experienced a rapid rise, becoming one of the Asia-Pacific region’s most respected executives. Over the course of his career, Morgan consummated 65 complex multilateral cross-border deals and successfully completed highly consequential development projects in every real estate sector, totalling more than $20 billion. He has worked in 14 countries and lived in the United Kingdom, China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates. A unique feature of Morgan’s career is his nation-building experience envisioning and developing six new cityscale districts globally. He is also an internationally sought-after speaker and mentor on the topics of future cities, cross-cultural joint ventures, and philanthropic action. Morgan believes in leadership with conscience. In 2009, he founded the non-profit organisation Wheel2Wheel to raise awareness and facilitate financial assistance to brilliant yet under-recognised charitable organisations throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Wheel2Wheel achieves this by undertaking extensive research on humanitarian issues and charities, staging epic expeditions, and then producing documentary television series for global broadcast. In his first adventure, Morgan travelled from Hong Kong to Brisbane, visiting ten charities and covering 25,000 kilometres in 125 days. Wheel2Wheel has been seen by over ten million households and funded ten critical projects for charities focused on children’s education, women’s equality, HIVinfected orphans, biodiversity, animal cruelty, poverty alleviation, and Indigenous knowledge conservation. Morgan has a rare passion, integrity, intelligence, and ability to inspire people from all walks of life. He is now applying these attributes as a strategic advisor to some of the world’s most influential leaders and as a portfolio board member serving organisations such as Newcastle Airport, SunCentral, Garda Property Group, Saudi Entertainment Ventures, and Qiddiya Coast. Morgan remains involved in the BBC community and has revisited the College on many occasions to share his experiences with the students. He is also the former Chair of the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association (PMSA), which owns BBC, Somerville House, Clayfield College, and the Sunshine Coast Grammar School.

Kieren Perkins

OAM

OC 1991

Kieren Perkins began swimming at the age of eight as part of his rehabilitation for a serious leg injury. He followed the pool’s black line with outstanding success until his retirement from competitive swimming in 2000 at the age of 27. He was the Captain of Swimming at the College in 1990 and 1991. Considered one of Australia’s greatest distance swimmers, he amassed fifteen gold medals in the Olympic (two medals), Commonwealth (four medals), World (two medals), and Pan Pacific (seven medals) Games. He established eleven world records and is the current holder of eight world records, three Commonwealth records, and fifteen Australian records. He is the first person in history to hold Olympic, Commonwealth, World, and Pan Pacific titles simultaneously. Kieren received the 1992 Young Australian of the Year Award and, in 1993, was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). He has also received many other state and national awards, such as Hall of Fame recognition, and has been appointed to the Swimming Australia Board. Since retirement from competitive swimming, Kieren has worked in broadcast media and has had a successful career in the banking business sector. He was a Commissioner for the Australian Sports Commission (2001 to 2007) and President of Swimming Australia (2020 to 2021) after being a Board Member from 2001 to 2008 and from 2019 to 2021. With over a decade to prepare for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games, Kieren Perkins was announced as the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Sports Commission in late 2021. He was thrilled and honoured to accept this significant and strategic role.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Andrew Pike OC 1972

Andrew Pike commenced as a boarder in 1967, hailing from a mining family in country Queensland. Fortunately, Boarding House Master Colin Savage and Deputy Headmaster Pete Lawton, both World War II Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Officers, were mentors in helping him achieve excellence in co-curricular activities. Andrew gained selection twice in the Queensland State Schoolboys Cricket Team and was the Captain of the BBC Cricket First XI and the Vice Captain of the BBC Rugby First XV. He served as a Prefect and was the Senior Cadet Under Officer in the Air Training Corps. Change requiring flexibility and resilience is a consistent theme throughout Andrew’s career. Having enrolled in law at The University of Queensland, he unexpectedly moved with his family to Western Australia, where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Western Australia. Whilst at university, he was commissioned as an Officer in the RAAF Reserve and selected for the 102 RAAF Pilot Course, completing initial flying training at RAAF Base Point Cook. He commenced his commercial career with Alcoa of Australia, moving to become Western Australian state manager for Hutchison Telecommunications and then Perth Practice Leader for KPMG’s Human Resources Management Consulting Division. He then successfully established his own human resources management consultancy before personally building his own home and retiring to the Western Australian Wheatbelt. He is happily married with three adult children and reflects that in addition to flexibility and resilience, BBC embedded sound values that have facilitated the transformational impacts of change in his life. The mottos of the College and the RAAF have proven to be sources of endless inspiration. SIT SINE LABE DECUS and PER ARDUA AD ASTRA. LET HONOUR STAINLESS BE and THROUGH ADVERSITY TO THE STARS.

Stephen Pyman OC 1978

During his time at BBC, Stephen Pyman participated in rugby, cross country, and cricket, including as a member of the First XI cricket team with an undefeated season in the 10As cricket team. These experiences have served him well in his professional life. “The training and the teamwork helped me in my business journey,” Steve explained. After graduating from BBC, Steve obtained a Bachelor of Laws at the Queensland University of Technology, followed by a Master of Laws. He quickly made a name for himself in legal circles, specialising in construction law. His career has included pioneering the use of Green Bonds in energy-rated buildings, authoring the three-volume construction law textbook Queensland Building Service, and an eight-year tenure as a Partner at Holding Redlich, one of Australia’s most esteemed commercial law firms. In 2014, Steve became the Director and a Founding Principal of CDI Lawyers, which specialises in construction law. During his time with CDI, he has been recognised as a leading construction lawyer in eight consecutive editions of Doyle’s Guide, an industry-renowned catalogue of the nation’s best legal practitioners. Steve has been involved in some of Australia’s biggest building projects, including the iconic 90-storey Brisbane Skytower, the mammoth Queen’s Wharf project in the Brisbane CBD, and the upcoming STH BNK by Beulah skyscraper development in Melbourne, which, once completed, will include the tallest building in Australia. Reflecting on his success, Steve explains, “I have found that if you do more than what you are asked to do, then work will follow. You cannot chase success – you have to attract it.” Steve has remained heavily involved in the BBC community. His sons Josh (OC 2014) and Jay (OC 2022) both attended the College from Year 4 to Year 12, which Steve describes as a great thrill. This inspired him to offer his support, and he served with distinction as a Member of the Old Collegians’ Association Executive and the BBC Foundation. During his time working with the Foundation, he helped establish BBC’s Indigenous Bursary Program and assisted in raising funds to increase the size of the Boarding House. Steve continues to keep in contact with his former classmates and credits his experiences at BBC as an important component in their collective success. “I still see my year group for lunch every year,” he said. “It is incredible how many of them have achieved huge success in business. I put a lot of this down to the BBC culture.”

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Timothy Robinson OC 1995

Timothy Robinson was a keen participant in academics and sports at the College. His time at BBC fostered his curiosity, a love of learning, and a wonderful group of lifelong friends. After earning a Bachelor of Commerce at The University of Queensland, Tim moved to London and applied for a job with a hedge fund. He had no idea what a hedge fund was, but he felt he was at the bottom of a ladder that he wanted to climb. Tim grabbed the opportunity, displaying a commitment to the tasks at hand and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. He was soon promoted to become the firm’s youngest trader. This was the beginning of a 20-year career with Elliott Investment Management. Elliott is one of the world’s most successful hedge funds. The firm considers capital preservation key to its investment philosophy. This premise drives the approach to risk, which means not trying to pick the market but rather looking for inefficiencies. In 2005, Tim was promoted to Head of the Asian Trading Business based in Hong Kong. Tenacity, creativity, and a willingness to be the deciders of one’s own outcomes saw the firm successfully navigate through the Global Financial Crisis and beyond, with assets under management swelling from around 1.8 billion USD when Tim joined to around 60 billion USD today. Tim’s senior position at Elliott gave him access to global leaders and specialists in banking, industry, and politics. He considered it a privilege to be in the role and became known not just for his ability to manage money but for the respect with which he treated his colleagues and business contacts and the encouragement and time he gave to those he interacted with. Tim believes a desire for continuous learning, an appreciation of what others have to offer, respect for all people you interact with, and not being scared of hard work is paramount to building a successful career that you can be proud of.

Peter Roe OC 1966

During his time at BBC, Peter Roe was College Captain and was an accomplished sportsman who gained selection in the GPS swimming and rugby teams, including two years in the rugby First XV. For five years, Peter was a member of the athletics team and was its Captain in 1966. He was a Cadet Under Officer in the final of his four years in the Cadet Corps. After graduating with a degree in Agricultural Science from The University of Queensland (UQ), Peter undertook research in pasture agronomy. He then took a position as an environmental scientist with the planning and environmental consultancy of Cameron McNamara Pty Ltd. Over 14 years with the consultancy, he was involved in environmental and land use planning studies, including the potential development of Moreton Island following sand mining, the development of the Jabiru township in the Northern Territory, agricultural assessment associated with the impacts of the construction of the Bradfield Water Diversion Scheme, assessments for the NSW Water Plan, assessments for the construction of offshore structures on the Great Barrier Reef, a conservation plan for the Burke and Wills Dig Tree, and environmental impact studies for new coal mines in Central Queensland. In 1988, he was employed by BHP as an environmental manager for their coal operations in Central Queensland. This involved coordination of environmental management of eight coal mines and two coal ports, coordination of the transitions of the operations to a changing environmental regime, and coordination of the preparation of regulatory documentation. There was a focus on detailing mined land rehabilitation strategies, advice on rehabilitation programs, coordination of reviews and upgrades of water management, waste management, and reviewing the effectiveness of rehabilitation and water management and monitoring. He was involved in coordinating the preparation of environmental impact studies for new mines such as Poitrel, Caval Ridge, and Red Hill. He provided input as an industry representative to the regulatory regime for mines in Queensland, including conditions for environmental authorities, regulated dams, and mined land rehabilitation. He also coordinated the research and application of mined land rehabilitation technology. Peter was the inaugural Chair of the Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation within the Sustainable Minerals Institute at UQ. He also served on the environmental advisory boards at Central Queensland University and Griffith University and as an industry representative in the Management Committee of the Fitzroy Partnership for River Health.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Norbury Rogers

OC 1957

Norbury Rogers participated in a wide range of activities while at BBC, representing the College in the tennis First IV, rugby First XV, and cricket First XI teams, the latter of which he was Captain of in Years 11 and 12. He was also a member of the Queensland Combined GPS First XV rugby and First XI cricket teams, the latter of which he also captained. He was College Vice Captain and an Under Officer in the College’s Cadet Corps. Norbury has had a long and distinguished business career, commencing work at an accounting firm whilst studying part-time for a Bachelor of Commerce at The University of Queensland (UQ). He continued to play competitive grade sport and completed National Service training, achieving the rank of Corporal in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps. Four years after obtaining his university degree, Norbury joined the partnership of his first accounting firm, later becoming the managing partner of Arthur Young & Co.’s operations in Queensland. A subsequent merger saw Norbury become the managing partner of Ernst & Young’s Queensland and Papua New Guinea operations. Upon his retirement from the partnership in the mid-1990s, Norbury remained a senior consultant to the firm whilst assuming a range of leadership roles across the broader community. Norbury took on numerous board and committee member roles, including with the Queensland Ports Corporation, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), the CSIRO, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), Suncorp Metway Investment Management, Magellan Petroleum Australia, and the Golden Casket Lottery Corporation, for which he served as Chair. Norbury is a strong believer in giving back to the community that supports you. Always an avid supporter of the College, he was a President and committee member of the Old Collegians’ Association, a member of the College School Council, and a valued confidant for many in the College community. He was a long-term member of the UQ Senate, a Chair and board member for a number of UQ companies (including UniQuest), Chair of Gatton College, on the executive of the UQ cricket and tennis clubs, Chair of the Australian Olympic Games Team Fund Appeal Committee (Brisbane) and an honorary trustee of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA). In recognition of his contribution to the community, Norbury was awarded the Australian Sports Medal and the Centenary Medal in 2001 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2002. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Economics by The University of Queensland in 2005. Norbury remains an extremely proud and passionate Old Collegian whose time at BBC played a significant part in his life.

Dr John Sagar OC 1936

John Sagar was one of the 193 students who transferred from Clayfield to the new College campus at Toowong. In his final year, he was Captain of Knox House and a member of the rowing First IV. John graduated in dentistry from The University of Queensland (UQ) in 1942 and was immediately hired as a lecturer. In 1948, he obtained a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Toronto. On his return from Canada, he was made a Senior Lecturer at UQ and then promoted to Reader in 1952. John was appointed Sub-Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry and Acting Professor in 1963, becoming Dean and Head of Department in 1970. He was a member of UQ’s Professorial Board and Head of the Department of Oral Surgery from 1975 to 1982. In all, Dr Sagar gave 42 years of outstanding service to the University at large, the Dental Faculty in general, and the Department of Oral Surgery in particular. He retired in 1983. John held Specialist/Visiting Medical Officer appointments at all the major Brisbane metropolitan general hospitals. He was a great supporter of the commitment to oral and maxillofacial surgery training within these hospitals. He also served as President of the Queensland branch of the Australian Dental Association; as an inaugural Fellow, Councillor, and President of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons; and on the executive of the Australian and New Zealand division of the International Association for Dental Research. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977, elected to the International College of Dentists in 1972, elected to Life Membership of the Australian Dental Association in 1984, and elected to Honorary Life Membership of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in 1997.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Kurt Sakzewski OC 1991

Kurt Sakzewski is a third-generation Collegian, following on from his father, Geoffrey Sakzewski (OC 1962), and his grandfather, Geoffrey ‘Sidney’ Sakzewski (OC 1933), before him. Kurt began at the College in Year 5 and continued into the Senior School as part of Knox House. In addition to his studies, Kurt was an active member of BBC’s basketball, soccer, and rowing programs as well as the Drama Club. After achieving a Bachelor of Business (Communications) from the Queensland University of Technology, Kurt joined his father in running the family business, Lakeside International Raceway, on the north side of Brisbane. From there, Kurt joined Supercars Australia in 2001 as part of the Motorsport Department and, in 2005, was made the Head of Motorsport, overseeing all Supercars races in Australia and overseas, including events in Shanghai, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi. In 2014, Kurt left Supercars, relocated to Melbourne, and took over the Motorsport Program for Porsche, managing their events and motorsport operations across Australia. He then returned to Supercars in 2017, taking on the role of General Manager of Operations and happily relocating his young family back home to Brisbane. During his time at Supercars, Kurt was the project lead on not only the international events but also brought to life the Newcastle 500 – the first new street circuit in Australia in nearly a decade. During Kurt’s career in motorsport, he worked for some of the biggest brands both nationally and internationally and was also appointed to the Motorsport Australia National Track Safety Advisory Committee. After the COVID-19 pandemic changed the sporting and events landscape in Australia, Kurt pivoted into a management role with Gibson Freight, the leading events freight business in Australia, where he oversees the movement of freight for Formula One, MotoGP, and Supercars events. As a father of two, Kurt looks forward to his son, Nicholas, becoming a fourth-generation Collegian in years to come.

Anthony Senanayake OC 2006

During his time at BBC, Tony Senanayake was involved in debating, chess, tennis, and cricket before going on to complete tertiary studies in law and commerce at The University of Queensland. He then gained a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney and graduated with an MBA from the Yale School of Management as one of the Best and Brightest in 2020, where he was also Co-President and Vice Captain of the Yale Grad Rugby Team. As the manager of HDInsight in Washington, DC, United States, and Delhi, India, Tony works within a non-traditional international development consulting field. He is enthusiastic about using data and evidence to help alleviate poverty worldwide. Tony discovered this passion at Deloitte, where he worked as a consultant whilst completing an online MITx MicroMasters program in Data, Economics, and Development Policy. Entering business school with a clear vision, Tony led a team in consultation with neighbourhood participants, including homeless youth, and created a shelter using a human-centred design approach that best satisfied local community needs. In collaboration with fellow students, Tony experienced the reality of the challenges faced by small not-forprofit organisations helping those in desperate need. Tony’s belief in the Yale philosophy “to educate leaders for business and society” inspired him to work on development projects in five different countries: Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Zambia, India, and Sri Lanka. Visiting and speaking to Sierra Leone government leaders, multinational development professionals, and members of rural communities provided him with the understanding to prepare policy briefs and position papers that were used to educate potential funders and decision-makers. Designing a monitoring and evaluation framework became a reality in India when the team visited and worked with an enterprise partner. Tony hopes to be involved in influencing education policy, as he believes that it is the catalyst for development and that there is a significant opportunity to better use evidence to design more effective and efficient policies that could have far-reaching positive effects on global poverty.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Sir Frank ‘Victor’ Sharpe KCMG OBE ED

OC 1922

Brisbane entrepreneur Sir Frank ‘Victor’ Sharpe was knighted for his services to the aviation industry. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) and was also appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 1978, he was honoured as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) for his distinguished service to the community. He also earned an Efficiency Decoration (ED) for his 12 years of military service. Known only as ‘Victor’, he was a radio and aviation pioneer, building and operating Queensland’s first commercial broadcasting station, 4MB, though it never went to air. His Australian company was the first to import Bell Sioux helicopters. Victor was a lifelong innovator and inventor whose creative endeavours helped to create new industries. Even in retirement, on his experimental Redland Bay farm, Victor developed the Sharwil avocado, which is sold worldwide.

William ‘Bruce’ Shearer OC 1941

At BBC, William ‘Bruce’ Shearer is remembered as having distinct literary gifts and making valuable contributions to the Portal. Bruce gave his life during World War II so that his Wellington bomber crew might escape. After enlisting in the RAAF in January 1941, Bruce completed his initial training at Amberley Air Base and was posted to Pershore, Worcestershire, England, for training with Wellington bombers. In April 1942, he was sent with No. 12 Squadron (RAF) to Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England, where he began flying as a second pilot on operations over Essen, Dortmund, Hamburg, and Rostock in Germany. He had five operational flights as second pilot. The Thousand-Bomber Raid over Germany was mounted on the night of 30/31 May 1942, and Flying Officer (FO) W.B. Shearer was promoted to First Pilot and Captain. On course for Cologne, Germany, the starboard engine of Wellington II Z8643 caught fire shortly after crossing the Dutch coast. When the flames spread to the wing and fuselage, the captain ordered his crew to bail out while he held the plane under control. Bruce’s crew of two RAAF and two RNZAF parachuted to safety but were captured and became prisoners of war. Bruce, 20 years old, left his escape from the aircraft too late. In a letter to his brother, John Clarence (OC 1942), Bruce’s wing commander wrote, “Your brother was one of the most promising of my officers and will be sadly missed. He was extremely popular with both officers and men of his squadron.”

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Russell Shields OC 1966

After being strongly involved in sport at BBC through the cricket First XI and rugby First XV, Russell Shields initially studied Veterinary Science at The University of Queensland but was drawn to the commercial world rather thanthe academic one. Russell undertook a management traineeship with the tyre company Michelin and opened the Queensland branch before deciding his future lay in the burgeoning finance industry. In Queensland, he worked for Associated Securities Limited, a retail vehicle and property finance company, where he advanced to Sales Manager for the Brisbane area. He was then headhunted to join the forerunner to Citibank in Australia, where he spent the next seven years. In 1985, Russell was again headhunted to establish and manage the Queensland commercial banking operations for The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) before transferring to Sydney to set up their Financial Institutions business for Australia and New Zealand. In 1997, Russell moved to Hong Kong to take over the Asian and Oceania regions of the HSBC Financial Institutions Group and, after three years, was promoted to Managing Director of Transport, Logistics, Infrastructure, and Construction for all geographies between the Middle East and New Zealand – half of the world. After retiring from Hong Kong, Russell relocated to Sydney for 12 months before returning to Brisbane to enjoy life and play some golf in 2007. However, in 2008 he established and chaired a shipping company, Maritime Capital Shipping, in Hong Kong. The company, which managed 17 bulk carriers, was sold to Greek interests in 2009. In mid-2008, Russell was asked to join ANZ as Queensland and Northern Territory Chairman, owing to his knowledge of the Queensland market and his Asian experience and connections. Officially retiring in 2014 permitted time for involvement on boards and in non-executive roles, namely as President of Indooroopilly Golf Club, steering them through the financial aftereffects of the 2011 Brisbane floods, and floating Eclipx Group, a fleet management organisation, on the ASX in 2015. Russell received requests to join the board of directors of Retail Food Group, a large food franchising company, and Aquis Entertainment, an ASX-listed company, the latter of which he remains at in the role of Chairman. Drawing on his vast international experience and knowledge, Russell offers words of advice: “Do not be afraid of a challenge and be prepared to take on roles where you may only be 60 percent sure of success. Be aware of cultures other than your own, especially when doing business in a country/region which is not yours by birth. Keep a balance in your life – family, school, and business friends are important, as they will always give you a distinct perspective on life.”

John ‘Jack’ Simmonds

MBE

OC 1919

John ‘Jack’ Simmonds was Dux of the College in 1917, 1918, and 1919 when the total enrolment was fewer than 150 students. His time at BBC included tenures as Captain of Swimming (1917 to 1919), Shooting Champion (1916 and 1919), rowing in a Head of the River-winning crew (1919), playing in the cricket and football teams, and serving as a Prefect in his final year. Jack gained a Bachelor of Science with Honours and earned a Master of Science in 1926. He was then appointed to the staff of the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Stock, becoming the Department’s first full-time plant pathologist and producing a steady stream of publications throughout his time there. He was called into active service in the Second Australian Imperial Force in 1942 during World War II, and in 1943, he was the commander of the Malaria Control Unit in Papua and New Guinea, ensuring minimal rates of infection in troops and carrying out valuable experiments. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for this work and promoted to the rank of Major. In 1945, he commanded the Mobile Entomological Section in New Guinea and Bougainville. On returning to the Department of Agriculture and Stock, Jack was placed in charge of the science branch overseeing the entomology, plant pathology, and botany sections and was able to continue his personal research program. He continued to lead plant pathology until 1961, when he stood down to concentrate on his own research, such as a host index of plant diseases in Queensland. He retired in 1966. The University of Queensland awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Science in 1969. Jack set a fine example of originality and application. He carried out research on a wide range of crops, but his greatest interest was in tropical fruits. Among his outstanding research contributions was an understanding of the epidemiology of banana leaf spot, leading to improved control measures and earning him a worldwide reputation for research into the ripe fruit rots of tropical fruits.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Lawrence Smith AM OC 1962

In 1974, Lawrence ‘Lawrie’ Smith established Landplan Studio, one of Australia’s leading landscape architectural consultancies responsible for numerous significant national and international projects. Over more than four decades of practice, Lawrie has maintained a strong social philosophy, primarily concentrating on the provision of specialised parkland and open space developments. His work has included major national and international expositions, each planned to provide people with and introduce them to contemporary urban environments and enhanced lifestyles. These events have included World Expo 88 in Brisbane; the Australian National Gardens at the 1984 International Garden Festival in Liverpool, England; and the 1990 International Garden and Greenery Exposition in Osaka, Japan. His work can also be seen at the Roma Street Parkland in Brisbane. Lawrie’s principal area of interest and expertise is applying the sustainable use of our unique Australian flora relative to diminishing water resources, rapidly increasing population growth, and urban expansion. He has developed a comprehensive knowledge of Australia’s plant communities and those of other world regions with similar climatic zones. This is specifically relevant to the numerous regional botanic gardens for which he has been responsible, which include locations in Gladstone, Darwin, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Mackay, Longreach, and Cairns. Lawrie has a Bachelor of Architecture from The University of Queensland and a Graduate Diploma in Landscape Architecture from the Queensland Institute of Technology. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and an Associate of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. He has held various honorary positions with landscape-related community associations and received the Australian Plants Award in 2001 from the Australian Native Plants Society. In 2004, Lawrie was named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for contributions to landscape architecture and the community.

Andrew Stark OC 1993

Andrew Stark has a deep appreciation and enthusiasm for life and has followed his passion for sports and surf culture into a successful career in sports administration. Andrew is currently the President of the World Surf League (WSL) and the Kelly Slater Wave Company Asia-Pacific. He joined WSL in 2018 after serving as CEO of Surfing Australia for nine-and-a-half years, where he furthered his reputation as a world-class sports administrator. Andrew’s tenure as CEO at Surfing Australia saw the most dynamic transition of the organisation in its 60-year history, significantly growing the business commercially and opening the thriving Surfing Australia High Performance Centre at Casuarina Beach, New South Wales. Andrew has a Bachelor of Business Management from the Queensland University of Technology and has over 20 years of experience in sports management and the surfing industry. Andrew is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Andrew has a genuine passion for personal growth and, in 2016, completed the Harvard Business School Authentic Leader Development Program in Boston, United States. In August 2018, he attended Stanford University in San Francisco and completed a Strategic Marketing Innovation Executive program. Andrew is an experienced surfer who has spent the last 20 years annually visiting Hawaii to take on the big waves of the North Shore on the island of O’ahu. He is a sports enthusiast and family man who calls the Gold Coast home.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Dr Gordon Sturtridge OC 1925

An all-round sportsman who gained Honour Caps (the precursor to the current Collegian Awards) in 1924 and 1925, Gordon Short Sturtridge was BBC’s first Wallaby. Affectionately known as ‘Sturt’, his talents and accomplishments were wide-ranging. He was an inaugural orchestra member in 1921, a champion oarsman in the College’s second-ever Head of the River-winning crew in 1924, and Vice Captain of Boats in 1925. Gordon represented the College in the First XI in Years 10 to 12, was a member of the Champion Cadet Team from 1923 to 1925 and gained the title of Boxing Champion in 1925. Gordon was Captain of both the rugby and athletics teams in 1924 and 1925 and triumphed by winning the Sir John Goodwin Cup for GPS Athletics in the latter year. He held College records in 1 mile, 880-yard, 440-yard, and 120yard races, as well as hurdles and broad jump. His 1925 Open Mile record of 4 minutes and 42 seconds was not broken for twenty years. At The University of Queensland, Gordon continued to row and was a 1926 Champion Athlete. Continuing his medical studies at the University of Melbourne, he won triple University Blues (one of the highest accolades then given to a sportsman) and captained the rugby team. Playing in the intervarsity competition, Gordon was selected for the Victorian state team and subsequently for the Wallabies, representing Australia against New Zealand and South Africa. After 26 years of New Zealand domination, the Wallabies beat the All Blacks in Brisbane (17-9) in 1929. The reciprocal tour occurred in 1932, with the All Blacks victorious on home soil, the same year Dr Gordon Sturtridge obtained his degree in medicine. Gordon was selected for the first Wallabies team to tour South Africa in 1933. After a drawn series, he sailed from Cape Town to assume an appointment at the Northampton Hospital, where he became its Superintendent.

Jack Sullivan OC 2005

Whilst at BBC, Jack got his first taste of fashion. His first business was selling shirts from his locker, though his parents quickly shut down that enterprise. When not selling polo shirts, Jack competed in basketball and volleyball, with the highlight being his experience in BBC’s undefeated 2005 basketball premiership. After finishing school, Jack became a ski instructor and lived in Canada before returning home to work in the family business. Jack was launched into the bridal design industry whilst working on the business side of his mother, Wendy’s, bridal line. A gown he doodled on a notepad at his desk ended up being produced and was featured on the cover of Queensland Brides magazine, sparking his desire to create an eponymous label. After years of studying design under Wendy’s guidance, Jack has created his own unique flair, which reflects a combination of old-fashioned elegance and modern-day playfulness. In 2012, Jack launched Jack Sullivan Bridal, which established him as a recognised industry specialist. He supplies bridal boutiques throughout the world and annually exhibits his gowns in fashion shows in New York and London.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

David Svendsen OC 1965

For David Svendsen, co-curricular activity at BBC centred around cadets, rifle shooting, rugby, athletics, and rowing in the Head of the Riverwinning First VIII. After graduating from The University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1970, David took up accounting positions in Sydney and Brisbane. In 1974, he left for the UK, where, mixed in with much travel on his motorbike around Europe and North Africa, he worked as a financial consultant in England and Italy. In 1978, David returned to Australia to undertake a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Macquarie University in order to incorporate general management into his career expertise. David graduated with an MBA in 1982 and joined Microsoft Australasia as International Marketing Director. David thrived in his new career and, in 1987, was promoted to head up Microsoft UK and Ireland. Due to the success of that operation, promotions to Vice President of Microsoft Europe and Chairman of Microsoft UK followed. As well as leading one of the most successful Microsoft operations, David contributed corporate resources and his own time to a large UK charitable fund working to stop cruelty to children. After retiring from Microsoft in 2000, David started TriYoga with a friend, which is now one of the leading wellbeing businesses in London. He also joined several venture capital funds focussing on early-stage technology companies and succeeded in taking a number of them to public listing. David is still involved in a few businesses in an advisory capacity. Now living in Henley-on-Thames with his family, David practices his wellbeing business philosophy in his daily life. He has run five marathons, climbed various peaks around Everest, continued rowing, and taken up golf. David has family in Australia and always looks forward to visiting them and catching up with his BBC mates.

Cr Kemeul Tamwoy OC 2013

While a boarder in Rudd House, Kemeul ‘Kempo’ Tamwoy embraced all aspects of College life both academically and in co-curricular events, heavily participating in rugby, AFL, track and field, and ISCF activities. Growing up in Aurukun, with time spent in Bamaga, Kempo earned a scholarship with the Cape York Leaders Program to attend BBC, which offered opportunities that he seized. A consistently strong leader and role model, Kempo mentored the younger Indigenous students. This mentoring role extended beyond school with his involvement in Digi Youth Arts. He co-directed the play Glad Tomorrow, about Indigenous students attending boarding school, and as a board member, he shared the stories of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. After graduating in 2013, Kempo worked as a trade assistant and as a Quality Assurance Officer until 2017, when he returned to Aurukun to work in his family’s business, Athelpen and Puuch. He joined Glencore working in various roles and became Co‑Chair of the Joint Working Group within the company and a board member of the Aurukun Youth Advisory Council. Holding strong beliefs that a good education is important to breaking the cycle of welfare dependency and boredom among the young, Kempo works as a school attendance officer at Koolkan Aurukun State School while studying for a Diploma in Remote Area Teaching. He is heavily involved with the Aurukun Rugby League Football Club. Kempo Tamwoy of the Putch Clan was elected to the Aurukun Shire Council in 2020. At the age of 24, he was the youngest of the new Councillors. “I think we young people bring a different perspective to decision-making,” Kempo explains. “As a Councillor, my priorities are youth engagement and promotion of healthier lifestyle choices through sport. I am passionate about growing work ethic and capability in young people, as well as cultural pride and respect. Our youth are my priority, and I aim to help build a future for them where they have something to look forward to, a purpose. You cannot be what you cannot see, so I want to show them what is possible. Building this capacity within young people will steer Aurukun toward a peaceful and bright future.”

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Sir Evan Thomson OC 1936

OBE

At BBC, Evan Rees Whitaker Thomson may have opened the batting in the cricket First XI, but more importantly, he was highly respected for his rational and systematic approach to his studies. He graduated as Dux of the College and received an open scholarship to The University of Queensland after coming fifth place in the state in his Senior Public Examinations. Excelling in his studies, Evan graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery in 1942, having achieved High Distinctions in all subjects. He won the W.N. Robertson Medal for first place in the final examination, the E.R. Russell Memorial Prize for first place in Clinical Medicine, and the University Gold Medal for Outstanding Merit. In 1949, Dr Thomson obtained his specialist qualifications as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in London. Dr Thomson’s professional career included roles as Resident Medical Officer and Registrar at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and Senior Visiting Surgeon at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (1956 to 1971), as well as working in private surgical practice. He was a clinical lecturer in general surgery at The University of Queensland’s Department of Surgery from 1951 to 1971 and was concurrently Examiner in Surgery. For distinguished services to medicine and the community, he was knighted by the Queen in 1977 and appointed as Honorary Surgeon to Her Majesty, The Queen, and to His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, and to Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne. He was awarded Her Majesty’s Silver Jubilee Medal. From graduation, Sir Evan participated in the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Australian Medical Association (AMA), occupying numerous roles as Chairman, President, and Vice President and, in 1971, was appointed a Fellow of the AMA. Sir Evan was a prominent member of the Development Committee of the Wesley Hospital. He was variously Chairman of the Planning and Design and the Commissioning Committees and was on the Ethics Committee of the Wesley Hospital Board. The hospital auditorium is named in honour of the significant contributions made by both Sir Evan and his wife, Lady Mary Thomson. Sir Evan Thomson OBE MBBS MRCS FRCS FRACS FACS is regarded as one of Australia’s most eminent medical practitioners.

Hamish Turner OC 1984

OAM

Hamish Turner OAM was the Managing Director and Chief Executive of worldrenowned bush outfitter R.M. Williams from 2000 to 2014. He led the iconic Australian company through a series of expansions, selling the company stake to international conglomerate LVMH, which brought the brand to the international stage. Hamish served on the board of the Olympic Coordination Authority for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, and in 2015, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to tourism, business, agriculture, and charitable organisations. In 2017, Hamish joined the Queensland University of Technology’s Creative Enterprise Australia startup hub. Working in a mentoring role, he provides guidance and advice to young entrepreneurs aiming to break into the creative, tech, and fashion industries.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Damien Vanderwilt OC 1994

Throughout Damien Vanderwilt’s time at BBC, he represented the College in cricket, rugby, swimming, rowing, and tennis and was a member of successful Australian rules football teams. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Commerce from Bond University in 1998. As head of Global FICC Execution Services at Goldman Sachs, Damien was responsible for leading efforts to consolidate voice and FICC Systematic Market Making as well as to advance technologies, platforms, and services throughout the Securities Division. He was a member of the Securities Division Execution Standards Committee and the Securities Division Digital Strategy Group. Damien was active in numerous roles with Goldman Sachs for over 20 years, including as head of Equities Execution Services and Trading in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He was also responsible for Global Institutional (Cross Asset) Sales and Trading and Synthetic Products Sales Trading. He joined Goldman Sachs in 2000 in the Equities Division in Sydney after working in fixed-income derivatives trading at Citigroup. This led him to spend five years in Hong Kong working in Equities Sales Trading and Equity Derivatives before moving to London in 2006 to manage International Sales Trading. He was named managing director in 2007 and partner in 2016. Currently, Damien is Senior Advisor and Director at Galaxy Digital. With headquarters in New York, Galaxy Digital is a technology-driven financial services and investment management firm. Throughout his career, Damien has built extensive senior relationships with many of the largest market participants, exchanges, venues, technology providers, and regulators around the world. He can present this experience in helping to build the world’s pre-eminent full-service institutional investment bank specialising in the digital asset and technology sectors.

Alexander Voltz OC 2016

In his senior year at BBC, Alexander Voltz was Captain of Music, Captain of Theatre, a Prefect, and a Scholar. He received the Collegian Award and is remembered for composing the anthem A Collegian’s Goodbye for Speech Night 2016. Pursuing his love for composition, literature, and history, Alexander graduated from The University of Queensland in 2021 with a Bachelor of Music (Honours I) and a Bachelor of Arts. His mentors have included leading Australian composers like Brenton Broadstock, Brett Dean, and Melody Eötvös. During his studies, he was twice a semi-finalist in the Bartók World Composition Competition (Budapest) and received the university’s Percy Brier Memorial Prize for Composition in 2019 and 2021. He also independently produced his chamber opera, Edward and Richard: The True Story of the Princes in the Tower, in 2021, an exercise that afforded him national and international attention. Alexander’s music has gone on to be performed and supported by ensembles and orchestras across the country. In 2022, he conceived and directed The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Concert. The concert was recognised by the Australian Government as the Commonwealth’s largest musical tribute to Her Majesty Elizabeth II in her 70th year as Queen of Australia. Headhunted by Sky News Australia in 2023, Alexander now writes opinion editorials for an audience of millions. He is also Quadrant’s founding Music Editor, a role in which he seeks to explore and champion the richness of Australian art music.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Dr David Watson OC 1962

David Watson has had a distinguished career in academia, public administration, and business. After completing his senior year at BBC in 1962, he attained a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) at The University of Queensland (UQ), followed by a PhD at The Ohio State University in the United States. Following his graduation in 1972, Dr Watson was appointed to the Accounting Faculty of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and later as a Fellow in the university’s Center for Advanced Study. He was promoted to Associate Professor and granted tenure in 1976. Later that year, he joined Deloitte in their New York executive office. Dr Watson returned to Australia in 1978 as Professor of Accounting and Business Finance and Head of the Department of Commerce at UQ. In 1983, he was appointed Dean of the Faculty. During this period, he was the first Australian appointed to the editorial boards of the leading international accounting research journals, The Accounting Review (United States) and Accounting, Organisations, and Society (United Kingdom). Dr Watson served six terms in Australian parliaments, one as the Federal Member for Forde from 1984 to 1987 and five as the Queensland State Member for Moggill from 1989 to 2004. He was Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer and Minister for Public Works and Housing in Queensland’s Borbidge Coalition Government. He was Leader of the Queensland Liberal Party from 1998 to 2001 and served as Shadow Treasurer during the same period before serving as Shadow Minister for Energy from 2003 to 2004. Dr Watson retired from State Parliament at the 2004 election. Since 2004, he has chaired a number of government reviews and served on a number of boards. The latter include those of Energex Retail, the Stanwell Corporation, the Queensland Competition Authority (for which he was Deputy Chair), and Tatts Group Ltd. He also served as Chairman of a new medical research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility, the Translational Research Institute.

Mitchell Watt OC 2005

During his time at BBC, Mitchell Watt was awarded Full Colours with a Crown for athletics, Australian rules football, and volleyball, as well as for service as a Prefect. He was in the volleyball First VI, football First XI, and rugby First XV, and he also participated in athletics. Mitchell left competitive athletics for some years while studying Commerce and Law at The University of Queensland, but a friend convinced him to return to the track. At his first international competition in Berlin, competing in the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, he won a bronze medal. At the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha, Mitchell won another bronze medal before winning a silver medal at the World Championships in Athletics in Daegu the following year. At the 2011 IAAF Diamond League meet in Stockholm, he broke the Australian record with his best jump of 8.54 metres. This record still has not been beaten. That same year, he was also the first and youngest Australian to win the coveted Diamond League Trophy. The pinnacle of Mitchell’s athletic career was winning the silver medal with a leap of 8.16 metres at the 2012 London Olympics. Though his career was curtailed by persistent injury, he has said, “I really love what I do, and that’s enough for me to put in 100 percent of each day. The thought of jumping further and breaking records is always in the back of [my] mind.” Not every Collegian has a jumping sandpit named after them, but the one in the Junior School is named in honour of Mitchell and his achievements.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Peter Weekes OC 1991

At BBC, Peter Weekes rowed, swam, played rugby, was the Interact Club Vice President, and was also a Prefect and Hamilton House Captain. Peter completed a Bachelor of Science at The University of Queensland before beginning his career in aviation. He worked as an air traffic controller for several years before joining the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as a pilot. Beginning his training in 1998, Peter enjoyed success as a RAAF pilot, being awarded Dux and Most Proficient Pilot on Course. He was thereby selected to fly the F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter aircraft. During 2002 and 2003, Peter was deployed as a fighter pilot with coalition forces in support of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Peter flew combat missions in the early stages of the Iraq War, flying combat air patrol, as well as strike and air support missions for the coalition ground forces. In 2006, Peter was selected for and completed the prestigious Fighter Combat Instructor course at Australia’s Fighter Weapons School. In 2009, in California, Peter and a small team of aircrew and maintenance personnel spent a year training and instructing on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets for the United States Navy. Whilst there, he attended the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, better known colloquially as the TOPGUN program, and flew off the USS John C. Stennis, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. In 2010, Peter flew newly acquired RAAF Super Hornets from the United States to RAAF Base Amberley near Ipswich, where they replaced the aging F111 bomber. Other highlights for Peter include participating in the flypast at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix and flying Airbus and Boeing aircraft as an airline Captain whilst continuing his RAAF service as a reservist.

Daniel Wessels OC 2006

Joining the College as a Year 10 student, Daniel Wessels and his family immigrated to Australia from Zimbabwe in 2004. As an avid athlete, he played many sports, with cricket being his forte. Daniel had a reputation for a fast outswinging yorker, which saw the defeat of many a batsman. After graduating from The University of Queensland with a business degree, Daniel quickly climbed the ranks at Cash Converters International. By 2010, he managed the national online lending arm of the company in Australia, driving strategy, planning, and execution of the online lending channel. Daniel was instrumental in Cash Converters’ lending expansion into the United Kingdom, spending parts of 2011 and 2012 on the ground in the UK headquarters. Noticing a shift in consumer demands and attitudes along with the rapid adoption of digital technology in the advanced UK market, it was clear to Daniel that there was an opportunity in the digital lending market in Australia. In 2014, Daniel founded Jacaranda Finance in Brisbane with a clear goal of using technology to generate a customer experience that would create lasting clients and enhance the antiquated methodologies deployed elsewhere in the industry. Since its launch, Jacaranda Finance has played a critical role in the industry’s evolution by redefining and reshaping consumer experiences in the financial services sector. The company’s award-winning proprietary technology has quickly gained a reputation for pioneering industry firsts and trends, combining machine learning, automation, and data-driven approaches to enhance consumer experiences whilst managing risk and regulatory compliance, which is a strong recipe for growth. Daniel himself has won many awards, the most recent being the Australian Young Entrepreneur Award in the Professional Services category in 2018, winning the award again in 2019 and 2020 for the Finance category. Seeing the rise of digital adoption in financial services as the next frontier, Daniel founded a private investment fund in 2019. Zenobia Capital is amplifying technology disruption within the finance industry by providing debt and equity funding in areas such as payments, automation, big data, regulatory technology, and software.

BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Howard ‘Douglas’ Wheller OC 1939

Howard ‘Douglas’ Wheller was the son of Edith and Reverend Harold Wheller, President-General of the Methodist Church of Australasia. After enlisting in the Royal Australian Air Force at the height of World War II in June 1942, Douglas joined the No. 15 Squadron at Camden, New South Wales. The duties of this light bomber maritime patrol squadron included photo reconnaissance, daily anti-submarine and convoy patrols, and training exercises, which took place off the east coast of Australia. Although Douglas did not leave Australia, he had a premonition that he would die serving his country. Expressing intelligence and astuteness far beyond his 21 years, he wrote a heart-rending letter to his parents expressing his love for them and God, which was to be opened after his death. This premonition was tragically accurate – Douglas died in 1944 when his aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff due to a failing port engine. In 1944, the Douglas Wheller Memorial Prize was established at BBC in his honour. Sponsored by his parents and published in the Portal, the open prize was for an essay written on a subject of national importance.

William ‘Little Bill’ Williams OC 1924

As an honoured Old Collegian and long-serving staff member, William Williams, or ‘Little Bill’ as he was better known, had a 57-year association with BBC. He was a student at the College’s Clayfield campus from 1915 to 1924. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from The University of Queensland, he became a staff member at the College and went with it to its current location in Toowong in 1931. After some time away doing postgraduate work, Little Bill was re-engaged by the College in 1940 to replace staff who enlisted during World War II. There are no Old Collegians from Little Bill’s tenure at the school, which lasted until 1971, who mention him without affection and respect. He was a versatile teacher, covering a wide range of subjects, including French, Latin, German, English, History, Geography, and Mathematics. He was also undaunted when asked to act as a relief teacher for science subjects. He had a particular interest in drama and assisted, sometimes even performing, in productions at the College. From the inception of the Oratorical Contest, he assisted every year in the judging of the competition. He was the House Master for each of the four Houses from 1942 to 1971. He was editor of the Portal from 1959 to 1970 and was a frequent contributor throughout his time on staff. This included writing an obituary and creating tributes for College Founder Arthur Rudd when he passed away in 1962. Little Bill took an active interest in sports and was at various times coach of the First XI, Master in Charge of Tennis, and Master in Charge of Hockey. He was President of the Old Collegians’ Association from 1942 to 1946 and editor of the Old Collegians’ Magazine from 1940 to 1946. The language laboratory built as part of the Rudd Wing extension was named the W. Williams Language Laboratory in 1971 on the occasion of his retirement. It was noted at the time that he was one of those special teachers who engendered respect and affection in equal amounts from his students. He passed away in 1986.

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BBC GENTLEMEN OF INSPIRATION

Professor Graeme Wilson OC 1935

Excelling in sporting and academic fields, Graeme Wilson was College Captain in 1934 and 1935, Captain of Rugby, Rowing, and Athletics and received an Honour Cap. He was awarded an open scholarship to The University of Queensland (UQ), where as a student, he continued his athletic career, ultimately representing Australia at the 1938 Empire Games (now the Commonwealth Games) in Sydney. He graduated with an Honours degree in Agricultural Science and was the Queensland Rhodes Scholar in 1940. Acceptance of the Rhodes Scholarship was deferred by military service in World War II, which included his imprisonment by the Japanese Empire following the Fall of Singapore. Following his PhD studies at Oxford University, Graeme returned to the Botany Department at UQ, rising to the position of Reader. He then transferred to the Agriculture Department, becoming a Professor in 1970 and then Dean of the Agriculture Faculty from 1981 to 1982. His research interests were the physiology of subtropical and tropical crop species, which led to significant improvements in the agronomy of several crops.

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Ralph Wilson OC 1972

Ralph Wilson entered BBC in the footsteps of his father and two uncles, who joined the Air Force immediately after leaving school. Ralph’s name is in memory of his fallen uncle (OC 1940), a Lancaster bomber pilot lost during World War II. At BBC, Ralph played football, became an Officer in the Cadets, and formed great friendships. Summers were spent in boats, sailing and racing on Moreton Bay, where his fascination with shorelines began. Two years into an architecture degree, he realised this was not where his future lay. Ralph was restless, so he picked up his paints and started practising while waiting for a direction to appear. Oblivious to the idea of earning a living from art, Ralph did not consider it as a career. However, in quick succession, he had the proceeds of a few sales and some small prizes in the bank and had booked solo exhibitions at two galleries. He was 19 years old. Leaving home, Ralph rented a farmhouse in the Darling Downs to paint for exhibitions. He learned about solitude and the discipline of working alone. This was a formative time for the young painter. The loneliness made him tougher, an essential quality to prosper in the art world. Following these early shows, he approached the National Trust, and they agreed to host an exhibition of his Queensland architecture and landscape paintings. 75 paintings were installed in Old Government House. Philip Bacon visited the show and offered representation at the new Cintra Galleries. For the first time, Ralph began to wonder if he could make art his career. His parents were terrified. So was Ralph. Three things happened quite quickly: Ralph won a scholarship to study art in Europe, bought a boat that took him back to the shorelines he had always been drawn to, and met Suzy Armstrong, his future wife. The scholarship took him to Europe and then to New York, where he visited the work of artists who had inspired him since childhood: Homer, Hopper, and Wyeth. After he married, a fairly regular schedule of exhibitions in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra followed. Ralph is now best known for his paintings of Moreton Bay, which explore the infinite variations of light and weather on water and shorelines. “The art world has been very good to me. To be able to live from something meaningful and fulfilling, I consider has been exceptionally lucky. My life could easily have gone differently. I harbour a sense of gratitude which I acknowledge each day in some form or other. From my parents, I learnt about the power of steady hard work. From Suzy, I have learnt the richness of family and children, of music, friends, and love. From the sea, I have learnt how small we are and so how small our troubles really are. For all these things and so much more, I am grateful.”

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Steven Wilson OC 1971

Steve Wilson’s time at BBC was marked by high achievement. He held a student leadership position as a Sub-Prefect in Year 12 and participated in a variety of sports and activities, including as a member of the First XV football team and the First XI cricket team, for which he was awarded Full and Half Colours, respectively. His efforts also included involvement in swimming and athletics, as well as time in the Cadet Corps and on the Portal Committee. After finishing Year 12, Steve studied for a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce at The University of Queensland before beginning a career in the investment sector. By the mid-1980s, Steve’s career had gained stratospheric momentum. In 1984, he was appointed Director of Wilson Investment Group before a rapid promotion to Executive Chairman and CEO. Under his stewardship, the Group transformed from a regional stockbroker into one of Australia’s leading wealth management companies, and in 1996, he co-founded Pinnacle Investment Management Group. Originally formed as a subsidiary of Wilson Investment Group, the company has since been spun out and now operates as an independent company listed on the ASX 200. Simultaneously with his investment sector activities, Steve served in senior positions at numerous public and private organisations. His resume includes service as Director of Tourism and Events Queensland (1985 to 1990), Director of the Telstra Corporation (1991 to 1996), and Chairman of the South Bank Corporation (1996 to 2012), the organisation responsible for the revitalisation of Brisbane’s South Bank. Numerous other appointments include work across a diverse range of sectors, including sports, the arts, energy and resources, infrastructure and utilities, health, education, agriculture, and multiple Queensland Government Committees. After a successful career of over 40 years, Steve currently serves as Chairman of the Wilvest Group and Racing Queensland, Director of the Queensland Rugby Foundation and the Centre for Independent Studies, and Trustee for The University of Queensland Rugby Union Foundation Trust. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Financial Services Institute of Australasia and has received an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy from both the Queensland University of Technology and Griffith University. In 2011, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to the community and the finance industry. In addition to his successes in business, Steve enjoys a rich and fulfilling personal life. He has five children with his wife of 36 years and is a keen rower, racing in the winning crew of the Head of the Yarra regatta on three separate occasions. He is also deeply involved in a variety of charitable enterprises and served as Chairman and Director for the St John’s Cathedral Completion Fund for thirteen years, during which time the organisation raised $30 million to successfully finish the 108-year construction of Brisbane’s iconic St John’s Cathedral. Reflecting on his success, Steve offers a word of advice. “It’s old but true that fortune favours the brave,” he says. “Or, in the Aussie vernacular, the faint heart never won the fat chook.”

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Michael Wood OC 1978

Leadership and teamwork are words synonymous with BBC, where Michael Wood was Vice Captain of the College, Captain of Knox House, Captain of Athletics, Vice Captain of the First XI cricket team, and a member of the First XV rugby team. Throughout his teens, Michael had his sights set on becoming an Australian test cricketer before an ‘attack of the yips’ at 19 made him realise that perhaps that was not meant to be. He refocused his energy and other strengths on achieving a combined Commerce and Law degree at The University of Queensland. In 1984, Michael’s initial ambition was to pursue law, and he made a prestigious start when he was appointed as a Supreme Court Judge’s Associate. Having achieved Honours in Commerce as well as Law, Michael felt drawn towards business and, for the first time, came into contact with insurance while working as a solicitor at Morris Fletcher & Cross (now MinterEllison). Michael specialised in insurance litigation, becoming an Associate Partner in 1988. With a view to becoming an insurance specialist, Michael thought it best to learn in the centre of the insurance world – London. After a year at Lloyd’s of London, while on secondment to an associated law firm, Michael found his niche at a firm specialising in insurance and reinsurance from 1991 to 1997, albeit with the last few years dedicated to planning a big next step. While on a 1993 flight back from Australia, a brainwave occurred as Michael stared out the window. He thought, ‘What if I set up a professional indemnity (PI) insurance company with a law firm within it handling claims more efficiently whilst also offering cover directly to professionals, as happens with motor insurance?’ It was rather controversial, as he was changing a sector steeped in very traditional ways and as an Australian to boot. Over the next nine years, PI Direct became one of the biggest PI insurance underwriting agencies in the United Kingdom, with 120 staff, and was the runner-up for the 2003 Claims Initiative of the Year. “We reduced the defence cost legal spend on our claims by 45 percent, making the business more profitable, meaning we could charge lower premiums and thereby build up volume,” Michael explains. “With 23,000 policies annually by 2006 and two-thirds through brokers, we were the only direct insurer in the UK PI market, but brokers also loved us because of our very quick turnaround on quotes.” Michael sold PI Direct to a large insurer in late 2006, which meant the photo of the big boat he had been keeping in his desk drawer went from a dream to reality. After enjoying his early quasi-retirement sailing the Mediterranean, Michael returned to Australia in 2011 and created Woodina Underwriting Agency. Like its predecessor in London, Woodina has an internal law firm alongside PI underwriters and administration staff across offices in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. Though similar to PI Direct, Woodina is even more efficient, with a very strong online presence accommodating 50 percent of its policies. Woodina is now a recognised name in Australian insurance circles, having won the 2022 Insurance Business Australia Award for Underwriting Agency Claims Team of the Year and being named Runner Up for Professional Indemnity Product. Michael’s entrepreneurial spirit continues, with his aim of re-establishing the Woodina model in London and, in due course, expanding into Canada, assisted by his sons Thomas (in London) and Nicholas (OC 2023).

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Norman Wright

MBE

OC 1934

Norman Wright was a very accomplished sportsman at BBC, where he served as Captain of Boats in 1934 and Captain of Swimming in 1933 and 1934. He also took part in athletics and was in the rugby First XV in 1932 and 1933, during Years 10 and 11. He elected to leave school in 1934 while he was College Captain. The Brisbane River was an integral part of Norman’s life. He worked in his father’s boatbuilding business and sailed on the river at every available opportunity. During World War II, the boat yard was seconded to support the war effort by building patrol boats and re-equipping small vessels for cargo and coastal surveillance work. In 1946, Norman formed Wright Launch Service to provide pilot assistance in mooring large ships such as tankers. Yachting was his passion. In 1952 and again in 1953, Norman won the Australian Title in the 18-foot class. In 1956, he won the Queensland, Australian, and World Titles in the 18-foot class in a yacht he designed and built. In 1962, Norman was part of the crew of Gretel, Australia’s challenger for the America’s Cup. He was also part of the crew of Dame Pattie, Australia’s challenger for the America’s Cup in 1967. During this period, he identified the talents of a young boat designer named Bob Miller, whom he mentored. Miller is now known as Ben Lexcen, who designed the winged keel on Australia II, the yacht that won the 1983 America’s Cup. Norman remained a competitive sailor for much of his life. Out of the water, he brought his expertise to a range of organisations, including the Boatbuilding Apprenticeship Board, the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (in which he was a Life Member), the Queensland Yachting Association, and the Brisbane 18 Footers Sailing Club. He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to yachting in 1978.

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Ronald Wright OC 1938

A renowned yachtsman and boat-builder, Ronald Wright was a talented sportsman while at school. He played rugby from 1936 to 1938. He was awarded Colours in rowing and swimming and held several GPS swimming titles. Ron was Vice Captain of Boats and bow in the Head of the River-winning crew in both 1937 and 1938. The 1937 Head of the River win inspired a cartoon created by an Old Collegian, Ian Gall (OC 1921), published in The Courier‑Mail, and a song composed by teacher Mr A.B. Foxcroft, The College Boating Song. Sailing remained a major recreational and competitive activity for Ron, who was part of an RS Quest dingy crew that won the Stonehaven Cup in 1936. He also won an Australian title in the 16-foot skiff class. After leaving the College, he graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering from The University of Queensland. Some years later, he qualified as a naval architect, becoming the first in Queensland in that profession. After Ron joined the family boat-building business, Norman R. Wright & Sons, the boatyard suspended all recreational craft fabrication and concentrated on military-directed production during World War II. Ron assumed the role of Manager of the company in 1953. The business, which has been in operation since 1909, continues to produce a large variety of timber and alloy craft, including the iconic Cross River and CityCat ferries. As part of the official opening of the new BBC War Memorial Pool in 1951, Ron had the honour of swimming the first lap. To celebrate the centenary of rowing at the College in 2016, a group of Old Collegians funded and assisted with the restoration of the 1958 racing four A.W. Rudd. The restoration project was overseen by Ron until his death in 2015.

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John Wylie OC 1978

John was Dux of the College in 1978. An allround sportsman, he was the Captain of Tennis and participated in debating, chess, cricket, rugby, and many other activities. He graduated from The University of Queensland in 1983 with a First Class Honours degree in Commerce and a University Medal. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1983 and graduated from the University of Oxford with a Master of Philosophy. John has pursued a career in finance, business, investment banking, and investing in Australia and internationally. He has been CEO of the Australian organisations of global investment banks First Boston and Lazard, as well as founding his own corporate advisory and investment firm. John’s community contributions are substantial. He was Chairman of the Melbourne Cricket Ground Trust from 1998 to 2013 and chaired the MCG Redevelopment Committee for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. From 2012 to 2020, John was Chair of the Australian Sports Commission, and from 2012 to 2021 was President of the State Library of Victoria. He has been a Trustee of the Global Rhodes Trust, Chairman of Rhodes Scholarships in Australia, and is now an Emeritus Trustee of the Rhodes Trust. He chaired the Victorian Olympic Council’s Finance Committee and has been a board member of The University of Queensland Endowment Fund, among other positions. In 2022, he was awarded a Paralympic Medal by Paralympics Australia. He and his wife, Myriam Boisbouvier-Wylie, run a philanthropic organisation, The John and Myriam Wylie Foundation, which supports charities in the education, Indigenous, social welfare, and sporting areas, as well as in a range of personal community interests. In 2022, John was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for “eminent service to the community through leadership in the sporting, cultural, philanthropic, and business sectors”. In response to his recognition, John said, “I don’t tend to reflect on personal achievements all that much. I’m always up for a new challenge and trying new things.”

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James Yates OC 1991

Throughout his life, James Yates has pursued a career in business, predominantly in the IT and engineering sectors. Necessity has often required James to relocate to find work. When he left university, Australia was in an economic slump. James persevered by sending over 300 mail applications for work, securing a graduate role with the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation. Based in Cooma, New South Wales, the job required him to move interstate. In 1996, he went to London to find work and to travel. James lost his job during the Global Financial Crisis in 2008. With few options, he moved to Dubai to pursue a career opportunity. All of these experiences have allowed James to travel extensively and experience other cultures, which has positively defined his perspective on life. While based in Dubai, James often had to travel to Afghanistan as a part of his role as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for private security company CRM. The work was fast-paced and demanding, requiring quick decision-making and bravery while supporting operations to keep employees safe and to be successful in a difficult environment. The experiences were rich: working with people from many countries, creating relationships, traversing language barriers, problem-solving, and working in teams to achieve what often at first seemed impossible. Although James currently has a demanding career in the defence technology sector, he still finds time to pursue his hobbies. At BBC, James participated in rugby, basketball, and rowing and played saxophone in the band. Continuing these early interests, James plays saxophone in a cover band and formerly played rugby for the Melbourne Rugby Football Club.

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Many more Gentlemen of Inspiration have graduated from BBC over the years than these pages have the space to detail. Please get in touch with us at communications@bbc.qld.edu.au if you would like to recommend an Old Collegian for inclusion in future editions of this project.

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