The members of the Roundtable have come together to champion the need for a more sustainable, coordinated national approach to make our communities more resilient and our people safer. It's the only way to reduce the future economic and social costs of the inevitable natural disasters Australians will face.
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Red Cross
Kym was elected as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee in February 2020. He is also a member of the Finance Committee and the Nominations and Remuneration Committee.
Kym is an advisor in Strategy and Leadership and holds various directorships and advisory board positions, particularly within the Advertising and Media industry. He has extensive corporate governance experience in listed and non-listed public companies, privately-owned companies and government-owned organisations.
He has held senior regional and country executive leadership roles including CEO, COO and CFO in Asia Pacific, China and Australia for global advertising holding groups, the more recent being Dentsu Aegis Network. He also has extensive corporate development experience heading up the acquiring of over two hundred businesses.
Kym is a Chartered Accountant, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, has a master degree in Leadership, a master degree in Business Administration, a post-graduate diploma in Chartered Accounting, a post-graduate certificate in Executive Leadership, and a degree in Accounting. He currently is undertaking a PhD in Leadership.
Kym is passionate how leadership can positively impact people, our planet and organisations in a sustainable and ethical way.
Australian Red Cross offers relief in times of crisis, care when it's needed most and commitment when others turn away. Red Cross helps millions of people globally each year and cares for local communities in Australia and Asia Pacific.
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
IAG
Nick Hawkins became IAG's Managing Director and CEO on 2 November 2020. He previously held the role of Deputy CEO, accountable for the management and performance of IAG’s day-to-day operations.
Nick previously spent 12 years as IAG’s Chief Financial Officer, responsible for the financial affairs of the company. Prior to this Nick was the Chief Executive Officer of IAG New Zealand and also held a number of roles within finance and asset management since joining the Group in 2001.
Before joining IAG, Nick was a partner with the international accounting firm KPMG.
Nick is a Fellow of Chartered Accounts of Australia & New Zealand and a graduate of the Harvard Advanced Management Program.
Recent natural disasters have illustrated our vulnerability to natural hazards. In just the last five years, the damage caused to private property and public infrastructure has reached well into the billions of dollars.
We firmly believe we, as a nation, can do much more to adapt our communities to better withstand natural hazards – from stronger codes to ensure buildings are better protected, to more appropriate land use reflecting risk, to more hazard mitigation infrastructure.
Managing Director
Munich Holdings of Australasia Pty Limited
Scott Hawkins was appointed Managing Director of Munich Holdings of Australasia Pty Limited on 1 April 2021.
Scott has more than 25 years’ experience in the Insurance and Reinsurance industry. In his current role as Managing Director, Munich Re Australasia, he is responsible for the Non-Life reinsurance operations, setting the strategic direction, maintaining the culture and values, and helping Munich Re’s customers stay ahead of emerging risks in a complex world.
Scott has previously held several roles within Munich Re including responsibility for Underwriting, Client Management, Claims and Data Analytics functions.
Prior to joining Munich Re, Scott worked in both direct insurance and reinsurance companies in underwriting, capital modelling and risk management roles.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Business degree, a Master of Business (Finance) degree, and is a Fellow of ANZIIF.
By sharing our extensive global experience, Munich Re hopes to work with all levels of government, along with like-minded organisations in the commercial sector, to ensure that Australian Communities are better positioned to plan for, and respond to the ever present threat of natural catastrophes.
We believe that damage prevention and mitigation are the best and most cost effective means to protect and lift the living standard of the community on a sustainable basis.”
Chairman
Optus
Paul O’Sullivan was appointed Chairman, Optus on 7 October 2014. This role will draw on Paul’s extensive relationships with the Government, media and business community, to advocate for Optus and drive for competition in the Australian Telco Market. Paul was previously CEO of Group Consumer, where he was responsible for SingTel’s Consumer businesses including the wholly owned operations in Singapore and Australia, as well as SingTel's investments in Thailand, India, Africa, Philippines and Indonesia. Over the past several months Paul has been based in Australia, where he juggled the dual responsibilities of CEO, Group Consumer with the extra duties of CEO, Consumer Australia.
Paul was CEO of Optus from September 2004 to March 2012 and has previously held management positions within Optus including Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of Optus Mobile. He has also worked in various international management roles at the Colonial Group and the Royal Dutch Shell Group in Canada, the Middle East, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Paul serves on the Board of Commissioners of Telkomsel.
Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts (Mod) Economics from Trinity College, University of Dublin and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program of Harvard University, US.
We are strong believers in offering constructive public policy solutions to government in areas where we think there is both social and commercial benefit.
Our services are critical in disaster response, and we deliver them across infrastructure that must be highly resilient against the impact of natural disasters.
This initiative will allow all stakeholders to work better together in both planning for the effects of natural hazards and responding to them.
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director
Westpac
Peter King was appointed Westpac Group Chief Executive Officer in April 2020 after serving as Acting Chief Executive Officer from December 2019.
In his 25 years at Westpac Group, Peter has held senior finance roles including Chief Financial Officer since 2014 with responsibility for Westpac's Finance, Group Audit, Tax, Treasury and Investor Relations functions. Prior to this he was Deputy Chief Financial Officer for three years and held senior positions across the Group including in Group Finance, Business and Consumer Banking, Business and Technology Services, Treasury and Financial Markets.
Peter commenced his career at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. He has a Bachelor of Economics from Sydney University and completed the Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Our work to support customers and communities after recent natural disasters has really highlighted to me the economic and social challenges they face, in many cases long after the event itself. I am pleased to be involved in this Roundtable to support action from business, community and government to prevent and reduce the impacts of natural disasters and build safer communities