Our Board

George Savvides (Board Chair)

BE (Hons) (UNSW), MBA (UTS), FAICD

George Savvides was appointed Chairman of the World Vision Australia Board in July 2012. He retired from the role of Managing Director of Medibank in March 2016.

George is a non-Executive Director of Ryman Healthcare NZX, Chairman of Kings Group Ltd and Chairman of Vision Development Holdings. He was previously Managing Director of Sigma Co Ltd and Smith & Nephew Aust/NZ.

George has an Honours degree in Industrial Engineering from UNSW and an MBA from UTS and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Prior to his two-year period of retirement from our Board, he served for 12 years on the World Vision International Board and the World Vision Australia Board.

Shannon Adams

LL.B, FAICD

Shannon Adams joined our Board in 2005 and the World Vision International Board in 2013. Shannon is a lawyer who has advised financial institutions and other financial service providers since the early 1980s. He has been the managing partner of several legal firms and is now a partner at Piper Alderman. Shannon specialises in financial services law and corporate governance, with a strong emphasis on the mutual banking sector. 

Special responsibilities:  Audit and Risk Committee, Youth Advisory Council

Rob Goudswaard

B.Ec, GRAD DIP CORP FIN, F Fin, FAICD

Rob Goudswaard joined our Board in 2008. Rob is the CEO of Credit Union Australia (CUA), Australia’s largest customer-owned financial institution, and a Director of Cuscal Ltd. Prior to CUA, Rob was the CEO and a Director of Rural Finance Corporation and Chairman of the Young Farmers Council for four years, based in Bendigo.

Prior to this, Rob had 30 years' experience with Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited in various roles including Chief Risk Officer Institutional, Managing Director Regional, Rural & Small Business Banking, General Manager of Personal Banking Asia and Pacific and Chief Operating Officer with ANZ Small to Medium Business. He is a Fellow of the Williamson Leadership Community Program and an Alumni of Melbourne Business School, London Business School and Wharton/RAM University of Pennsylvania.

Special responsibilities: Audit Committee (Chair)

Judy Barraclough

B.AgEc, MBA, MAICD

Judy Barraclough joined our Board in February 2013. Judy is an experienced corporate executive, with a background in strategy development, corporate planning, corporate affairs, research, and mergers and acquisitions.

Judy has consulted in strategy and governance for a range of "for purpose" and commercial organisations and is presently Head of Strategy with a large, education-based charity. In her executive career, Judy held senior positions in large corporates in the property, financial services and agribusiness sectors, including Head of Strategy and Corporate Affairs with the top-50 ASX listed property trust, The GPT Group, and senior strategy roles with Rabobank and Wesfarmers Limited.

Judy is a founding member of the board of a social purpose start-up and is actively involved in the leadership and governance of her local church. She is also involved in a variety of volunteer activities.

Special responsibilities: People, Culture and Remuneration Committee

Donna Shepherd

BA, MIIM, GAICD

Donna Shepherd joined our Board in 2008 and is currently Chairman of the World Vision International Board. Donna is a director of Creating Communities Australia, a community and economic development consultancy. She holds a Masters in International Management from the School for International Training in Vermont USA.

She has worked in the USA, Tunisia, Ecuador and Australia and has extensive experience in international development, social planning, shared value, strategic planning, communications, media and governance. Donna has also been on the boards of LandCorp Urban Development Institute, Envirodevelopment, the University of Western Australia Extension, Southern Arc, Ausdance WA, Chrissie Parrot Dance Collective and the Independent Filmmakers Association.  

Special responsibilities: People, Culture and Remuneration Committee

Wendy Simpson

OAM, B. Soc Sci, Grad. Dip. Ed., B. Litt, MBA, FRMIT, FAICD

Wendy Simpson joined the Board of World Vision Australia in February 2013. Wendy is an experienced, versatile global business leader and entrepreneur. She is the Chairman of Wengeo Group, an innovative diversified investment group. She is also Chairman of City to City Australia and was the Founding Chairman of Springboard Enterprises Australia, Australia’s only internationally focused business accelerator for women entrepreneurs seeking investment capital.

Previously, Wendy was a Senior Vice President of Alcatel Asia Pacific and was responsible for a sales budget of 4.2 billion euros. She implemented the sales of major mobile and broadband services to 17 countries and was on the team that negotiated with the Chinese Government to bring the internet to China. She has also held global leadership roles with QBE Insurance, Alcatel and TNT International. Wendy is on the organising committee of the annual Sydney Prayer Breakfast.

In February 2013, Wendy was honoured in the Australia Day Honours with an OAM for service to the community through a range of women's and youth organisations. On International Women’s Day 2013, she was inducted into the Australian Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame. Wendy was appointed to the Board of General Sir John Monash Foundation in January 2015.

Special responsibilities: People, Culture and Remuneration Committee 

Fiona Pearse

B.Ec, CPA, GAICD

 Fiona Pearse joined our Board in 2011.  She brings much experience in commercial, finance, audit and risk matters. 

Her executive career included almost two decades at leading ASX-listed global companies, mainly in Finance and Tax at BHP Billiton, the world’s largest diversified resources company, and also at BlueScope Steel, a global steel manufacturer. She has experience in diverse industries including petroleum, transport, utilities, investments, insurance, steel and software, in senior financial roles at the coalface; in corporate financial and tax oversight, advisory, and planning roles; and as a Non-Executive Director and Advisory Board member. 

Fiona was a non-executive director at City West Water, a $2 billion water utility; and she is currently a non-executive director of Scotch College, one of Australia’s leading independent schools; and is an Advisory Board member of a state-of-the-art Governance, Risk and Compliance software company. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is also a Fellow of CPA Australia. She is currently completing a Senior Executive MBA at Melbourne Business School.  

Special responsibilities: Audit and Risk Committee

Claire Rogers

MBA, BA

World Vision Australia CEO Claire Rogers joined our Board in 2016. She is a social innovator with a proven track record of strategising and delivering major change initiatives, helping organisations adapt to the tech-disrupted economy, and aligning physical and digital execution to maximise opportunities.

In her previous role as head of ANZ Australia’s digital banking, Claire spearheaded the bank's digital channels transformation, and is recognised for her capacity to grow customer facing business across both physical and digital channels. 

Chair of Ridley Theological College for the past eight years, Claire has long had a passion for equal opportunity for all, and understands the challenges facing not-for-profits as they adapt to the new economy. She is a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) Board. She has also volunteered as a mentor for Springboard Enterprises, supporting women entrepreneurs as they take concepts to market in the technology and digital sectors. 

Jon Seeley

FCA, BEc, MBA, GAICD

Jon Seeley is a Chartered Accountant with an Economics degree from the University of Adelaide and an MBA from Lancaster University, UK. Jon lives in Adelaide with his wife and two school-aged children. 

Jon is Group Managing Director of Seeley International, a manufacturer of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) products including Breezair and Braemar Evaporative Coolers and Ducted Gas Heaters, employing some 550 people with manufacturing plants in Adelaide, Albury and Denver.

Jon has previously worked for Deloitte and Goldman Sachs JBWere, in addition to spending 10 years overseas in the not-for-profit sector with relief and development organisations, including postings to Austria, Turkey, Uzbekistan and the UK. 

Special responsibilities: Audit and Risk Committee