Belinda Hutchinson
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Belinda Hutchinson | |
|---|---|
| 18th Chancellor of the University of Sydney | |
| In office 4 February 2013 – 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Dame Marie Bashir |
| Succeeded by | David Thodey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 1953 (age 72) |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney |
| Profession | University chancellor |
| Website | www |
Belinda Jane Hutchinson (born August 1953) is an Australian businessperson, accountant, and philanthropist.
Belinda Jane Hutchinson was born in August 1953.[1]
Hutchinson graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economics degree in 1976.[2][3]
Hutchinson trained as a chartered accountant in Sydney, while working.[4]
Career
Hutchinson worked as an accountant for seven years at Arthur Andersen, which included three years in the United States. She then took up a post in the project finance division of Citibank in Sydney. She stayed at Citibank for 11 years, also working in corporate finance. Macquarie Group, a client of Citibank invited her to join its advisory business, and she later created its Equity Capital Markets division.[4]
During the 1990s she worked part-time to accommodate her family duties, and did consulting work at Macquarie. During this period she was invited to serve as non-executive director on the boards of renewable energy supplier Snowy Hydro Trading, Crane Group, and EnergyAustralia. Later, she became a member of the boards of Telstra and Coles Myer.[4]
She then took up a more challenging position, becoming chair of QBE Insurance around 2011, when the insurance industry was experiencing a turbulent time.[4] She remained at QBE until 2014.[5][6]
Hutchinson was appointed chancellor of the University of Sydney in 2013.[7] In August 2015 she was made chair of Thales Australia,[8] the local branch of a French arms manufacturer. In July 2017 the University of Sydney created a memorandum of understanding with Thales "to work closely together over the next five years to develop new technologies and capabilities".[9] The university says that Hutchinson had no part in the memorandum of understanding.[10] In June 2023, she became a non-executive director of the board.[11]
In December 2016, the university senate reappointed Hutchinson for a second term as chancellor.[12] In May 2020, the university senate reappointed Hutchinson for a third term as chancellor.[13] On 11 March 2024, it was announced that Hutchinson would be stepping down from the role, having reached 12-year limit of the University Senate, which elected David Thodey as her replacement.[14]
On 12 April 2018 Hutchinson was appointed as a non-executive director to the Qantas board[1][7] (still active as of April 2024[update]).[5]
Other roles
Hutchinson has served as president of the council of the State Library of New South Wales[15] since (board member since 1996, still active as of April 2024[update][5]).
She was president of Chief Executive Women,[7] from 2011 to 2012.[15] of which she remains a member.[16]
She has served as chair of Future Generation Global (until 2021[5]) and QBE Insurance Group, and as director on the boards of AGL Energy (until 2018[5]), St Vincent's Health Australia, TAB, and Sydney Water.[7]
She has been a board member of the Centre for Independent Studies since 2010 (still active as of April 2024[update][5]).
Philanthropy
Hutchinson strives to develop a culture of philanthropy. As of 2024[update] she is a non-executive member of the Australian Philanthropic Services,[11][16] and is a trustee of the St Vincent's Curran Foundation. Her family has a foundation that supports a number of community-based projects, such as work done by the Hunger Project in Malawi.[7]