Businesswoman Samantha Mostyn will succeed David Hurley as Australia’s next governor-general on July 1.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese yesterday, describing Mostyn as a “modern and optimistic leader for our nation.
Mostyn, the second woman to hold the post, following Quentin Bryce, brings extensive business experience, particularly in telecommunications and insurance, having served on non-executive boards such as Transurban, Virgin Australia, and as chair of Citibank Australia, leveraging her legal background.
Presently, she holds the positions of chair at AWARE Super and Alberts Music Group, while serving on the Mirvac board.
She previously served as president of Chief Executive Women from 2021-22 and as a commissioner of the Australian Football League, being the first woman in this role, instrumental in developing its Respect and Responsibility policy and advancing the AFL (Women’s) (AFLW).
Additionally, she has chaired numerous not-for-profit organisations, including Beyond Blue and Australian Volunteers International.
Mostyn has been a vocal advocate for climate change action and women’s issues, with strong ties to the Labor Party, having served as a policy adviser to former Labor ministers and a senior communications policy adviser to former Prime Minister Paul Keating.
In 2022, she was appointed by the Albanese government to chair its Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, tasked with developing a national strategy for gender equality, and she expressed readiness to serve with integrity, compassion, and respect.
News source and image from The Conversation
