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Monash University Engineering Foundation Board of Management

The Foundation Board of Management comprises:

the Vice-Chancellor and President or nominee;
the Dean of the Faculty, who is deputy chair of the board; and
up to ten members appointed by the Dean, including members of the academic staff of the Faculty.

Dr Peter Rogers (Chair)

Following graduation from Monash University in engineering, Peter commenced with ICI Australia as Sulphuric Acids Superintendent at Yarraville Victoria. This involved the direct management of 60 staff in running the 540tpd contact plant and chamber plants. Later experience included commissioning and running ICI’s first extrusion compounding PVC operation at Deer Park, Victoria. Then, following responsibility for Polythene film operations in NSW, he was appointed Staff Manager of ICI Australia in Melbourne in 1980.

He was appointed HR Director, Overseas Group Operations of ICI PLC based in London in 1984 and was based there for five years. Peter was responsible for HR policy and support to businesses outside the UK and for pensions and benefits administration of UK staff. At this point ICI had 120,000 staff worldwide including approx 60,000 outside the UK and 600 mobile staff on international assignments. He was a Director of ICI Bangladesh (a pharmaceutical company) and ICI Bangladesh Operations (a trading company) and HR Director of ICI’s extensive India operations. He was a director of the London based board of Employment Conditions Abroad Ltd (ECA) for two four year terms between 1985 and 2000. Peter is currently a member of Monash University Engineering Foundation Board. In addition to BE, Peter has PhD degree from Monash University and M App Sc from University of Melbourne. His PhD project was supervised by Prof Ron Cumming. He is a Fellow of IPM London.

Since 2001, Peter has been Managing Director of International Consultants Centre Pty Ltd, the Mobility consulting arm of MERCER – part of the listed New York Company MMC. He was awarded a Monash Distinguished Service Medal in 2008.

Professor Tam Sridhar (Deputy Chair)

Professor Tam Sridhar is a Chemical Engineer and is currently a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor and Dean of Engineering. He obtained his PhD from Monash University and has been with Monash since 1982. He was Chairman of the Department of Chemical Engineering from 1992 until 2003.

Professor Sridhar is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers and of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (UK). He served as Chairman of the Australian Branch of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and as President of the Australian Society of Rheology. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. He received the Centenary Medal from the Australian Government for services to Chemical Engineering.

Mr David Munro Pitt

David Pitt was appointed as Vice-President (Finance) and CFO of Monash University in August 2005. He is responsible for the corporate finance, financial planning, treasury, business strategy, strategic procurement, financial systems and major projects activities of the University. He is also a director of Monash South Africa Pty. Ltd. and associated companies, Monash Investment Holdings Pty. Ltd., Monash Health Research Precinct Pty. Ltd., Monash University Sunway Campus Malaysia and Monash University Foundation Pty. Ltd., and is a former Chairman of Monash IVF Pty. Ltd.

Prior to his appointment at Monash, David was Director of Strategic Projects, Telstra Corporation. He was also a Director of Telstra Super Pty Ltd, Director of Telstra Holdings (Bermuda) No 1 Limited and of 1300Australia Pty. Ltd. Prior to this he was a director of Telecom Australia (Saudi) Ltd, QPSX Communications Ltd and a number of other companies.

Mr. Pitt had worked in a number of Telstra’s business units, including the former Network & Technology Group, Commercial & Consumer Division, Human Relations and Finance & Administration in various management and strategic capacities.

This work included Pay TV, the Telstra Superannuation Scheme, Spectrum Auctions and Telstra’s Wholesale/Retail strategy. He also worked on the IPO and subsequent sale of Infonet Services Corporation, the PlesTel (Commander) IPO, Telstra’s Cable Strategy and REACH. In addition, he has managed or been involved in a number of major restructurings, outsourcing projects and new business developments. Financial roles included financial planning, financial strategy, mergers and acquisitions, treasury and budgeting.

Mr. Pitt holds a First Class Honours Science Degree majoring in Pure Mathematics & Statistics, a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) and an MBA. He is also a fellow of the AICD.

Mr Clive Weeks

Clive Weeks completed a Civil Engineering Degree at Monash in 1968 and Master of Engineering Science in 1972. After a period with local councils and lecturing at Swinburne College he joined GHD (formerly Gutteridge Haskins and Davey), Consulting Engineers, in 1972. Over the next 36 years he held a variety of positions, including managing the Northern Territory and then Victorian operations, appointment as a Director in 1992, CEO in 2002 and Executive Chairman in 2003, a position he held until he stepped down from the GHD Board in 2008. He has extensive experience with large infrastructure projects, and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, the Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. He was Monash Civil Engineering Alumnus of the year in 2004 and joined the Engineering Foundation Board in 2006.

Ms Madeleine McManus

Madeleine has a professional background in engineering, supply chain management, consulting and executive search. Double degree qualified in Mechanical Engineering and Commerce from Monash University, she has spent a number of years in the commercial and project engineering environment working in industries such as chemical, oil and gas and industrial both in Australia and overseas. Her main roles included engineering and supply chain consulting and management, project management and business development. Currently, she is a Director an executive search business, specialising in Engineering.

Madeleine’s involvement with Engineers Australia began during her engineering studies, when she represented Monash University. Over the past ten years she has been involved with the Engineering Excellence Awards (Panel Chair 2007 – 2001). Madeleine has also delivered a number of presentations for Engineers Australia. She has been appointed to the Victorian Division Committee, been elected as the National Congress and is currently the Vice Chairman of Engineers Australia Victorian Division.

Madeleine has served on a number of industry and community boards, including Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Timberline Ski Lodge, Victorian Government Supply Chain Consultative Committee and Swinburne University Engineering Course Advisory Board. She has also been involved as a judge for the Victorian Young Supply Chain Achiever of the Year, Victorian Logistics Award and Telstra Business Women Awards for a number of years.

Madeleine is passionate about working with engineers of the future, raising the profile of engineers in the wider community and ensuring the long term success of the profession.

Mr Nick Heath

After completing his BE (Chem Eng) at Monash in 1969, Nicholas began a 36 year career in the oil and gas industry with Esso Australia. Initially he worked in various engineering assignments involved with the early development and commissioning of Esso's Gippsland Basin oil and gas fields offshore Viictoria. Later he worked in a variety of other technical, operational and management positions in Australia and the USA, including as a member of the Board of Esso Australia from 1993. Nicholas was a Counsellor of the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) from 1993 to 2006 and Chairman in 1997-1999. Since retiring from Esso in 2006, Nicholas has undertaken consulting assignments and joined the boards of Metgasco Limited as non-executive director and MEO Australia Limited where he is non-executive Chairman. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an Honorary Life Member of APPEA.