Board of Directors
Archie Tsirimokos – Chair
Chairman
Meyer Vandenberg Lawyers
Archie Tsirimokos is a member of the Canberra Business Chamber and Chairman of Meyer Vandenberg Lawyers, Canberra’s largest independent law firms. He is recognised as one of Canberra’s most experienced property lawyers and is the trusted adviser to many of the region’s business minds.
Archie’s expertise in governance, commercial law, litigation, building and construction law has gained him a far-reaching respect among his peers and resulted in a loyal client base that includes some of the ACT’s largest corporate developers, investors and financial institutions. He has been involved in the negotiation and delivery of numerous complex commercial projects and has extensive experience appearing as counsel in the ACT Supreme Court and the Federal Court of Australia.
In 2014 Archie was named the Property Council ACT’s Property Professional of the Year, and in 2015 Archie was named the Real Estate Institute of ACT’s ‘Solicitor of the Year’ – an award he also won in 2014 and 2013. Archie is a Director of Lifeline Canberra.
Archie has worked tirelessly to promote the local region; as well as being integrally involved in many significant property transactions.
Keith Cantlie – Deputy Chair
Principal
Cantlie
Keith has lived and worked in Canberra for the last 28 years, working across the private and public sectors prior to establishing his own business Cantlie Recruitment in February 2005.
Keith has built a highly successful recruitment and talent management organisation delivering services across public, private, educational and not for profit clients. During the past eight years Keith has also played an active role in the Canberra community by sponsoring the ACT government’s skills enhancement program “Canberra your Future”, Lifeline Canberra and St Vincent De Paul Canberra/Goulburn.
Keith has also played an active role in supporting the development of the new John Paul College based in Gungahlin.
Lorcan Murphy – Treasurer
Co-Founder
Canissa Pty Ltd
Lorcan holds formal qualifications from the Leinster Business Institute (Dublin, Ireland) in Business Studies & Computer Applications, Human Resource Management, Project Management and Business Finance. He is also accredited with the Australian Institute of Management as a Senior Corporate Manager.
He has served on a number of Boards and Committees, most recently as Treasurer and Chairman of the Risk and Audit Committee for the St Vincent de Paul Society, Canberra Goulburn.
Lorcan’s career spans over 23 years in executive leadership and senior management positions across numerous sectors, including in multinational organisations across Europe, America, Asia and Australia. In particular, he has experience in the financial services, aviation, construction, production and community sectors.
Lorcan’s clear vision, strategic focus and sound judgement in his most recent role as CEO at Communities@work, has been instrumental in laying the foundations for the organisations future growth. His keen business acumen and commitment to the delivery of quality community services was fundamental in anchoring the organisation as a highly professional and sustainable social enterprise that is responsive to community needs. His commitment to high standards of governance, industrial relations and ICT proficiency also driven the adoption of enhanced corporate management systems.
Jason Duarte
Head of Corporate Banking ACT
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Jason moved to Canberra in early 2014 leading Commonwealth Bank’s Government, Education, Health & Social Infrastructure business in ACT and in February 2016 was appointed the Head of Corporate Banking ACT, responsible for a diverse sales team and has over 18years of financial services experience and digital transformation expertise.
Jason joined the Bank after a diverse financial services career which included 3 years at Citigroup, Corporate & Investment Bank, managing transactional banking services for Government & Financial Institution clients, 4 years at NSW Treasury in Audit and senior Policy roles, and a senior Government Relations role at the Financial Planning Association leading advocacy for reform to superannuation and financial advice, which included two appearances in Parliamentary Hearings.
He holds an Economics degree from Macquarie University, Post-grad Law from Sydney University and Master of Applied Finance through Kaplan. He is a Fellow of Finsia, a member of Australian Institute of Company Directors, Board member of the Canberra Business Chamber, Community Services #1, Teen Spirit Foundation and the Finance Board Committee of the ACT Brumbies as well as being a Mentor at Menslink. In 2014 Jason came runner-up AFR Emerging Leader of the Year award which included an MBA scholarship at Sydney University Business School. Jason is a passionate Raiders Fan, technology aficionado, keen supporter of the Arts and is a “mad foodie”.
Jo Metcalfe
ACT and Southern New South Wales Manager
GHD
Jo Metcalfe is the ACT and Southern New South Wales manager for GHD, a global professional services firm. She has a strong relationships with government and twenty years of consulting, professional services management and industry peak body employment history. Jo makes significant contributions to the organisations for which she plays committee, council and board roles, a commitment that she is eager to continue with Canberra Business Chamber. She has been an active member of the Property Council of Australia since 2004, was a Director of Consult Australia, the peak body for design companies in the built environment. Jo’s past roles include State Manager of the Australian Institute of Architects ACT and Managing Principal of peckvonhartel Architects.
“I am passionate about issues affecting the business community of Canberra and the region and its role servicing the private and public sectors locally, nationally and internationally. I am committed to supporting the Business Chamber advocate for optimal environments for business through strong relationships with government and other stakeholders and the resulting value proposition for Chamber members.”
Sarah Rajic
Co-Founder and Director
Capital Recruit
Sarah Rajic is the co-founder of Capital Recruit and General Manager of Staff Check.
Capital Recruit specialises in corporate recruitment including accounting, human resources, marketing and communications, sales and administration across government and the business community in the ACT. Since its inception over three years ago, Capital Recruit has grown significantly and recently broadened its services delivering managed volume recruitment processes and assessment design within the Federal Government environment. Staff Check is a leading supplier of security vetting services, providing personnel security services to government and business.
Sarah commenced her career in 2000 in accounting recruitment in Canberra. For the past 10 years, she has managed recruitment teams and branches across Canberra and Sydney. In August 2014, Sarah founded Capital Recruit with Glen Heward. In addition to Capital Recruit, Sarah was appointed General Manager of Staff Check mid 2016 to focus on client management, strategy and leadership.
Sarah is currently undertaking the Australian Institute of Company Directors Company Course in Canberra, has a Diploma in Business and is accredited with the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association (RCSA). She regularly presents for CPA Australia and other industry bodies on recruitment best practice, industry updates, leadership and career development.
Sarah Rajic was the 2017 Future Leader with the Canberra Business Chamber. Over that time, she immersed herself in the Chamber and board activities, including contributing to minister meetings, the inquiry into insecure workers, the finance and audit committee and other working groups.
In 2017 Sarah received the Best New Business Owner award from Canberra Women in Business for the success of her business, Capital Recruit and her contribution to the Canberra business community.
Rowena Abbey
Mayor
Yass Valley Council
Rowena has extensive banking, finance, risk management and corporate governance experience.
With more than 30 years of experience including Treasurer of Ampolex Limited, then Treasurer of Optus Vision Pty Ltd and Director of Syndications for ANZ Investment Bank.
Subsequently Rowena was a Director of Essential Energy and Chairman of Audit and Risk Committee, Australian Inland Energy Water Infrastructure, Emmlik Pty Ltd, Optus Superannuation Fund and Director Cue Energy Resources Ltd and Director of Yass Valley Aged Care Limited.
Rowena’s current directorships include Yass Valley Council (Mayor), Chairman Canberra Region Joint Organization, Yass District Education Foundation, Arboretum Foundation and Chairman South Eastern Livestock Exchange.
Richard Snow
Head of Property
Canberra Airport
Richard has an extensive background in commercial, retail and residential property investment and development. After completing a BA Commerce from the University of Sydney in 2002 he began his career in 2003 working for global listed property group Brookfield Multiplex. Since joining Capital Airport Group in 2009, Richard has overall responsibility for the development of the non-aviation property business at Canberra Airport, as well as off-airport development, this includes the award-winning Brindabella Business Park and the mixed-use Majura Park precinct.
Most recently Richard has overseen the Canberra City office and hotel development known as ‘Constitution Place’ set for completion in mid-2020.
Richard also sits on the ACT Division Council of the Property Council of Australia.
Vikram Sharma
Founder and CEO
QuintessenceLabs
Vikram Sharma is the Founder and CEO of QuintessenceLabs. Recognising the potential of quantum cybersecurity in the early 2000s while in California, Vikram sought to commercialise the technology, returning to the Australian National University to work with the Quantum Optics Group. QuintessenceLabs emerged from the award-winning research conducted by the group, and is today positioned at the forefront of the cybersecurity sector. The company’s capabilities have been recognised at several Australian and international events, most recently: global runner-up from a pool of 2,500+ companies in IBM’s SmartCamp competition in 2013, named by the Australian Information Industry Association as Australia’s most innovative small company in 2014, and selected by the Security Innovation Network as a SINET16 Cyber Security Innovator in 2015. In 2016, Cybersecurity Ventures named QuintessenceLabs in its Cybersecurity 500 list of the world’s most innovative cybersecurity companies. In 2017, the company was selected as of one of Westpac’s 20 high potential Businesses of Tomorrow.
Prior to QuintessenceLabs, Vikram founded two successful start-up ventures in the information technology infrastructure and services spaces – a consulting company providing IT services to the Federal Government in Australia, and one of India’s first private ISPs. He began his career as a programmer analyst, and subsequently worked as a consultant with a number of companies and government agencies in Australia.
Vikram holds a master of science in computer science from The Australian National University, a master of science in management (Sloan Fellow) from Stanford University, and a doctorate in quantum physics from The Australian National University. He was presented the Pearcey State Award for Entrepreneurship in 2013. In 2014, Vikram was invited by the UK Government to join an expert panel for its flagship Quantum Technology Hubs programme, and presently serves on the Industry Advisory Boards of AusCyber and the Research School of Computer Science at the Australian National University, and the Cybersecurity Technical Committee of the Australian Computer Society.
Craig Sloan
Partner
KPMG
Craig is a Chartered Accountant and has been with KPMG since 1987. He is currently a senior Partner within the Management Consulting division of the firm, responsible for the provision of financial management, costing and government advisory services. He has extensive experience which has included the provision of accounting, business viability, feasibility and due diligence advice as well as costing, modeling, capability development, procurement and program advisory services to a wide range of entities, specialising in the provision of services to both Federal and ACT government agencies.
Outside of KPMG, Craig has served as a member of the Canberra Business Chamber Board since it’s formation and the Canberra Business Council Board since 1996 (holding the position of Chair for 7 years). Craig is also currently Chair of the Canberra Institute of Technology, Chair of CIT Solutions Pty Limited, Chair of the Gallery of Australian Design and a board member of Hockey ACT.
Craig is a member of a number of professional associations, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Taxation Institute of Australia, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and the Australian Society of CPAs.
Vicki Williams
Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Finance and Infrastructure
University of Canberra (UC)
Mrs Vicki Williams is the Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Finance and Infrastructure at the University of Canberra (UC). Vicki has responsibility for the University’s core business services of Finance, Commercial Services, Campus Estate, Information Management and Technology, Quality, Business Process Improvement and Planning and Analytics. Her primary responsibility is to provide strong financial guidance and sound business acumen to support and enable the delivery of the University’s education, research and campus development objectives.
Vicki has held senior leadership positions for over 25 years managing the delivery of services across finance, human resources, information technology, capital program delivery, facilities and asset management. This experience has been developed across a broad range of industries in management roles with PwC, Walter Turnbull, Calvary Health Care, AirServices Australia, the Housing Industry Association (HIA) and Prime Television.
Vicki is an alumnus of the University of Canberra, is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Directors Company Directors program and a member of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Corporate group, a committee of Universities Australia.
Vicki is currently Chair of the Radford College Finance Committee, member of the University of Canberra College Pty Ltd Board and member of the University of Canberra Union Ltd Board. She has previously been a Board member of the Snowy Hydro Southcare Trust and Northside Community Services Ltd.
Vicki is a proud, long-term Canberra resident who has built her career here. She can provide strong financial guidance to support business. She supports the University of Canberra, as a member of the Canberra Business Chamber, to make a strong contribution to the Canberra economy.