Deakin appoints new Executive Dean of Faculty of Business and Law
Media release
Deakin's University Council has appointed Professor Jenni Lightowlers as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law after an extensive search returned a quality field of candidates.
Professor Lightowlers has been Dean of the Deakin Law School since 2017 and previously served on the University Council and as Deakin’s Deputy Chancellor. Professor Lightowlers has been acting as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law since May 2023.
Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin said Professor Lightowlers would ensure the Faculty of Business and Law continues its world-class research and inspiring Deakin students to reach their potential and achieve their goals.
“Professor Lightowlers is a renowned commercial law expert and a leading advisor to Cooperative Research Centres as well as to research, innovation and commercialisation entities and universities in both Australia and the South Pacific,” Professor Martin said.
“On behalf of the university community, I congratulate Jenni on her appointment and also extend my gratitude for her excellent leadership as Acting Executive Dean in recent months,” Professor Martin said.
Professor Lightowlers graduated from the University of Melbourne with an Honours Degree in Law and has since been awarded a Masters of Law from the University of Melbourne.
Prior to being in the law, Jenni taught English at secondary school level in Western Australia, South Australia, and Victoria. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Diploma in Education from the University of Western Australia.
As a lawyer, Professor Lightowlers worked initially in a major commercial law firm in Melbourne before moving on to work in-house as a corporate lawyer at both Sirotech and CSIRO. In 1993, she became a foundation partner of Francis Abourizk Lightowlers.
Professor Lightowlers is also a director or secretary of various not-for-profit entities, including International Network for Acid Prevention (INAP) Limited, a public company established by a consortia of international mining companies; the Australia America Education Leadership Foundation, and companies set up under the Cooperative Research Centres program.