Deakin MBA appoints outstanding business leaders to Adjunct Professor roles

Deakin Business School MBA Director Associate Professor Colin Higgins congratulated the appointees, and thanked them for accepting their new roles.

"The position of Adjunct Professor is recognition of these appointees' significant contribution to the business community at a national and international level," Associate Professor Higgins said.

"It is also an opportunity to take their collective decades of experience in the corporate world and political sector, and share that expertise with the next generation of business leaders through the Deakin MBA program.

"We are looking forward to leveraging the insights and unique experiences of these outstanding individuals in a way that will take Deakin's already globally-recognised MBA program to the next level."

The appointees are:

• David Epstein – Non-Executive Director, Consultant Public Affairs Adviser and Chair of Communications Compliance, the independent compliance monitoring body for the Australian telecommunications industry. Mr Epstein has led group public affairs, regulatory and communications functions at Qantas Airways, BHP Billiton and Optus (Singtel), and was a senior adviser to three Australian Prime Ministers, culminating as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister the Hon Kevin Rudd.
• Jo Fisher – Founding Partner and Managing Director of the internationally operating Australian-owned firm Fisher Leadership, specialising in executive search and leadership advisory. Ms Fisher is a leading advocate for the importance of diversity in leadership and is committed to supporting socially positive leadership outcomes.
• The Hon Chris Pearce - Managing Partner, South East Asia at NGS Global and former Member for Aston in the House of Representatives (2001 to 2009), Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer (2004 to 2007) and Shadow Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law (2008 to 2009). Mr Pearce has served on commercial, government and not-for-profit boards and is currently Deputy Chairman and Non-Executive Director at the St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research.
• James Pearson - CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australia’s largest business network. Mr Pearson is a former diplomat and trade negotiator who has represented Australia in Africa, the Pacific and China, and has led corporate affairs for a number of large public companies.

The new cohort joins current Deakin MBA Adjunct Professors including Institute of Public Accountants CEO Andrew Conway, MLC Insurance Senior Business Architect Roderick Brown, Ai Group Chief Economist Julie Toth, and former Apple Creative Director Ken Segall.

Associate Professor Higgins said three of the four new appointees – Ms Fisher, Mr Pearce and Mr Pearson – were themselves graduates of the Deakin MBA program.

"We are particularly proud that three of the four appointees are graduates of the Deakin MBA, demonstrating why the MBA offered through our University is one of the most highly regarded in Australia," he said.

"Since our MBA was first offered in 1981, the Deakin MBA Alumni Chapter has grown to more than 6000 members across 130 countries, with Deakin-educated business leaders employed everywhere from PricewaterhouseCoopers to the United Nations.

"With the addition of our new Adjunct Professors the Deakin MBA program has further strengthened its capacity to build business acumen, enhance decision-making and communication skills, and accelerate the careers of our talented students."

Deakin's online MBA was ranked number 15 in the world – and the best in Victoria for the third consecutive year – in the international university rankings published by the prestigious QS Quacquarelli Symonds.

The Deakin MBA is internationally recognised and EPAS accredited by the European Foundation for Management Development, the world's most thorough program accreditation system for business and/or management programs.

The Deakin MBA is also rated five stars in both the QS rankings and GMAA MBA rankings.

More information: http://www.deakin.edu.au/courses/find-a-course/business/master-of-business-administration