David Gonski - Biography

David Michael Gonski, BComm, LLB, AC, (born 7 October 1953) is an Australian public figure and businessman. The Sydney Morning Herald has described him as "one of the country's best-connected businessmen" and dubbed him "Mr Networks" for being "arguably Sydney's most networked man".

David Gonski was born in 1953 in Cape Town, South Africa. His family migrated to Australia in 1961. He attended Sydney Grammar School and graduated with the degrees of Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws (with the University Medal) from the University of New South Wales. He practised as a solicitor with the firm of Freehills from 1977 to 1986, becoming their youngest ever partner at age 25, before leaving to co-found an investment bank. While at Freehills, he taught Intellectual Property for the Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales. Law Theatre G02 is named the Conski Levi Theatre in his honour.

Current positions held include:

Business:

• Chair, Investec Bank (Australia) Ltd
• Chair, Coca-Cola Amatil
• Chair, Australian Stock Exchange.
• Chair, Ingeus Limited.
• Director, Westfield Group
• Director, Singapore Airlines

Other:

• Chancellor, University of New South Wales, from 2005. David Gonski is the first person to hold the position of Chancellor at UNSW who is also an alumnus of the University.
• Chair, National e-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA)
• Chair, Sydney Theatre Company, from February 2010
• Ambassador, Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (www.aief.com.au)
• Board member, Infrastructure NSW.

Previous positions held include:

• Chair, Australia Council for the Arts, 2002-2006.
• Director, John Fairfax Holdings, 1993-2005.
• Director, ANZ 2001-2007.
• President of the Board of Trustees, Art Gallery of New South Wales, from 1997
• Chair, National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).
• Chair, Board of Trustees, Sydney Grammar School, 2003-2010

Gonski was appointed as a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2007. In 2002 Gonski had been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to the community through Australian visual and performing arts organisations, through the development of government policy, and through the promotion of corporate sponsorship for the arts and for charitable organisations. He received the Centenary Medal in 2003.

Gonski was a close friend and advisor to the late media baron Kerry Packer. Together with Lloyd Williams he is executor of Packer's estate. While he provided advice to Packer, Gonski was also a director of the Packer's media competitor Fairfax. He is close friends with Arthur Boyd and Frank Lowy and his mentor is the late Kim Santow.

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