The Board of SVA governs our overall direction and purpose, acting as the centrepiece of governance, fiduciary and overall responsibility for SVA and related companies.
Responsibilities include the approval of new members. Our board brings a diverse range of business, financial, entrepreneurial and philanthropic capabilities to SVA.
Company secretariat services are provided by Bernadette Favis.
Our people are our greatest asset. Find out more about the SVA team.
Non-Executive Director and Chair
Member of Impact Investing Committee
Rob Koczkar
Chair, Social Ventures Australia
Director since 11 August 2020
Mr Koczkar is the Managing Director of Adamantem Capital and a former CEO of Social Ventures Australia. He has extensive experience in social impact and private equity investing along with a deep understanding of the social purpose sector. He was previously a Managing Director of Pacific Equity Partners, Principal at Texas Pacific Group in Europe and started his career as a strategic consultant with Bain & Company.
Other current directorships
Mr Koczkar also serves on the boards of Adamantem Capital Management Pty Limited, Melior Investment Management Pty Limited, HYG HoldCo Pty Limited , Guardian Alphabet Holdco Pty Limited, and Eagle Holdco Pty Limited.
Former directorships in last 3 years
He previously served on the board of Servian Pty Limited.
Executive Director
Member of Impact Investing Committee
Suzie Riddell
CEO, Social Ventures Australia
Director since 22 November 2018
Ms Riddell is CEO at SVA. She previously held the role of Chief Strategy Officer, leading the Strategy & Advocacy team. She draws on extensive experience in the social purpose and commercial sectors to lead SVA’s systems change agenda. Ms Riddell led the development of innovative education and employment ventures, securing philanthropic seed capital and demonstrating impact to win scale funding from government. Prior to joining SVA, she was a consultant at Bain & Company. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Melior Investment Management Pty Limited.
Other current directorships
Ms Riddell is also a director of the Observership Program, Community Council for Australia Limited and Social Infrastructure Investment Partners Pty Ltd.
Non-Executive Director
Member of People & Culture Committee Member of Finance, Audit & Risk Committee
Adam Davids
Partner, First Nations Equity Partners
Director since 11 August 2020
Adam is a proud Aboriginal man and descendant of the Wiradjuri people. He is a Fulbright Scholar, a Kenneth Myer Innovation Fellow, and Founding Partner, First Nations Equity Partners.
Adam Davids was one of the pioneers behind CareerTrackers Indigenous Internship Program Limited and CareerSeekers New Australian Internship Program Limited and has undertaken ground breaking work to identify global racial equity standards for businesses to make an impact with
underrepresented minorities.
Over the years Adam has established a network of leading academics, NGOs, and business leaders to promote equity, justice, and the self-determination of racial minorities around the world. His career and research have shed light on global issues around racial wealth inequality, the lack of diversity in leadership, and how to build sustainable and high-impact
non-profits.
Former directorships in last 3 years
He is a non-Executive Director of CareerTrackers, a fellow of the Sidney Myer Foundation, member of the First Nations Employment Index 2024 Advisory Panel established by the Minderoo Foundation and a former non-Executive Director of CareerSeekers.
Non-Executive Director Member of Finance, Audit & Risk Committee
Sarah Davies AM
CEO, Alannah & Madeline Foundation
Director since 22 March 2022
Ms Davies has had a broad and wide-ranging career from executive roles in tertiary education in Australia to private sector consulting in HR, marketing and strategy in Australia, Europe and the Middle East, and back in the dim dark ages in airport management. But for the last 15 years, her focus has been exclusively in the charity and for-purpose sector: in social change.
In March 2021 Sarah joined the Alannah & Madeline Foundation as the CEO – joining a highly committed and impactful community and team. The Foundation works to make sure children can grow up happy, safe and strong – in both their online and offline worlds, free from violence, and with the support and strategies they need to thrive.
In addition to her professional roles, Sarah also serves on several diverse Boards and committees. Her current community roles include Deputy Chair of Teach for Australia and Deputy Chair of the National Museum of Australia. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Swinburne University of Technology and has recently been appointed Chair of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) Advisory Board.
Non-Executive Director
Member of Impact Investing Committee
Robert Fitzgerald AM
Age Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission
Director since 1 October 2017
Mr Fitzgerald is the NSW Ageing and Disability Commissioner and is Chair of Caritas Australia Limited and a Director of Emerging Futures Collaborative Ltd. Most recently he has been a Commissioner with the Productivity Commission and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse. A commercial lawyer for more than 20 years, including with top-tier firm Clayton Utz, he has also held a number of policy-related roles including as a member of the National Competition Council. Prior to joining the Productivity Commission, Mr Fitzgerald was Community and Disability Services Commissioner and Deputy Ombudsman in New South Wales. His considerable experience with the not-for-profit sector includes serving as Chair of the Australian Charities and Not-For Profits Commission Advisory Board, President of the Australian Council of Social Services, and over 30 years of volunteering with numerous community services. He is an Adjunct Professor at UWA.
Non-Executive Director
Member of People & Culture Committee
Chris Harrop
Director, Bain & Company
Director since 19 September 2016
Mr Harrop is a Senior Partner in the Sydney office of Bain & Company, a global strategy consulting firm. He joined Bain in 1993 and became a Partner in 2000. He has held several senior roles across the firm, and recently completed a 6-year term on Bain’s global Board of Directors. Mr Harrop has specialised in working with organisations in service industries, and in projects addressing corporate strategy, growth strategy and customer experience improvement. Prior to joining Bain, Mr Harrop held sales and marketing roles in the computer and consumer products industries with IBM, NCR and Adidas.
Other current directorships
Mr Harrop is a director of Goodstart Early Learning Ltd.
MIntLaw (Distinction)
Non-Executive Director Member of People & Culture Committee
Verity Lomax
Director, NSW Cabinet Office
Director since 13 October 2021
With over a decade of experience in government, including in the role of Chief of Staff to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Multicultural Affairs, Veterans, Volunteering and Youth, Verity is a passionate advocate for high impact social change. Representing Australian business in Myanmar, Verity led the Australia-Myanmar Chamber of Commerce, which was awarded the Asia Pacific Small Chamber of the year accolade due to their initiatives promoting Responsible Business practices and women in business.
Back in Australia, Verity begun working for a social impact advisory firm, Spark Strategy (a registered B-Corp), including with the Chief Minister’s office in the Northern Territory, co-designing their Early Childhood Strategy.
Currently Verity is Director of Housing, Planning and Homelessness at the Cabinet Office in the NSW Government. Verity is passionate about bringing government together with the not for profit, private and philanthropic sectors, to create lasting social impact. She is also a Director of Lomax Opals Pty Ltd.
Former directorships
The Reach Foundation
The Australia-Myanmar Chamber of Commerce
Non-Executive Director Chair Finance, Audit & Risk Committee
Diana Radcliffe
Division Director, Macquarie Group
Director since 1 July 2023
Ms Radcliffe is Divisional Director and Head of Group Financial Planning and Analysis at Macquarie Group Limited. During her time with Macquarie, Diana has held a number of roles withing the Financial Management Group from a number of perspectives from financial control, legal entity reporting, supporting a number of businesses as well as driving a range of transformation and improvement projects. Diana is passionate about equality in Australia, and helping it become a place where all
people can thrive.
Diana’s career in financial services has spanned more than 15 years across the UK and Australia. She holds a Masters of Finance from INSEAD, a Bachelor of Economics and is a member of the Institute
of Chartered Accountants.
Non-Executive Director Member of Impact Investing Committee
Cindy Reese Mitchell
Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Canberra
Director since 13 October 2021
Cindy is the Program Director for Indigenous Women’s Entrepreneurship at Good Return and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Canberra Business School. Previously, she was the founding Chief Executive Officer of Mill House Ventures, the Canberra region’s first dedicated social enterprise business development consultancy. Cindy has worked as a venture capital investment manager in senior management roles at large corporate organisations in Australia and the United States. She is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Social Impact (CSI) at Swinburne University, where she studies Kimberley Aboriginal women’s entrepreneurship and leadership.
Other current directorships
Mrs Mitchell also serves on the Board of Mosaic Life Care Limited.
Former directorships in last 3 years
She previously served on the Board of the Social Enterprise Council of NSW and ACT (SECNA).
