PATRON
Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales
Kate Dundas – Chair
Kate Dundas has forged a career in public policy, media and cultural leadership. Senior roles include Executive Director of Performing Arts at the Sydney Opera House where she led programming, event management, production and venue hire divisions. During her extensive career with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Kate held senior executive roles including Director of ABC Radio, Head of Music Networks and Director People and Culture. She has worked in public policy areas in both state and federal government. Her NSW Government experience includes Deputy Secretary Arts and Culture and two executive roles in the NSW Premier’s Department.
Kate is a Board Director of the Sydney Festival, Deputy Chair of Australia for UNHCR and Deputy Chair of the Sydney Writers’ Festival. She also works as an Executive Mentor with private clients and as part of McCarthy Mentoring. Additionally, Kate works on a project basis as a subject matter expert on cultural projects in Australia and overseas. Kate has a Bachelor of Communications, is a Vincent Fairfax Fellow and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Andrew Cameron AM
Andrew Cameron is an experienced director in the not-for-profit arts sector. He has been a keen supporter, advocate and philanthropist for the arts for over thirty years. He is also the founder and owner of a group of engineering, wholesaling and investment businesses based in Sydney.
He is currently a Trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW, following an eight-year term as Chair of the AGNSW Foundation. He is immediate past Chair of Artspace Visual Arts Centre, having overseen the redevelopment of the Gunnery Building and the transformation of the Artspace organisation. He is a Past Chair of Belvoir Street Theatre, and past Deputy Chair of the Biennale of Sydney, past board member of the Major Performing Arts Group, Sherman Foundation, and Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. He was Deputy Commissioner for Australia’s presentation at the Venice Biennale in 2005, 2007 and 2009.
He is a founder and director of the Andrew Cameron Family Foundation which provides philanthropic support with a focus on visual and performing arts. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2014 for significant services to the visual and performing arts, and was recognised as Australia’s National Arts Philanthropist of the Year by Creative Partnerships in 2017.
Dr Robert Lang
Director
Dr Robert Lang is a leader in city building, community engagement, strategic urban planning, economic development, creating great public places, transport infrastructure, place management, arts, tourism and energy. He has extensive experience in the public service, gained within a combination of state and local government businesses.
He has a long involvement in the arts, theatre production and direction, music creation and performance, training young people in the performing arts, delivering arts to western Sydney audiences and significant experience in outdoor events. He has a focus on place-making and bringing together the drivers for making great cities. He has a keen interest in the potential of western Sydney to provide business and economic growth opportunities, making Sydney more livable with more jobs closer to home.
As a former CEO for Parramatta City Council he understands local government, knows how to develop a compelling vision for the city and deliver major new property and infrastructure developments. He brought largescale events to Parramatta, implemented a new place-making focus and initiated the Western Sydney Light Rail project.
Dr Lang currently serves on the Riverside Advisory Committee and has a number of interests in the not for profit sector including disability services, affordable housing, education and the arts.
Karen Mundine
CEO and Company Secretary, Reconciliation Australia
Karen Mundine is from the Bundjalung Nation of northern NSW. As the CEO and Company Secretary at Reconciliation Australia, Ms Mundine brings to the role more than 20 years’ experience leading community engagement, public advocacy, communications and social marketing campaigns. Over the course of her career she has been instrumental in some of Australia’s watershed national events including the Apology to the Stolen Generations, Centenary of Federation commemorations, Corroboree 2000 and the 1997 Australian Reconciliation Convention.
Ms Mundine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Technology Sydney and is a Director of the Gondwana Choirs and the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre.
Previous roles include Mary Mackillop Board Director, Deputy Chief Executive and General Manager Communication and Engagement, Reconciliation Australia; Senior Consultant, CPR Communications; senior public affairs and communications roles with federal government departments including Prime Minister and Cabinet and Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Abs Osseiran
Corporate Tax Partner and Consumer Sector Lead at Deloitte Tax & Legal in Australia
With more than 20 years of experience in the professional services industry, Abs Osseiran has collaborated with leading multinational corporations. His career spans private practice and corporate environments, focusing on advising on both Australian and international corporate tax issues.
Hailing from Sydney, Abs holds board roles with Queer Screen Limited and the Can Too Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation focused on raising money for cancer prevention and research.
He has also held positions on the boards of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and Sydney World Pride. With strong governance credentials and a dedication to the arts, Abs chairs the Festival’s Audit and Risk Committee.
Yeesum Lo
Head of Development at Paramount Australia and New Zealand
Appointed by Paramount in 2020, Yeesum is responsible for identifying and progressing content commissions across Network 10, Paramount+, MTV and Nickelodeon.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Yeesum’s career has taken her to New York, Los Angeles and Sydney. As a content executive, she previously spent nearly a decade at Endemol Shine Group (Banijay) in various roles, including C-level project management and strategy, and was a B&T 30 under 30 winner. As Director of Digital for Australia, she managed digital content and commercial strategy for major programs like MasterChef, Survivor and Married At First Sight, and implemented industry-leading management protocols.
Yeesum also serves as Co-Chair for Paramount’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group and is a dedicated advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in media and the arts. She is a Dr. John Yu Fellow at the University of Sydney’s Business School and holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California. Additionally, she graduated with merit from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Dr. Sunil Badami
Dr. Sunil Badami is a writer, broadcaster, academic, digital educator and journalist. He has over twenty years’ experience in the arts and media sectors and has worked with a variety of organisations such as the ABC, Kaldor Public Art Projects, Diversity Arts Australia and Creative Australia. Dr Badami currently serves on the Board of the Canberra Writers Festival and is a member of the UTS School of Communications Industry Advisory Board.
Growing up in Western Sydney and the NSW Central Coast, his passion for diversity and representation aligns with Sydney Festival’s mission to celebrate and reflect the communities and interests which make up our city.
Simon Chan AM
Founder and Director, Art Atrium
Simon is a distinguished architect, gallerist and advocate for cultural diversity in the arts. As the Founder and Director of Art Atrium, he has championed cross-cultural collaboration between Australian, Asian and Aboriginal artists, fostering artistic exchange that reflects Australia’s rich multicultural identity.
His longstanding commitment to philanthropy and the arts is evident through his leadership roles, including Chair of the Art Gallery of NSW’s VisAsia Committee and Director of the Aboriginal Benefits Foundation, where he has worked to support Indigenous communities through art and culture. He also currently serves as a Member of the Australian Multicultural Council, Board Member of Multicultural NSW Advisory Board and Director of Australian National Maritime Museum Foundation Board, further extending his impact on cultural and community initiatives.
Beyond the visual arts, Simon’s dedication to social cohesion and multicultural engagement has led to key appointments, including his current role as a Council Member of the Australian Multicultural Council and as President of the Chinese Australian Forum. Recognised for his contributions to arts and culture, Simon was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2023, cementing his legacy as a leader in cultural advocacy and community enrichment.
