Garry Weaven Emerging Trustee Scholarship

Applications are now open for 2025 and close on 6 December 2024. 

Application form
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Applications are now open

The Garry Weaven Emerging Trustee Scholarship Program was launched by IFM Investors, with the support of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), in honour of Garry’s Weaven’s commitment to the interests of working people and contribution to Australia’s world-class superannuation system.

This 12-month program equips new and emerging trustee directors with a strong understanding of the history and purpose of the superannuation system and the duties, legislative and otherwise, of directors in the $1.3 trillion profit-to-member superannuation sector.

Garry Weaven is one of the architects of Australia’s superannuation system and a leading light of the industry superannuation and trade union movements. Whilst Assistant Secretary of the ACTU, Garry was instrumental in the development of Australia’s retirement system and many of the industry superannuation funds that today look after the retirement savings of over half of the Australian workforce.

Garry was the founder and Inaugural Chair of IFM Investors.  IFM’s purpose is to invest, protect, and grow the long-term retirement savings of working people.  IFM is owned by profit-to-member superannuation funds and invests on behalf of like-minded investors worldwide from offices in Melbourne, Sydney, London, Berlin, Zurich, Amsterdam, Warszawa, New York, Houston, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo and Milan.  

IFM is proud to support this scholarship in recognition of Garry Weaven’s commitment to the profit-to-member ethos and a passion for making a difference in the lives of working people, and the continued development of incoming leaders of the profit-to-member sector.

Cath Bowtell
Chair, IFM Investors
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What the scholarship includes

Four scholarships are offered annually. The comprehensive program provides knowledge and skills-based training and mentoring to ensure that trustees are board-ready. The scholarship provides detailed insights into the duties of superannuation fund trustee directors, the history of the profit-to-member superannuation fund sector and facilitates exploration of the ways in which the sector can continue to demonstrate best practice for members.

Some of the activities offered as part of the Garry Weaven Emerging Trustee Scholarship program include:

  • Enrolment in the Harvard University Trustee Leadership Forum (usually held in June/July)

  • Attendance at the ACTU Super Trustees Forum

  • Enrolment in the Super Members Council Trustee Director Course 

  • Allocation to a suitable mentor

  • Networking opportunity with previous winners of the Garry Weaven scholarship and the opportunity to meet with Garry Weaven 

* Economy airfares and accommodation are covered as part of the scholarship. Additional expenses such as insurance and other incidentals are required to be arranged by participants.  

The Garry Weaven Scholarship is an invaluable opportunity for emerging superannuation trustees to equip themselves with the knowledge and skills that they need to be effective custodians of workers’ retirement savings. Industry Super Funds were built by union pioneers like Garry Weaven and the ACTU is proud to support trustees to uphold and advance this world-class retirement system.

Joseph Mitchell
Assistant Secretary, Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
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More details

All applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Be a trustee director of a profit-to-member super fund or identified by a sponsoring organisation as an incoming director.  (Independent directors, employee-representative and employer-representative directors are all eligible.)

  • Have an endorsement letter from a profit-to-member fund or a sponsoring organisation/union/employer association.

  • Be in the first term of a director appointment to a profit-to-member super fund or, in the case of potential employer or employee representative directors, identified by a sponsoring organisation as a director nominee. 

NB:  ACTU Office Holders and IFM employees are ineligible to apply. 

Click here to open the Application Form.

Submit your application form and any questions via email:   [email protected] 

Other Information

  • Applications close 6 December 2024.

  • A selection panel will review all applications and successful applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.

Previous winners of the scholarship* are:  

2023-2024:

  • Steven Brown, Vision Super, Trustee Director

  • Thomas Costa, State Super, Trustee Director

  • Abha Devasia, Cbus, Trustee Director

  • Angela Nigro, Aware Super, Trustee Director

  • Jason O'Mara, Cbus Super, Trustee Director 

2022–2023:

  • Dean Brakell, GAIST, First Super, Trustee Director

  • Helen Cooney, GAIST, Rest, Trustee Director

  • Emeline Gaske, GAIST, HESTA, Trustee Director

  • Sharife Rahmani, Equip Super, Trustee Director

2021–22:

  • Imogen Beynon, Hostplus, Trustee Director

  • Nick McIntosh, TWU Super, Alternate Trustee Director

  • Anastasia Polites, LegalSuper, Trustee Director

  • Casey Thompson, First Super, Trustee Director

2020–21:

  • Dahlia Khatab, TelstraSuper, Trustee Director

  • Emma Thornton, Statewide Super, Trustee Director

  • Robyn Burns, First Super, Trustee Director

  • Travis Bates, Aware Super, Trustee Director  

* Trustee directorships as of the time the scholarship was awarded.