Organisational Structure

Who's Who

QPAC is governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Queensland Government. In collaboration with the Trustees, QPAC is managed by an Executive Group that is responsible for the operations and the achievement of the Centre's strategic priorities.
QPAC is a Statutory Authority of the Queensland Government with its responsibilities set out in the Queensland Performing Arts Trust Act 1977.

Board of Trustees

Henry Smerdon AM

From the end of 1994 until April 1998, he held the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Investment Corporation, an organisation he played a major part in establishing. Henry has served on a number of Government boards including Suncorp, the Queensland Industry Development Corporation (Deputy Chairman), Workers' Compensation, South Bank Corporation, Queensland Investment Corporation, three Government Superannuation boards (Chairman) and Q-Invest Ltd (Chairman). He also served as Government Statistician for five years.

Presently, Henry is Deputy Chancellor of Griffith University, a member of the Public Trust Office Investment Board and the Motor Accident Insurance Commission CTP Advisory Committee.He is also Chairman of Hyperion Flagship Investments Ltd and the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Board and was recently appointed as one of the inaugural directors of the Queensland Education Leadership Institute Ltd. He also operates his own consultancy business, Strategic and Financial Consulting Services.

Henry is the recipient of a Centenary Medal and in 2010 was made a Member of the Order of Australia.

In December 2010, Griffith University conferred on him the degree of Doctor of the University for the outstanding contribution he has made to public administration, education and the arts.

Rachel Hunter

Rachel Hunter was, until recently, the Director-General of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General. Prior to this appointment, Ms Hunter served as Director-General of the Department of Education, Training and the Arts. Previously, she had held the position of Director-General of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General from 2003 to 2006, when she was appointed to undertake a review of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Throughout her 34-year career in the Queensland public service, Ms Hunter has played a pivotal role in leading reform in public service policy and institutions, as well as shaping the vocational, education and training system in this state.

In her role as Queensland's Public Service Commissioner from December 2000 until November 2003, Ms Hunter led the development of a highly professional public service in the areas of organisational and executive capability and performance, public service reform and governance.

Ms Hunter has extensive experience in the vocational, education and training sector, initially as a teacher and then in a variety of management roles.

She is also a member of the Council of Griffith University.

Simon Gallaher

Simon Gallaher has developed a highly successful private performing arts company based in Queensland for the past 20 years (Essgee Entertainment). He is best known to Australian audiences as a music theatre star, television and concert performer, singer, pianist and songwriter. He has also become one of Australia’s foremost theatrical producers and his company, Essgee Entertainment, a major entertainment presenter.

Simon studied at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music before becoming a regular on The Mike Walsh Show and hosting his own night-time television variety show on ABC-TV. He has been awarded three Mo-Variety Awards, a Logie Award, Queenslander of the Year Commendation, an Advance Australia Award for his contributions to the arts and was twice voted Queensland’s Entertainer of the Year.

In 1984, Simon made the transition from television to the stage as Frederic in the Australian production of The Pirates of Penzance and later performed in other musicals including Hello Dolly, The Student Prince, and My Fair Lady.

In 1994, Simon created a new stage production of The Pirates of Penzance which was a huge hit across Australia and New Zealand and received a triple platinum video and an ARIA Award. He then created new versions of The Mikado and HMS Pinafore, and a new production of The Merry Widow. His company has also produced Terrence McNally’s Master Class and Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

In 2007, Simon initiated Shopstoppers, a series of music-theatre workshops for young Queensland performers. Simon created a special anniversary revival production of The Pirates of Penzance 2001-2003 (opening at QPAC), the $6 million Australian musical Eureka (in 2004 in association with the Melbourne International Arts Festival) and a new production of The Mikado (opened in Brisbane in 2008 and in Adelaide in 2009).

Helene George

Helene George is the Managing Director of Creative Economy a niche consulting firm which she founded in 1992.  Ms George has over 20 years experience in management and consulting throughout Australia. She has worked as a Manager of creative companies and facilities, Export Trade Representative and as an Executive in Local Government.

Ms George brings extensive experience in arts, creative industries and cultural tourism.  This includes investment attraction, development and management of cultural facilities, industry development, strategy planning for government as well as commercialisation and development for creative companies.

Ms George has held positions as Deputy Chair of the Creative Industries Skills Council, Member of the Working Party for Creativity in the Innovation Economy, Member of the Development and Management Advisory Group and the Childers Street Theatre (ACT Government). Ms George was also the Spokesperson and a Member of the Kingston Foreshore Development Authority Reference Group which was hailed as a model for Sustainable Urban Development by the OECD.

She is currently a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and in 2007 she was honoured with a Leadership Award at the Future Leadership Summit by Australia's pre-eminent leadership organisation, AusDavos. Ms George holds a Graduate Diploma in Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts. She was first appointed as a Trustee of the Queensland Performing Arts Trust in 2007.

Bill Grant OAM

Bill Grant holds a number of Board positions, including Chair of the Brisbane Airport Corporation and Williams Hall Chadwick, is a Director of New Hope Corporation Ltd, Life Without Barriers and the Brisbane Development Association.

Previously, Mr Grant held positions including CEO of South Bank Corporation and Newcastle City Council.

He has significant experience in urban renewal, place management, local government and project management.

Mr Grant is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Sophie Mitchell

Sophie Mitchell is a Director of Corporate & Special Projects for RBS Morgans and has many years experience in the stockbroking industry.

She has previously worked as portfolio manager for Seymour Funds Management, analyst for Morgans Stockbroking / ABN AMRO Morgans and a Director of its Management Committee, research analyst for McNab Clarke / CS First Boston and back office work / trainee analyst for Hordern Utz & Bode / Morgan Grenfell Australia.

Presently, Ms Mitchell is appointed as Chair of the Expressions Dance Company, Director of Hyperion Flagship Investment Limited, Director of AAM Foundation Ltd and a Member of the Australian Government Takeovers Panel.

Ms Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Diploma in Taxation Law. She has completed the AICD Directors Course and is a Senior Fellow of FINSIA (Financial Services Institute of Australasia).

Paul Piticco

Paul Piticco has built his career around shaping the contemporary musical landscape of Australia.

He has managed the career of multi-platinum, multi-award winning Brisbane act Powderfinger since the band's inception in 1990. Mr Piticco formed Secret Service Artist Management in the late 1990's and manages numerous artists in addition to Powderfinger including Bernard Fanning, The Grates and Yves Klein Blue.

In addition, in 2001 Mr Piticco created Dew Process, a Record Label that has signed and produced many Gold and Platinum-selling artists such as Sarah Blasko, Mumford & Sons, The Living End and The Panics.

He is also heavily involved in the live music arena through his globally recognised annual arts & music festival, Splendour in The Grass, and national touring company, Secret Sounds.

Most recently, Paul is celebrating the huge success of the Sunsets Farewell Tour - the final ever Powderfinger tour that has sold over 300,000 tickets and will see the band perform 34 concerts in 21 cities around Australia.

Paul is also an active supporter and fundraiser for Youngcare, The Yalari Foundation and Reconciliation Australia.

Mick Power AM

Mick Power, AM has a career spanning over 40 years in the civil engineering construction industry and over 30 years as Group Board Chairman and Managing Director of BMD Group.

He is a Director of South Bank Corporation, a Board Member of the Greg Norman Golf Foundation, a Member of Mater Children’s Hospital Research Appeal and Leadership Gifts Board, a Board Member and Vice Patron of the Surf Life Saving Association Foundation, a Board Member of the Northcliffe Foundation and an Honorary Ambassador of the City of Brisbane.

Mr Power is an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.

Susan Street

Professor Susan Street is Executive Director of Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Precincts. She is a practicing artist as well as an educator.

Her role involves managing the cultural assets of the university including the Gardens Theatre, Old Government House, The William Robinson collection, the QUT Art Museum and exhibition spaces at the Kelvin Grove Campus.

She has previously been Executive Dean of the Creative Industries Faculty at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Head of Dance, QUT; Dean, School of Dance, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts; Chair, Dance Fund and Council Member of the Australia Council; Trust Director, Brisbane Arts and Environment Trust, Brisbane City Council; Chair, Artistic Advisory Committee and Board Member, Hong Kong Ballet; Arts advisor to Hong Kong Arts Development Council and Leisure and Cultural Service Department of HK Government.

Presently, Professor Street serves on the following Boards: QUT Creative Enterprise Australia; Australia-China Council (DFAT); Co-chair - Arts Queensland Arts Touring Funding Committee; National President, Ausdance Australia and the Centre for Culture and Development, Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Rhonda White

Rhonda White is co-founder of the Terry White Chemists Group of pharmacies and Managing Director, White Retail Group Pty Ltd. Rhonda is also a fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. She is a pharmacist and an organisational psychologist and consults to the retail industry, and currently owns and operates a number of pharmacies throughout Australia.

Rhonda has served on a number of boards including the Energex Retail Board, the Ergon Energy Board, the Nudgee College Foundation Board, the Terry White Chemists Board and she was Foundation Chairman of the Queensland Cancer Fund Volunteers Committee.

Rhonda was awarded the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World International Award in 2000, the National Business Bulletin - Business Star of the Year in 2000, the Pharmacy Guild Distinguished Service Award for services to the pharmacy industry in Australia in 2004, the 2006 Pharmacy Practice Foundation Medal of Excellence and Queensland University of Technology Science Faculty Alumni of the Year 2007.

Executive Group

Chief Executive: John Kotzas
Director - Marketing: Leisa Bacon
Director - Presenter Services: Ross Cunningham
Director - Corporate Services: Kieron Roost
Director - Patron Services: Tony Smith
Associate Director - Human Resources: Alicia Dodds
Associate Director - Ticketing: Chris Holder
Associate Director - Presenter Services: Bill Jessop
Associate Director - Strategy: Rebecca Lamoin
Associate Director - Programming: Deborah Murphy
Associate Director - Finance and Business: Michael Stout