TP06/055
The Panel welcomed the announcement by The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, the Hon Chris Pearce MP, of the reappointment of ten members to the Takeovers Panel and the appointment of five new members to the Panel by the Governor-General.
The President of the Panel, Mr. Simon McKeon, welcomed the appointments and repeated his previous comments that the Panel's success is due largely to the time and expertise contributed by its members, who are busy and distinguished professionals and business people, and the support of their professional firms and organisations.
Mr. McKeon expressed his gratitude to those members of the Panel whose terms were finishing in 2006, each of whom had made a substantial contribution to the Panel during their terms, by sitting on matters and by taking part in the development of policy. He wished them well in the new endeavours that took them away from the Takeovers Panel. Mr McKeon noted the growing alumnus of Panel members in Australia's business and takeovers community who have contributed to the Panel as members and who continue to provide support and encouragement to the Panel. The Panel also noted the passing of Mr. Peter Cameron this year who had been one of the founding members of the Panel in its new role. Mr. Cameron made a significant contribution to the Panel and he will be missed by the Panel and its members.
Mr. McKeon said that the Panel and the Government remained concerned to ensure that all members of the Panel are able to sit on sufficient matters each year to maintain an appropriate level of involvement in Panel activities and, in particular, consistency of decision-making.
Mr. McKeon said that the Panel's success depends heavily on the commitment of the professional and business leaders who give their time to the Panel. He said he has been very pleased by the commitment of the Panel's members and organizations to make the Panel's peer review model work in Australia's corporate environment.
The Panel now has 48 members, all of whom are appointed on a part-time basis. The usual appointment term is for a period three years.
Nigel Morris
Director, Takeovers Panel
Level 47, 80 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: +61 3 9655 3501
Panel Members Reappointed
Each of the following members has been reappointed.
Robyn Ahern
Elizabeth Alexander AM
Denis Byrne
Brett Heading
Marian Micalizzi
Mark Paganin
Ian Ramsay
Jennifer Seabrook
Simon Withers
Karen Wood
New Appointments
The following new members of the Takeovers Panel have been appointed:
Martin Alciaturi
Robert Johanson
John Keeves
Gary Watt
Heather Zampatti
New Appointments
Martin Alciaturi
is a Partner in the Perth office of Ernst & Young and is a Divisional Director of Ernst & Young's Transaction Advisory Services. Mr. Alciaturi has a large experience in corporate finance matters from within accounting, regulatory and stockbroking environments. Mr. Alciaturi has been a regular lecturer in respect of Mergers and Acquisitions topics and has been the Lead Lecturer in Corporate and Structured Finance for the Securities Institute of Australia.
Robert Johanson
is a Director at Grant Samuel and is responsible for its Melbourne office. He has more than 20 years' experience in a wide variety of merger and acquisition transactions. Mr. Johanson had previously worked as a solicitor, as a law lecturer, in the corporate division of Macquarie Bank and as a consultant to mining and finance businesses. Mr. Johanson is the chairman of Bendigo Bank and a member of the Finance Committee of the University of Melbourne.
John Keeves
is a partner in the Adelaide office of Johnson Winter & Slattery. He advises extensively in mergers & acquisitions, corporate & securities law, competition law and intellectual property. Mr. Keeves is the immediate past National Chairman of the Corporations Committee of the Law Council of Australia and a member of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia's National Council and Markets Policy Group.
Gary Watts
is the Chairman of Partners of Fisher Jeffries and a senior partner in the firm's Corporate Group. He has extensive experience as a corporate partner at Fisher Jeffries. Mr. Watts is a specialist in directors' duties, corporate governance and shareholder issues. Mr. Watts is also the chairman of the Helpmann Academy.
Heather Zampatti
is national head of wealth management at Bell Potter Securities Limited. Ms. Zampatti is a director of the Australian Institute of Management (WA) , the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Foundation, Osteoporosis Australia and The Palmerston Association. Ms. Zampatti is a lecturer for the Australian Stock Exchange and the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.