President: Adam Martin

Current employment: Private Banker
Years in Singapore? 13
Years on the EC? 11
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? I still remember landing in Singapore many years ago without really knowing anyone. Luckily, I found ANZA with their warm welcome in our new home. That evolved into an opportunity to do my part in the ANZA community, which has been an amazing experience alongside our awesome and passionate volunteers!
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? 11 years across various roles on the Executive Committee, the majority as Vice President and now President. This has given me an intimate view of the structure, processes and people within our awesome association; important as we’ve navigated the COVID-19 situation.
What are your goals for ANZA? Across 2020, ANZA played an even more essential role within our community as we all faced long periods away from home. In this dynamic, fast moving Covid environment I want to ensure the Executive Committee continues to evolve to support our members through this period and continue our amazing 73-year legacy.
Something interesting about you?
I have three girls under five so there is plenty happening in the Martin household!

Vice-President: Megan Kinder

Current role: Relocation Consultant and Realtor
Years in Singapore? 17
Years on the EC? 6
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? To be involved in the ‘bigger picture’ and share what I’ve learned from working in an exec capacity in one section of the organisation (ANZA Cycling) to support the wider association.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? A long-term outlook, quirky creativity, vast reserves of patience and openness to change, along with a deep understanding of what it takes for an organisation to thrive within the local context and culture.
What are your goals for ANZA? To see even greater diversity across the organisation and for each member to feel they really belong to the ANZA community.
Something interesting about you? An avid wordsmith and word puzzler, I once worked as a lexicographer (writing dictionary entries).

Treasurer: Tristan Perry

Current employment: Head of Tax at Select Investors Australia.
Years in Singapore: 5
Years on the EC: 3
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? To give back to the amazing community at ANZA.
What skills do you bring? Bean Counting! I’m an Australian Chartered Accountant and Tax agent and love numbers. I’m also a people person and love to connect, share and collaborate with fellow members.
What are your goals for ANZA? To ensure that the financial function runs smoothly and that we remain in a great financial position to keep ANZA going for at least another 74 years…and longer!
Something interesting about you? My name comes from a remote British island off the coast of South Africa called Tristan De Cunha. My mother was born there, but
her family had to flee when the Volcano erupted.

Joint-Sports Coordinator: Sonia Heath

Current employment: Communications Consultant and General Manager for Active8me.
Years in Singapore? 4
Years on the EC? This will be my second year. I’m looking forward to getting
back out and mixing with the ANZA community and making a difference! It’s been a strange (and somewhat frustrating!) year.
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? To meet new people and provide support to the ANZA community.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? I have a background in journalism, media relations, and consulting. As an Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Scholarship graduate, I have sat on not-for-profit Boards in Australia. I’m also a former Olympic rower, so I’m thrilled to be appointed as Joint Sports Coordinator. We all want to see sport – the lifeblood of ANZA – return to full capacity.
Something interesting about you? I love stair climbing – Singapore is ideal for it!

Joint-Sports Coordinator: Megan Scott

Current employment: VP Talent Management at Northern Trust
Years in Singapore? 9
Years on the EC? 4 or 5, though not consecutively.
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? I received a huge amount of support from the ANZA community when I arrived in Singapore. Being part of the exec helps me stay actively involved. It’s a chance to give back.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? My background in hospitality, HR and leadership development brings many varied opportunities to support the ANZA Executive and community at large.
What are your goals for ANZA? I’m so proud of the way our community connected and supported each other through the last 12 months; some amazing and very creative people kept subgroups and connections alive. Our most important goal as an exec team is to support our many volunteers and the community they serve, so we continue to grow and reach more people.
Something interesting about you? I was part of a storytelling group that performed in the Perth International Fringe Festival. I’ve told dozens of different (always real life) stories since then through different story telling groups, including Storyslam here in Singapore.

Association Secretary: Mark Neo

Current employment: Group General Counsel and Company Secretary
Years in Singapore? 7
Years on the EC? 5
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? ANZA contributes so much to the community and its members – mostly on the effort and time so generously given by volunteers. As part of the committee, I hope my small contribution will help ANZA continue to flourish.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? My legal and secretary background aligns well with my role as committee secretary, and I will continue to support the President, Vice President and Executive Treasurer through some of the greatest challenges that ANZA has faced as a result of the pandemic.
What are your goals for ANZA? Covid has caused so much upheaval for so many of us and not being able to return back to Australia or New Zealand to see family and friends has been difficult. ANZA has helped us to cope by providing a sense of community, a de facto family and a reminder of the best bits of the Australian and New Zealand spirit that we all sorely miss. I want to see ANZA come out of this pandemic stronger than before.
Something interesting about you? My Singapore grandparents lived on a farm raising chickens and fish and growing local fruits. So much has changed since then, but I still fondly remember visiting and helping cut down durians as a child.

ANZA Action: Louise Jones

Years in Singapore? 4
Years on the EC? 2
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? To introduce our members to a broad range of people in Singapore within volunteer, social and recreational settings, where there are opportunities to forge and strengthen bonds with the diverse local community. And to help our members be aware of the environment and sustainability.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? I’ve been on many different committees including Aussies Abroad Abu Dhabi, Wesley Rowing Parents Support Group, APSM Rowing Club, Dental Therapists’ Association, Parap Preschool Parent Committee, Darwin Junior Netball Coordinator – to name just a few.
What would you like to achieve for ANZA? I want to be part of ANZA Action to enrich the lives of our members. Through charitable acts and volunteering we can engage in new activities and connect with community. We can make a difference. I want volunteers to share the joy, meet new friends, and learn new skills while doing good for others and for themselves.

Committee Member: John Neilson

Current employment: Technology and Cyber Security, Banking / Citibank
Years in Singapore? 11
Years on the EC? This is my first year.
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? I’ve always enjoyed the ANZA community and events. Now, with more time on my hands due to other commitments easing I wanted to see how I could help at a broader level.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? I’ve been a surf lifesaver and instructor and was the U11 age group coordinator for ANZA Nippers for two years, as well as a condo chairman, social club organiser and coach of various sports.
What are your goals for ANZA? To learn where my skills and experience can help the most and give it a go.
Something interesting about you? My wife Silvia Hajas and I joined ANZA Nippers with our daughter Trinity three years ago after Silvia risked her life to save three boys from drowning on the east coast.

Committee Member/Asst Treasurer: Zenaida Bharucha

Current employment: Stepping Stone – Portfolio CFO
Years in Singapore? 7.5
Years on the EC? 4
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? We joined ANZA years ago as my son wanted to play soccer. With my finance and accounting background I put my name forward for the role of the Treasurer to give back and volunteer for the broader ANZA community. This was also a great opportunity for us as a family to meet more people in Singapore and make more friends.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? Before joining ANZA, I volunteered with various organisations overseas and have been part of school Parent Associations, so I understood and valued the volunteering ethos. My roles in Finance, Accounting and Project Management allow me to help ANZA from a financial reporting and compliance perspective, as well as assisting on projects.
What are your goals for ANZA? To assist the finance team and board in constantly improving our financial processes and embracing technology.
Something interesting about you? I was born as a Zoroastrian (we are often called Parsees) Our religion started 4000 years ago in ancient Persia. Today we are only 160,000 in the world and unfortunately are a dwindling community.

Committee Member: Maria Taylor

Current role: Head of Commercial, Asia-Pacific, Amadeus Hospitality
Years in Singapore: 13
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? To help people assimilate into our great life in Singapore.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? Good software technical skills and 20 years’ experience and knowledge around online marketing and e-commerce. I am also good with change management. With 35 years in the hospitality industry, event planning is a skill I hope to be able to use if we can start doing some events in the next 12 months.
What would you like to achieve for ANZA? In a post COVID-19 world, I think we will be working through very different challenges in the next few years, so I’ll have to wait and see what I can assist with.

Committee Member: Christo Alexander

Current employment: Song Division Asia
Years in Singapore? 6
Years on the EC? 2
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? To give back to the amazing community and to Singapore. The EC is a great vehicle to propagate change and positivity, and I love being a part of it.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? 20+ years of event delivery and production, as well as expertise in the virtual event space. In the last year, my company has planned and delivered over 600 virtual events worldwide, so I’m well placed to help ANZA with the most current and best practices in the field.
What are your goals for ANZA? I’m looking to help the EC plan and manage virtual, hybrid and in-person events in the coming years.
Something interesting about you? I’ve been a professional composer and musician since the age of 19. During my touring days, I shared the stage with Jimmy Barnes and Ian Moss (Cold Chisel), Delta Goodrem and even David Hasslehoff! I’ve also written a custom song for Sir Richard Branson and performed it with him live on stage. It
was a real highlight!

Membership Secretary: Philip Simmonds

Current employment: Director, Asia at ExpertsDirect.com
Years in Singapore? 12
Years on the EC? 4
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? When I first arrived in Singapore 12 years ago, I knew very few people. The ANZA events provide a springboard to meet new and interesting people, from diverse backgrounds. The ANZA spirit is strong in Singapore and I feel that I can help to expand that camaraderie and inclusive nature to a wider community.
What skills of experience do you bring to the committee? I have worked as an integrated marketing and sales professional for 15 years, as well as marketing within the hospitality sector. I think the combination of the two can help build our membership base, through a connected, socially conscious community, and commercial partnerships and opportunities.
What are your goals for ANZA? To help sustain ANZA’s role and relevance for the next 70 years in Singapore. To create a connected experience across all the groups and communication channels we have, and build a diverse and inclusive local-global community.
Something interesting about you? I once had my own radio show called ‘Boogie Nights’ on a community radio station in Sydney.

Committee Member: Alistair Green

Current employment: Regional Vice President, Oracle Cloud Engineering
Years in Singapore? 3.5
Years on the EC? This is my first year.
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? I’ve been an avid member of ANZA Cycling and Triathlon and felt a desire to contribute to the people and the organisation that supports so many in our community.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? I spend my days building connections between people, teams and strategies through my leadership role.
I have a keen sense for business and the ability to see through the details to the real issues impacting people.
What are your goals for ANZA? To grow our community building and supporting role in Singapore. This present time is a challenge for so many in Singapore and abroad. The sense of community and identity that ANZA brings is important for people’s self-worth and feeling of belonging.
Something interesting about you? My wife, Karen, and I are regular Scuba Divers and look forward to the borders opening again soon to explore waters beyond Singapore.

Committee Member: Don Northey

Current role: Sole Practitioner, Chartered Accountant
Years in Singapore? 14
Why did you want to join the ANZA Exec? When I first joined the committee some 10+ years ago they were without a treasurer, so I was asked to help. The other benefits have always been the social and networking sides of ANZA.
What skills or experience do you bring to the committee? As a Chartered Accountant and trainer in accounting software I initially brought my expertise to help with setting up and running the financials for six years as Treasurer. My side passion is photography and pre-Covid I enjoyed supporting with events photography.