The Minister for Financial Services & Regulation, Joe Hockey, today announced the appointment of 17 new members of the Corporations and Securities Panel.
The Panels new members are Robyn Ahern, Annabelle Bennett SC, Michael Burgess, Peter Cameron, Maria Manning, Louise McBride, Marian Micalizzi, Professor Ian Ramsey, Maxine Rich, Trevor Rowe, Jeremy Schultz, Jennifer Seabrook, Valentine Smith, Leslie Taylor, Michael Tilley, Karen Wood and Peter Young.
"The new members have outstanding backgrounds, experience and skills in their fields, including both the legal and financial aspects of takeover activity," the Minister said.
"The panel has drawn on people with wide experience in business, company administration, the financial markets, law, economics and accounting."
The panel is based in Melbourne and is headed by Simon McKeon from Macquarie Bank. The new appointees will work alongside the panel's 11 existing members announced last year.
Major changes to the Corporations Law will start on 13 March 2000 under the CLERP Act. These changes will streamline the resolution of takeover disputes in Australia. The panel will replace the courts as the principal body dealing with takeover disputes.
"These changes are recognised internationally as being leading-edge reforms. They are part of the Governments commitment to ongoing reform and they send a massive signal to the international community that Australia is serious about becoming a leading financial centre."
The minister's media releases and speeches are available on: www.joehockey.com
A full list of current and new panel members is attached.
9 March 2000
Media contact: Matthew Abbott, Ministers office, 0413 076 213
Current Corporations and Securities Panel members
| Name | Position/Occupation | State |
| Ms Robyn AHERN* | Managing Director, Aherns | WA |
| Ms Elizabeth ALEXANDER AM | Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers | VIC |
| Ms Annabelle BENNETT SC* | Barrister | NSW |
| Mr Michael BURGESS* | Senior Partner, KPMG | SA |
| Mr Denis BYRNE | Director, Byrne & Associates | QLD |
| Mr Peter CAMERON* | Partner, Allen, Allen & Hemsley | NSW |
| Mr Brett HEADING | Partner, McCullough Robertson | QLD |
| Ms Meredith HELLICAR | CEO, Corrs Chambers Westgarth | NSW |
| Mr Graham KELLY | Independent Director | NSW |
| Ms Maria MANNING* | Company Secretary, Queensland Cotton | QLD |
| Ms Louise McBRIDE* | Partner, Delloitte Touche Tohmatsu | NSW |
| Ms Alice McCLEARY | Independent Director | SA |
| Mr Simon McKEON (President) | Executive Director, Macquarie Bank | VIC |
| Ms Marian MICALIZZI* | Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers | QLD |
| Mr Simon MORDANT | Managing Director, Caliburn Partnership | NSW |
| Mr John ONEILL | Managing Director & CEO, Australian Rugby Union | NSW |
| Professor Ian RAMSEY* | Professor of Law, University of Melbourne | VIC |
| Ms Maxine RICH* | Company Director | NSW |
| Ms Fiona ROCHE | Managing Director, Estates Development Co | WA |
| Mr Trevor ROWE* | Chairman & Managing Director, Salomon Smith Barney | NSW |
| Ms Jennifer SEABROOK* | Director & Accountant, Gresham Partners | WA |
| Mr Jeremy SCHULTZ* | Managing Partner, Finlaysons | SA |
| Mr Valentine SMITH* | Former Managing Partner, Dobson, Mitchell & Allport | TAS |
| Mr Leslie TAYLOR* | General Counsel, Commonwealth Bank of Australia | NSW |
| Mr Michael TILLEY* | Managing Director, Investment Banking, Merrill Lynch International | VIC |
| Ms Nerolie WITHNALL | Partner, Minter Ellison | QLD |
| Ms Karen WOOD* | Company Secretary, Bonlac Limited | VIC |
| Mr Peter YOUNG* | Executive Vice-Chairman, ABN-AMRO | NSW |
* Indicates new appointment.