David Gonski

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David Michael Gonski AC (born 1953) is an Australian public figure and businessman.

David Gonski was born in 1953 in Cape Town, South Africa. His family migrated to Australia in 1961. He attended Sydney Grammar School and graduated with the degrees of Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales. He practised as a solicitor with the firm of Freehills from 1977 to 1986, becoming a partner at age 25, before leaving to co-found an investment bank.

Current positions held include:

Business:

Chair, Investe Wentworth Pty Ltd and Investec Bank (Australia) Ltd
Chair, Coca-Cola Amatil
Director, Westfield Group
Director, ING Group
Director, Singapore Airlines
Chair, Australian Stock Exchange.

Other:

Chancellor, University of New South Wales, from 2005 ^[1]. David Gonski is the first person to hold the position of Chancellor at UNSW who is also an alumnus of the University.
Chair, Board of Trustees, Sydney Grammar School, from 2003
President of the Board of Trustees, Art Gallery of New South Wales, from 1997
Chair, National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).

Previous positions held include:

Chair, Australia Council, 2002-2006.
Director, John Fairfax Holdings, 1993-2005.
Director, ANZ 2001-2007.

Gonski was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2007.^[2] Previously in 2002 Gonski had been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to the community through Australian visual and performing arts organisations, through the development of government policy, and through the promotion of corporate sponsorship for the arts and for charitable organisations.^[3] He received the Centenary Medal in 2003.

Gonski was a close friend and advisor to the late Kerry Packer. Together with Lloyd Williams he is executor of Packer's estate. While he provided advice to Packer, Gonski was also a director of the Packer's media competitor Fairfax.^{[citation needed]}