Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Australia, Ann Sherry AO, will deliver the 2013 Griffith Lecture at the Queensland Conservatorium in South Bank on May 28.
Ms Sherry’s presentation will discuss the world’s fastest growing cruise market, which is now comprised across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.
Carnival Australia is the largest cruise ship operator in Australasia and a division of Carnival Corporation. It is the world’s largest cruise ship operator and owner of the iconic brands P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Aida, Cunard, Holland America and Seabourn.
The Griffith Lecture, a prestigious biennial event, takes place from 6.30pm to 7.45pm at the Ian Hanger Recital Hall.
Ann Sherry has transformed the cruise industry, and growth has been double digit each year since 2007, with a rising contribution to national and regional economies.
One million Australians a year are expected to be cruising by 2020, if not sooner.
With such strong industry growth, Carnival Australia is also focused on how island communities in particular are benefitting from the expansion of cruising.
Carnival Australia is working at a number of levels to ensure this happens, encouraging the growth of tourism related ventures and participating in a direct community partnership to support projects that improve health and education opportunities.
Ann Sherry is also a member of the global leadership team at Carnival Corporation and is involved in the development of regulation, training and improved practices on ships globally.
She was previously with Westpac for 12 years and was Chief Executive Officer, Westpac New Zealand; CEO, Bank of Melbourne; and Group Executive, People & Performance. She was a driver of cultural change, community engagement and customer focus in commercial and retail banking.
Before joining Westpac, Ann was First Assistant Secretary of the Office of the Status of Women in Canberra, advising the Prime Minister on policies and programs to improve the status of women and was Australia’s representative to the United Nations forum on human rights and women’s rights.
In 2001, Ann was awarded a Centenary Medal by the Australian Government for her work on providing banking services to disadvantaged communities. In 2004, Ann was awarded an Order of Australia for her contribution to the Australian community through the promotion of corporate management policies and practices that embrace gender equity, social justice and work and family partnerships.
In 2011, Ann was listed in the FTSE 100 Women in Leadership, and in 2013, she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by Macquarie University for her contribution to business and civil society.
Griffith Lecture registrations essential by Friday, May 24.