Robert (Bob) Adby is currently the Director-General of the New South Wales Department of Arts, Sport and Recreation as well as the Director-General of the Sydney World Masters Games Organising Committee (SWMGOC). Up until November 2004, Bob was Assistant Director-General in the New South Wales Premier’s Department and headed the Major Events and Venues Strategy Unit of the Department. Bob’s other previous roles include: Chairperson of the Project Control Group for the redevelopment of Energy Australia Stadium in Newcastle; the last Director-General of the Olympic Coordination Authority (OCA); Executive-Director of Finance and Corporate Services for the OCA; New South Wales Government’s representative on the Finance Committee of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG); and Executive-Director of Finance of the now defunct Maritime Services Board where he was a key member of the Executive team. Bob is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and has an Economics Degree from Macquarie University, Sydney.

Previous to his appointment as Head of Operations at the Football Federation of Australia, Matt Carroll has held many senior positions in the Australian Rugby Union and New South Wales Rugby Union including Rugby World Cups. He attained a Graduate Diploma in Sport Management from the University of Technology, Sydney. Prior to his entry into the sporting industry, Matt completed a Bachelor of Building from the University of New South Wales. He is a Member of the Order of Australia and has been awarded the Australian Sports Medal. His affiliations include local, regional, state and national Rugby Union clubs. 

As an Australian representative in swimming for ten years, Michelle won a gold medal in the 800 metres freestyle and a bronze medal in the 200 metres butterfly events at the Moscow Olympics in 1980. A dual world record holder for the 800 metres freestyle, Michelle also won Commonwealth Games gold medals in the 200 metres butterfly event in 1978 and 1982. Michelle was an inaugural member of the International Olympic Committee Athletes Commission and a member of the International Olympic Academy for the International Olympic Committee. For the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, she was a regional manager for the National Olympic Committee services. Previously, Michelle was a consultant on the Olympic campaign bids for Sydney (2000), Brisbane (1992) and Melbourne (1996). She spent a number of years in Switzerland as a Director of Sport and the Manager of the Sport Science unit at the University and Polytechnic College of Lausanne. Recently, Michelle has worked extensively in the Oceania region coordinating programmes between the IOC and National Olympic Committees. Michelle is a member of the Board of Swimming Australia Ltd and a Director of the 2009 Masters Games Sydney. Michelle is currently working as General Manager of International Sales and Marketing for a Swiss based IT company specialising in Security and Response Management Systems. Throughout the past year, she has served as a member of the Active After-school Communities sub-committee and the Australian Sports Foundation Board.

David Gilbert was appointed CEO of Cricket NSW in October 2001. A right arm fast bowler, he played 127 First Class matches between 1983 -1992, in which time he represented NSW, Tasmania, Gloucestershire and Australia. Following his retirement from playing, he was appointed the inaugural Coach/Manager of the Queensland Academy of Sport cricket programme before moving to England in 1996 where he was appointed Cricket Manager of Surrey County Cricket Club and then General Manager and, ultimately, Chief Executive of Sussex County Cricket Club. During his five year tenure at CNSW, the Association's turnover has increased by 100% to its current level of $22.5m whilst on-field success has been equally significant with NSW having won six domestic trophies. He was instrumental in CNSW achieving vastly improved financial terms for the staging of international cricket at the SCG until 2010.

Anita Keelan
Game Development Manager, Netball ACT

Anita Keelan has a Postgraduate Certificate in the area of Sports Management and is a Level 3 National Accredited Coach in Netball. Anita has previously worked within New South Wales Wheelchair Sports and the Australian Institute of Sport Women’s Water Polo. At the New South Wales Institute of Sport she has been a Coach as well as an ACEPD Consultant. Anita was also previously the Netball New South Wales Executive Coach.

Sue Max
General Manager, ANZ Stadium

Sue Max has worked in the sport and event management industry for 21 years across a broad range of sports including Surf Life Saving, Rugby League and Basketball. In 1997, Sue joined the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG), working as part of the venue management team, which was responsible for delivering the integrated planning for all Olympic venues. Sue joined Telstra Stadium in 1999 and leading into and during the Olympic and Paralympic Games was seconded by SOCOG to assist with the operation for the Stadium. She has played a lead operational role in many of the Stadium’s major events and cites career highlights as the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Rugby World Cup, Bledisloe Cups and NRL Grand Finals, the 2005 FIFA World Cup Qualifier and more recently the U2 Vertigo Tour. Sue is also responsible for the Stadium’s Human Resources function.

Steve Noyce
Chief Executive Officer, Wests Tigers Football Club

Paul Roos
Head Coach, Sydney Swans Football Club

Paul Roos was appointed to the Sydney Swans senior coaching position for a three year term effective season 2003 after being a full-time Assistant Coach since 2001. He guided the Swans into the play-offs in 2003, his talents acknowledged with his naming as AFL Coach of the Year. In 2005 he led the Swans to a Grand Final victory, ending the club’s 72 year premier drought. He led the Swans to the Grand Final again in the following year. Of his 356 career games, Paul played 87 games for the Swans after joining the club in 1995 following a star-studded career with the old Fitzroy Club (now Brisbane Lions) including six seasons as captain. During his career with Fitzroy he was a member of the Victorian representative team 10 years running, two as captain. He was also named in the All-Australian team on 7 occasions, twice as captain.