Governance
The Hutchins School Board is governed by the Christ College Act 1926 and is responsible for the Governance of the School. The School Board consists of nine members and the Bishop as Visitor: three members appointed by the Visitor, five members by the Hutchins School Old Boys’ Association and one by the Christ College Trust. The current Chairman is Mr Gene Phair.
Each Board member is appointment for five years, with an option to continue an additional five years upon the invitation of the Appointer in consultation with the Chairman of the Board.
The Hutchins School Board is supported in its work by four committees composed of members of the Board. The committees are Finance, Audit and Risk; Property and Development; Policy and Planning; and Foundation.
The Hutchins School Board
Chairman, Mr Gene Phair FCA, BCom
Date commenced as a Board Member: 1 January 2013
Roles and committees assigned to: Board Member, Member Property and Development Committee, Member Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, and Member Foundation Committee.
Nominee of: Hutchins School Old Boys’ Association
Work history: Head of Corporate & Capital Management at ASX listed company IOOF Holdings Limited. Involved in treasury, merger and acquisition activity, and corporate finance functions.
Other affiliations: Old Boy (’87), Past President of the Hutchins School Old Boys’ Association (2011–15), current parent.
Mrs Rebecca Fergusson BCom, FCPA (FPS), DipFP, CFP LRS, GAICD
Date commenced as a Board Member: 5 December 2012
Roles and committees assigned to: Board Member, and Chair Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.
Nominee of: Hutchins School Old Boys’ Association
Work history: Principal and Private Client Adviser at Main Street Financial Solutions. Certified Financial Planner with a strong background in accounting. Rebecca has been providing strategic advice to private clients, business owners, self managed super funds and charitable foundations for over 20 years.
Other affiliations: Hutchins Old Girl (’79), current parent.
The Very Reverend Richard Humphrey BSc(Arch), BDiv(Hons), DipMin, GAICD
Date commenced as a Board Member: 22 November 2012
Roles and committees assigned to: Board Member, and Member Property and Development Committee.
Nominee of: The Visitor
Work history: Dean of Hobart and St David’s Cathedral. Previously worked in architectural computing and was the road manager of a rock band.
Other affiliations: Past parent.
Mr Andrew Walker LLB, GAICD
Date commenced as a Board Member: 1 September 2015
Roles and committees assigned to: Board Member, and Chair Policy and Planning Committee.
Nominee of: Christ College Trust
Work history: Barrister at Derwent & Tamar Chambers. Legal practitioner for 25 years, commercial and corporate litigation and planning. Author Legal Civil Procedure Tasmania, Supreme Court Rules Committee.
Other affiliations: Old Boy (’82)
Mr Michael Cooper
Date commenced as a Board Member: December 2018
Roles and committees assigned to: Board Member, Chair Property and Development Committee, and Member Foundation Committee.
Nominee of: Hutchins School Old Boys’ Association
Work history: CEO and Director of numerous businesses within Tasmania, consultant to food and beverage industry, along with property development within Hobart.
Other affiliations: Old Boy (’86), current parent.
Dr Tim Jackson MBBS, BMedSci, GAICD
Date commenced as a Board Member: 29 January 2020
Roles and committees assigned to: Board Member, Member Policy and Planning Committee, and Member Foundation Committee.
Nominee of: Hutchins School Old Boys’ Association
Work history: General Practitioner and principle partner of a group practice on Hobart’s Eastern Shore. Tasmanian Chair Royal Australia College of General Practitioners and board member of RACGP National Board. Previous Chair of General Practice Training Tasmania.
Other affiliations: Old Boy and School Captain (’80), past parent.
Mrs Anne Watchorn BA
Date commenced as a Board Member: 4 March 2020
Roles and committees assigned to: Board Member, and Member Policy and Planning Committee.
Nominee of: The Visitor
Work history: Career in education spanning 35 years including teaching in primary, senior secondary and tertiary sectors. Also worked as an educational psychologist and served as a TASSAB setting and marking examiner. Previous Chair of the NEPS (National Equity Programme for Schools) Committee, and Deputy Principal at Fahan School in the 1990s.
Ms Ann Cordiner BA-LLB(Hons)
Date commenced as a Board Member: 6 November 2020
Roles and committees assigned to: TBA
Nominee of: Hutchins School Old Boys’ Association
Work history: A senior journalist with the ABC, Ann has a national role with the ABC News editorial strategy team. She has worked as a journalist in Tasmania, overseas and interstate for more than 20 years with a variety of media outlets, including Sky News UK and the ABC.
Other affiliations: Current parent
Mrs Vicki Wilkins BCom(InSt)
Date commenced as a Board Member: 15 February 2021
Roles and committees assigned to: Board Member, and Member Finance, Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee
Nominee of: The Visitor
Work history: Public policy and business analysis in the NSW Government. Previous experience in strategy, financial and risk management, and currently studying psychology
Other affiliations: Current parent