Our board and management
Open Universities Australia is Australia’s leading higher education marketplace. Our Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Team harness their expertise and passion to shape our future.
Board of Directors
Professor S. Bruce Dowton
Chairman & Nominee Director – Macquarie University
Professor Bruce Dowton was appointed Vice Chancellor of Macquarie University in 2012. He’s a paediatrician, clinical geneticist, molecular biologist, researcher and academic, and served as a senior medical executive at several organisations.
Paul Beard
Nominee Director – University of South Australia
Chair – Finance, Audit & Risk Management Committee
Paul Beard is Chief Operating Officer at the University of South Australia, overseeing finance, facilities, IT, and library. Joining the UniSA executive in 2001, Paul previously held senior finance roles in the private and public sector.
Professor Carolyn Evans
Nominee Director - Griffith University
Professor Carolyn Evans joined Griffith University in 2019 as Vice Chancellor and President. Prior to Griffith, Carolyn was a member of the University of Melbourne’s senior leadership. She is an international scholar and published author.
David McCall
Nominee Director – Swinburne University of Technology
David McCall is the Head of Strategy and Commercial Management at Swinburne University, leading strategy, delivery, commercial and product management. David joined Swinburne in 2015, previously in senior positions in finance and digital.
David Menarry
Nominee Director - Curtin University
David Menarry joined Curtin University in 2004 as Chief Financial Officer. David’s strategic financial leadership and rigorous financial management strengthens Curtin’s financial position, enabling improved research and teaching outcomes.
Professor Sharon Pickering
Nominee Director – Monash University
Professor Sharon Pickering is the Interim Deputy Vice‐Chancellor (Education) and Senior Vice President of Monash University. She previously served as Dean of Arts at Monash University and prior to that as the Head of the School of Social Sciences.
Professor Sherman Young
Nominee Director – RMIT University
Professor Sherman Young is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Vice-President of RMIT University.
Senior Leadership Team
Stuart Elmslie
Chief Executive Officer
Stuart Elmslie was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in January 2018. Previously, Stuart was Chief Financial Officer and Executive General Manager of Corporate Services from February 2016.
Chris Billing
Chief Experience Officer
Chris joined OUA in 2017 as Head of Digital and later became Chief Product Officer. In 2022 his remit expanded to Chief Experience Officer.
Anthony Elliott
Chief Operating Officer
Anthony Elliott is OUA's Chief Operating Officer. Anthony’s passion for business transformation and continuous improvement has shaped much of his career.
Catherine Reynolds
Chief Commercial Officer
As Open University Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer, Catherine Reynolds is responsible for driving brand strategy, consumer marketing and partnership growth.
Andi Saunders
Head of People Experience
Andi was appointed Head of People Experience in 2021, bringing over 20 years' People Experience and HR expertise to Open Universities Australia.
Andy Sheats
Chief Technology Officer
Andy Sheats became CTO in late 2021. Prior to that Andy had responsibility for overall student success.
Shareholders
Start your career with Curtin’s globally recognised courses and extensive industry connections. Through OUA, their online courses offer an interactive and collaborative learning experience that gets you the same degree as if you studied on campus. Curtin is a global university with a vibrant culture of innovation and collaboration and is ranked in the top one per cent of universities worldwide.
Learn more about Curtin.
With a network of campuses spanning three cities in South East Queensland, Griffith University is committed to progressive multidisciplinary teaching and research and a valuable online provider with Open Universities Australia. Already attracting students from over one hundred countries, Griffith's dedication to academic excellence is available across Australia through OUA.
Learn more about Griffith.
This research-intensive university in north-western Sydney offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. With over 44,000 current students, Macquarie has a strong reputation for welcoming international students and embracing flexible and convenient study options, including its partnership with Open Universities Australia.
Learn more about Macquarie.
Monash University is a dynamic and diverse university with over 50,000 students, over 200,000 alumni and a network of powerful international alliances. It is widely recognised for its excellence and innovation in teaching, scholarship and research. Monash University is a member of Australia's prestigious Group of Eight leading universities.
One of Australia's largest dual-sector institutes, offering both TAFE and higher education, RMIT University proudly delivers work-related education and practical research relevant to current business and community needs. More than 95,000 students study with RMIT, and many of their degrees are available through Open Universities Australia.
Learn more about RMIT.
Swinburne University of Technology leads the way with innovative and new ways of teaching, learning and thinking. It offers a wide range of study options, from pre-apprenticeships, undergraduate, postgraduate and PhDs, including online degrees with Open Universities Australia. Swinburne is known for career-oriented education and encouraging lifelong learning.
Learn more about Swinburne.
The University of South Australia, UniSA, is ranked in the top 10 universities nationally and amongst the very best young universities in the world. They offer over 200 world-class degrees that are informed by industry and delivered with a highly practical approach to teaching and learning. In fact, they are South Australia’s number one university for graduate careers. They are a valuable partner with Open Universities Australia.
Learn more about UniSA.