AusBiotech extends its enormous thanks to its chair, Michelle Burke, as she retires from the board having successfully completed her nine-year tenure as a non-executive director, the maximum possible under the AusBiotech Constitution. AusBiotech and the Australian biotechnology sector has benefited enormously from Ms Burke’s years of leadership, generosity, and ongoing commitment to seeing Australian biotech companies flourish through global development.
Over the past nine years Ms Burke has significantly and successfully contributed to the AusBiotech board, organisation, and industry, having held positions as chair, deputy chair, chair of the remuneration and nomination committee, member of the risk and audit committee.
AusBiotech CEO, Lorraine Chiroiu, said, “The combination of Michelle’s vision, expertise, considered and strategic approach and dedicated support is rare; she has been an invaluable and inspiring leader and role model to the AusBiotech team and the sector, and will always remain a cherished member of the AusBiotech ‘family’.”
Michelle Burke reflected, “It is a great honour to serve this industry through AusBiotech. Not only have I continued to learn from our amazing membership, I have also had the pleasure of working alongside highly engaged past and present CEOs and Non-executive directors. I hope and intend to continue my strong relationship and association with AusBiotech.”
During her time on the board, Ms Burke has supported and steered AusBiotech through the appointment of two CEOs, and two chair changes. Appointed as the AusBiotech board chair in February 2020, Michelle’s extraordinary response and support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, a most difficult period of AusBiotech’s history, has been unparalleled.
Above and beyond her Board duties, Ms Burke has significantly contributed her knowledge and experience; for example she has recently actively participated at roundtables with federal and state MPs and government representatives, delivered evidence on behalf of industry at the Parliamentary Inquiry into approval processes for new drugs and novel medical technologies in Australia, presented at AusBiotech national events, and been present from day one of the Biotechnology Blueprint’s development.
AusBiotech will officially farewell Ms Burke at the AusBiotech Virtual annual general meeting on 5 November 2021, where members will be able to listen to Michelle’s chair address and where she will announce the new chair. AusBiotech members are invited to register by 12.00pm AEDT, 4 November.
Ms Burke is a non-executive director of Cell Therapies, a member of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee and the strategic advisory group of the Australian Brain Cancer Mission. She also leads Indigo Advisory, an independent advisory consultancy serving companies, academia and government.