Alberts is thrilled to announce the appointment of Gabrielle Trainor AO as incoming chair of Albert Group Services, succeeding Sam Mostyn AC who stepped down last April after being named Governor-General of Australia.
“We are so pleased to welcome Gabrielle to Alberts. Her deep chair and leadership experience and the role she has played in leading positive change will be invaluable for Alberts in our mission to contribute to a vibrant and sustainable future,” says Alberts’ executive director and member of the fifth generation, Kirsty Albert.
“Gabrielle has worked across all our key impact areas including equality, vibrant culture and mental health and well-being, while her strong values resonate with who we are and what the business is hoping to achieve.”
A highly respected leader and director in fields as diverse as infrastructure, sport, the arts, education, Indigenous empowerment and equality, Gabrielle has more than 25 years’ experience across the public and private sectors.
Gabrielle’s breadth of board roles reflects her wide-ranging interests in business, and life. A snapshot of the non-executive directorships she currently holds includes director of Built Group Holdings, Pro-Chancellor of Western Sydney University, AFL commissioner and director of WAM Global. She recently retired as interim chief commissioner and chair of Infrastructure Australia.
“I’m honoured and excited to be joining the Alberts team as chair of Albert Group Services,” Gabrielle says.
“The Alberts are a family like no other. In each generation, they have been pioneers, contributing hugely to Australia’s cultural and business life, led by their strong values, work ethic and their love and respect for legacy and the ties of family.
“I’m looking forward to supporting David and his high performing team and continuing to earn the trust they and the wider Albert family have placed in me.”
A former lawyer and journalist, Gabrielle was born in Melbourne into a well-known football family: her grandfather and father alike were both presidents of North Melbourne Football Club, so it was only natural she would join the AFL commission in 2017, just as the AFLW was beginning. She was on the advisory committee for the team that would become the GWS Giants, advising on everything from the name to the team song and colours, and went on to join the board.
Gabrielle Trainor AO (centre) with (from left): Executive team members Emily Albert, Ben Edmonds, Kirsty Albert, Ingrid Albert and David Albert.
“To have been a small part of building the culture of that club from nothing has been wonderful. And of course to have seen the women’s team come into being and be involved in the AFLW has been a great privilege,” Gabrielle says.
She became involved in construction and infrastructure early on, invited onto the board of the Docklands urban renewal project in the early 1990s, later evolving into roles with the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, advising on urban development projects with Barangaroo Delivery Authority (including chairing the arts and culture panel); and most recently the Bradfield Development Authority.
“The shape of cities, the way we live, the quality of life, all of that is so important,” Gabrielle says, emphasising the essential role arts and culture plays. To that end she has conducted a number of reviews into cultural institutions for government, served as a director of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and chaired the National Film and Sound Archive, working closely with Alberts who entrusted a number of their archives to the national body at the time.
She is also chair of the NSW and Victorian government-led Construction Industry Culture Taskforce who have devised a new framework that aims to attract more women to the industry and improve the culture generally.
Growing up around talented Indigenous football players gave Gabrielle an insight into the breadth of talent among our First Nations community – not just in sport, but in all areas of life – and she has long been a passionate advocate for Indigenous empowerment and education. She was for many years a director of Noel Pearson’s Cape York Partnership and remains a trustee of the Charlie Perkins Scholarship Trust that awards scholarships to high performing Aboriginal students to study at Cambridge and Oxford.
In 2017, Gabrielle was awarded an Order of Australia for service to community in transport and infrastructure planning and design, and as a contributor to social welfare and sporting institutions. She has also worked tirelessly to support and encourage women in business and while she says the progress during her lifetime has been ‘transformational’ – pointing out we now have women governors-general, premiers, a woman Prime Minister and female heads of business, sport and politics – there is still work to be done.
“There’s still a power imbalance in many environments, particularly when you consider the incidence of domestic violence. Business is one thing but when you look at the rest of society that’s when you realise we’ve got a way to go.”
Gabrielle’s leadership in the fields of equality and business are just one reason why the team at Alberts believes Gabrielle will be a valuable addition to the board.
“As a generation we’re focussed on creating a positive impact and building on the next chapter for Alberts,” Kirsty says. “We’ve been backing pioneers since the business began, and that’s something we want to continue to do.
Throughout her varied career, Gabrielle has played a significant role in leading positive change whether it’s with the AFL, driving cultural change in the construction industry or advocating for Indigenous empowerment. Gabrielle’s experience and leadership will be invaluable as Alberts continues to evolve and grow into the 6th generation.”
Alberts would like to thank interim chair and ongoing board member Andrew Rothery for his significant contribution, support and leadership over the past year.
