With over 25 years of international business experience, Vlad has built a strong foundation in providing innovative textile solutions to large retailers across the USA, EU, and UK. Over the years, Vlad honed exceptional business development skills, leading international collaborations and consistently driving growth and success. This expertise seamlessly transitioned into the education sector, where Vlad has spent the last 10 years excelling in leadership roles. From Chief of Operations to Director of Marketing, Vlad has shaped impactful strategies that have delivered measurable results. In 2024, as Interim Chief Executive Officer, Vlad now spearheads the Australian International Institute of Higher Education with a focus on operational excellence, strategic growth, and fostering a culture of providing international students with the best Bachelor programs to ensure successful future career outcomes. Committed to success, Vlad strives to elevate the organisation while maintaining a forward-thinking approach to leadership and team development.

Dr Joo-Gim Heaney has worked at a number of universities, including in the USA and Australia, and private higher education providers in positions related to higher education leadership positions, and corporate and academic governance.  Dr Heaney was the Dean of the School of Business at the University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, and held senior academic positions at Griffith University and at Franklin & Marshall College (USA). Dr Heaney was an External Accreditation Reviewer for the Pennsylvania State Department of Education, and a Board member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas for Music Education (USA, Canada and South America). In relation to private higher education institutes, Dr Heaney’s executive leadership and governance role includes those at the Australian Institute of Higher Education (AIH), Higher Education Leadership Institute (HELI), and Chairing the Boards and Councils of a number of Institutes of Higher Education.

Dr Heaney has received numerous awards and grants in Australia and the USA, including a Learning and Teaching Citation at Griffith University. She has a total of more than thirty refereed publications, in journals including the Journal of Financial Services Marketing; International Journal of Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations; Journal of International Consumer Marketing; International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing; International Journal of Bank Marketing; as well as refereed international business and marketing conference publications, where she is an Executive Fellow of the Advisory Committee of the Academy of World Business, Marketing and Management Development.

Emeritus Professor Margot Hillel OAM has a professional background in academia including in academic governance. She was Chair of Academic Board at Australian Catholic University for 10 years and a member of the ACU Senate, both elected and ex officio – the senior most governing body of the University – as well as chairing the promotions panels for Levels A-D. She has been a long-term external member of the Academic Board of Catholic Theological College and on the promotions panel of the University of Divinity. Outside academia she has Board experience including chairing the National Board of Directors of the Children’s Book Council of Australia, and chair of the Boards of Impact for Women, an organisation supporting women escaping from domestic violence and that of Cambodian Kids Can that provides education for disadvantaged girls and young women in Cambodia. Margot was awarded an OAM in 2000 for her services to young people’s literature.

Jeffrey has held several governance roles with AIIHE. He brings a wealth of knowledge from his extensive experience in education and governance. Prior to roles with education providers, he held senior executive roles with ICT responsibility for government agencies in Australia and New Zealand. He has consulted to public and private organisations in New Zealand, Australia, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. He is a speaker of several languages. He is a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society, Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

In his academic career he supervised 40 doctoral candidates to completion, attracted over 50 research grants and published over 250 research papers. At the University of Southern Queensland Jeffrey was acting head for the School of Commerce, School of Management & Enterprise and the School of Business. He served three terms as professoriate representative to the Academic Board where he also served on the Research Committee, chaired the Education Committee, was co-chair of the Education Technology Committee and served on ad hoc university committees and working parties. He has been awarded honorary professor appointments in other universities.

Nigel Corne has been a Company Director for over two decades with experience in Higher Education, Health, Tourism & Hospitality and franchising throughout Australasia. His expertise includes risk management, conflict resolution and business transformation while focusing on sustainability growth.

Nigel’s previous roles include Managing Director of the ASX listed, Tourism Hotels and Leisure Limited, National Chair of the Australian Hotel Association and NSW Government statutory boards.

He is a Member and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), has a Bachelor of Engineering degree and is a Fellow of the Catering Institute of Australia. Recently, he achieved the qualification of National Mediator.

Nigel is currently Chair of The Arthritis Movement, Governing Council Member of AIIHE, Chair of the MMP Heritage Advisory Committee and Director at Canberra Memorial Parks.