Joe Dicks
Non Executive Director
Until 30 June 2016, I was a partner at PPB Advisory; a firm I was involved in setting up over 25 years ago. I am a Chartered Accountant with over 32 years’ experience. Besides my finance background, other skills I can offer boards are:
· in-depth experience in a number of industries. I was the preferred advisor to the four major banks on agri and aged care (including retirement living) business related matters;
· strong analytical skills complemented with critical reasoning from my time in the business advisory industry;
· audit experience – I was until recently a registered company auditor and have chaired the past four board audit and risk committees I have been involved in;
· governance experience – I have been an independent director for over 17 years and am a member of the AICD.
Board experience (current)
· Board member and Chair of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee of Campus Living Funds Management Limited (July 2016 to present). This company manages 44,000 student accommodation beds across the USA, UK, New Zealand and Australia;
· Board member and Chair of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee of Think Childcare Ltd (April 2018 to present). Think is a listed company on the ASX and currently manages 44 centres across Australia;
· Chair of the audit and risk committee and board member of Melbourne Polytechnic (July 2016 to present). I was one of the Minister appointed directors to this TAFE college;
· Treasurer of the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club (2012 to present).
Board experience (past)
· Chair of the audit and risk committee and board member of the Retirement Village Group Ltd (January 2016 to 24 August 2016). I was the representative board member for REST Superannuation Fund until it sold its interest to Aveo Ltd;
· Chair of the audit and risk committee and board member of Wesley Mission Victorian (2014 to October 2016);
· Founding board member of the Uniting Aged Care Victoria and Tasmania (now Uniting AgeWell) (2004 to 2013);
· Chair of the Uniting Aged Care Finance Committee (2004 to 2013);
· Victorian Chair of the Australia Africa Business Council (2008 to 2009);
· President of the National Australia Africa Business Council (2010);
· Former Chair of the Victorian Chapter of the Forensic Accounting Special Interest Group (1 July 2008 to 30 June 2013);
· Chair of Castlemaine Bacon Company (2002 to 2003).
Industry experience
· Student accommodation
o 2 years on the board of Campus Living Funds Management Limited has increased my experience in infrastructure development and management of student accommodation. The development aspect has also provided me with experience in the oversight of complex financial structures and syndicated financial lending;
o Campus Living has also provided me with experience in the oversight of business across multiple geographic regions;
o Being predominantly owned by two major superannuation funds, has also broadened my experience in dealing with often conflicting stakeholder interests.
· Childcare, aged care and retirement living
Significant assignments I have undertaken during my career:
o administrator of a State and Federal funded provider of services to the aged and intellectually disabled;
o fund administrator to a number of aboriginal health co-operatives;
o advisor of choice to the four major banks in conducting due diligence reviews and investigating accountant reports for a number of large aged care groups;
o advisor to the Department of Health and Ageing in developing the new regulations for accommodation bonds;
o sell side advisor to 50% shareholder of a leading aged care operator;
o engaged to advise on a recent transaction that gave rise to a potential capital gains tax liability;
o Commissioner to Moorfields Community for Aged Care, a 220 bed aged care facility owned by the Uniting Church in Australia. This agency was also successfully returned to a community board of management under my leadership.
· Agriculture
Significant assignments I have undertaken during my career:
o advisor of choice to the four major banks in conducting due diligence reviews and investigating accountant reports for the agribusiness sector, including abattoirs, cattle stations etc;
o providing strategic advice to numerous agribusinesses seeking to refinance;
o preparing business and strategic plans for numerous agribusinesses;
o successfully operated an abattoir in Colac, Victoria whilst under administration for five months. The business was then sold as a going concern. It now operates as CRFco (owned by the Australian Lamb Company);
o led a team charged with:
improving profits and internal reporting at the Castlemaine Bacon Company; and
selling the business.
· Vocational education
Significant assignments I have undertaken during my career:
o Minister appointed director of Melbourne Polytechnic for nearly 2 years;
o assisted the Board and executive of a Victorian based metropolitan TAFE to overhaul its performance reporting;
o governance and risk management reviews for a number of Victorian based TAFE’s – reported directly to the board;
o worked with the executive management team of a Victorian based TAFE’ to review its risk management policy;
o reviewed the utilisation performance and alternative use of certain sites with another government statutory body;
o reviewed the viability of an overseas satellite campus for a Victorian based TAFE - reported directly to the Board.
Qualifications
· Member of the AICD
· Bachelor of Commerce
· Postgraduate Diploma in Accountancy
· Chartered Accountant and member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia
· Accredited Business Valuations Specialist
