board members
Ed St John, Chairman
Ed St John is an experienced executive and company director who has been involved in the Australian music and media industries for 45 years. In the 70s and 80s, Ed was a music journalist, author and TV producer. Between 1993 and 2010, Ed was one of the leading executives in the Australian entertainment business, holding senior roles at Sony Music Australia (Director of Marketing), BMG Australia (Managing Director) and Warner Music Australia (President and CEO).
Ed was the decade-long Chairman of Australia’s leading music event, the ARIA Awards and a director and Chairman of peak industry association ARIA. More recently Ed was Executive General Manager of The Ethics Centre. Ed is a director of Music Australia and VA Media.
Marie Carroll, Director
Marie Carroll is a highly credentialed academic who obtained her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from Otago University in New Zealand. She has held a succession of senior roles including Foundation Professor of Psychology and Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Canberra. She held the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Acting DVC (Education) at the University of Sydney, with responsibilities for curriculum, graduate studies and higher degrees by research strategy, and teaching and learning. She is currently an Education Director at the Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney.
Ian French, Director
Ian French is a Fellow of CPA Australia and joined the AIM Board in 2020. He is an experienced company director and executive who draws upon an extensive and diverse finance and corporate advisory career.
Ian has led and supported all organisational types and sizes – from ‘hands on’ start-ups to large scale ASX listed businesses – particularly in the engineering, financial services, professional services, government and NFP sectors. As a lover of all music, Ian passionately supports the work of AIM as it teaches and grows students wishing to launch their own artistic and professional music industry careers.
Nigel Hennessy, Director
Nigel is a professional company director and governance specialist who has enjoyed an extensive career as a CEO and director for public, private and not for profit companies. He was deputy Managing Director of BAE Systems Australia; Managing Director Combined Communications Network; Regional Managing Director of Simoco Pacific; Managing Director EASAMS Ltd and Chairman and CEO of AquaSpy, Inc in the USA. Nigel is a Council Member of the AICD and on the Regional Development Committee for Sydney. He is deputy chair of the Australian Institute of Project Management, Farmanco Group and also acts as Chair of Spatial Hub Analytics.
senior management
john chalmers, Chief Executive Officer
With 25 years of international media, marketing, communications and content experience, John comes to the Australian Institute of Music having started his career in the music industry, and more immediately from the higher education sector where he was Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at University of Technology Sydney, leading a team of 100 in driving innovative marketing and communications strategy and content, to develop the fast growing UTS brand. Before that, John led marketing and communications at media intelligence company, Isentia, which spanned 18 APAC offices comprising the globally awarded Media Monitors, King Content, Brandtology and Two Social businesses. He was previously a music magazine editor at Onion, Rip It Up and Attitude magazines and the 8th inductee to the South Australian Dance Music Industry Hall of Fame for service to the music industry. Returning to Sydney, John was an editor and journalist including for Men’s Health magazine and in New York including at the New York Post. He brings a belief in the power of education to transform lives and a deep understanding of media and music, brand and reputation, and connecting with audiences. He has played rock guitar since age 8 and attended Adelaide University where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in history and politics.
MARIA PATTERSON, Chief DIGITAL OFFICER
Maria Patterson is an accomplished business and IT professional with over 15 years’ experience developing and delivering innovative digital products and services. Maria held senior positions at Gartner Inc. a leading research and advisory company, including Vice President, Program Management, Product Management and Marketing and Vice President, Research Business Development. Previously, Maria held the position of Director of Member Services for Gartner Executive Programs focused on business process improvement and service delivery excellence in Stamford CT U.S.A. Earlier, as a Senior Analyst, she worked with C-level executives in the Asia-Pacific region providing research and decision support for her clients major technology and business initiatives. She holds a Master of Business and Technology from the University of NSW Business School and Australian Graduate School of Management and is an accredited member of the NSW Government ICT Project Assurance Reviewer Panel.