Former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, Christine Nixon AO, APM has been appointed Chair of Leadership Victoria, marking a significant milestone for the not-for-profit social enterprise at a time when strong leadership has never been more vital.

As the first female Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, leading 14,000 staff between 2001 and 2009, and leading the Victorian Bushfire Recovery after the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires, Christine is uniquely positioned to understand the challenges and opportunities of leadership in today’s society.

“Right now, we’re facing unprecedented challenges, from climate change to gender inequality to the ongoing effects of the COVID pandemic. In order to tackle these issues, we need leaders who are visionaries, who can bring people together to create lasting change,” she says.

“A great leader is someone who is able to draw on the strength of those they lead, and as Chair of Leadership Victoria, I’m looking forward to working with the board, management, and alumni to foster leadership that helps to solve some of the big issues, and greatest opportunities, within our community.”

Ms Nixon’s appointment comes at a time when Leadership Victoria is entering a strong new chapter, focusing on helping individuals, workplaces and communities to exercise the leadership required to tackle some of society’s more complex challenges, in order to create a more sustainable, inclusive and equitable society.

With an impressive list of alumni that includes Dr Bronwyn King AO, who is a world leader in the fight against big tobacco investment; Justin Hanney, Chief Executive Officer of the City of Melbourne; Vivienne Nguyen, Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission; and Dr Sonja Hood, President of the North Melbourne Football Club; the organisation is excited to work with Christine to inspire current and emerging leaders to create the collective action required to bring about change.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Christine to the role of Chair. Her experience and vision as a leader will be an asset to our organisation, as we aim to enable leadership that inspires, connects and transforms,” says Sally Hines, CEO of Leadership Victoria.

“Now more than ever, we need people who want to mobilise others to tackle tough societal challenges, and with Christine’s guidance, we’ve never been better placed to advance this type of adaptive leadership,” she adds.

Christine is also currently Chair of the Board of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and Deputy Chair of the Board of Castlemaine State Festival. In 2017, she co-authored “Women Leading” with Amanda Sinclair.

About Leadership Victoria

Leadership Victoria is a not-for-profit, certified social enterprise that specialises in leadership development. For over thirty years, the organisation has been connecting and empowering leaders across business, government and community sectors, enabling them to exercise the leadership required to address complex challenges and contribute to positive social, environmental and economic outcomes. Leadership Victoria’s programs purposefully connect leaders with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives to challenge and enable fresh thinking. We facilitate powerful networks that endure beyond our programs, enabling leaders to amplify their leadership impact in their organisations, sectors and communities. Find out more at https://www.leadershipvictoria.org/