Jennifer Westacott was sitting in her office at Western Sydney University when an email dropped in her inbox informing her she had been given Australia’s highest honour: an appointment as Companion of the Order of Australia.

“It’s obviously very humbling and a great honour,” said the former Business Council of Australia chief executive, who joined WSU as chancellor in 2023. Recognition like the letters AC after one’s name was always a team effort, she said on Monday. “You never do these things alone.”