Sandra McPhee will be the new chancellor at SCU

Developing the workforce of the future will be a focus for the new Southern Cross University chancellor Sandra McPhee.

Sandra McPhee has been appointed Southern Cross University chancellor from July.

NSW Public Service Commission Advisory Board chair Sandra McPhee has been appointed chancellor of Southern Cross University, succeeding Nick Burton Taylor, who had been in the role since 2014.

Ms McPhee, who will take up the appointment in July, has broad experience as a director of companies and other organisations including Tourism Australia, AGL Energy, Westfield, Perpetual, the Coles Group, Fairfax Media, Australia Post, South Australia Water and Kathmandu.

She was formerly an executive at Qantas and is currently a non-executive director of St Vincent’s Health Australia and a member of the JP Morgan Advisory Council and Chief Executive Women.

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She became a member of the Order of Australia in 2013 for her service to business and to the community through leadership and advisory roles.

“As Australia’s regions continue to respond and develop post-Covid, it has never been a more fundamental time for a university based in regional Australia to join with community, government and industry to create the workforce of the future, as skills and capabilities drive the development of regions,” Ms McPhee said. “This is a key element of Southern Cross University’s mission and one that I am excited to progress during my tenure as chancellor.”

Deputy chancellor Murray D’Almeida said as well as excellent business credentials Ms McPhee’s had a “compelling background in organisations such as Art Gallery of NSW, Care Australia and Starlight Children’s Foundation”.

“We are delighted to have someone of such broad experience and insights to succeed Nick Burton Taylor, who has been an outstanding chancellor,” Mr D’Almeida said.